Guatemala offers two very different conservation projects so you can experience the best of Central America whilst safeguarding the future of threatened species.

Volunteers can choose to work on one of two well established projects at a lakeside animal refuge or on the Pacific Coast, making our projects an exciting combination of two very different locations.

By choosing to be an animal refuge volunteer, you will be helping to feed and care for the parrots, macaws, howler monkeys and ocelots which were seized from smugglers and need considerable care and attention. Volunteers also help out by preparing meals. Although the working day is a long one, it includes a lengthy afternoon siesta. It is not all work and no play either, and you will have time to visit the nearby towns.

You could also volunteer on the Pacific coast as a coastal ecology volunteer. You could be performing night patrols and assisting turtle hatchlings to be released, or constructing new facilities, organising environmental education, or assisting with a caiman and iguana breeding programme.

Get involved with community projects to improve local living conditions. Volunteering in Guatemala is not without its challenges on this remote windswept stretch of coast, but being a volunteer on the Pacific Coast could be just the project to shake off the cobwebs.

The setting for your placement in the interior is a 45 hectare lake side forest only 25 miles from the world famous Mayan ruins of Tikal. Long, thin dugout canoes still glide back and forth between the villages, ferrying locals around.

The coastal placement is based on the pacific coast known as the the ‘Costa Sur’. This coastal region is a South Sea paradise, where you can string up a hammock and spend a lazy afternoon doing nothing except taking it all in.

If you want to learn Spanish by working alongside Spanish speaking staff and local people, and would like a comfortable introduction to living and working in Latin America, volunteering in Guatemala is for you!

Canoes, mountain lakes, jungles, tropical beaches and a population that is mostly of Indian descent combine to make Guatemala a unique destination. The main attractions are the ruined Mayan cities overgrown by jungle, laid back Livingstone on the Caribbean coast, smoking volcanoes, isolated lakes, the white sands of the Atlantic coast, the dark volcanic beaches of the Pacific, the spectacular little-known ravines which crisscross the country such as the Rio Dulce among a long list of other attractions.

Volunteers on the project in Honduras have been enjoying a busy month at the iguana centre. With the nesting season just around the corner, everyone has been lending a hand constructing new enclosures for the females to lay their nests. Volunteers purchased the materials needed through donations and a local government grant, which was won by the project. Volunteers from a range of backgrounds have been helping to construct the cages, from science students to carpenters!
Other volunteers have been assisting with the ongoing environmental education project on the island. The local children know little about their endangered neighbours or why they are slowly becoming extinct. Three school teachers from the UK recently visited the project and made a huge impact to the programme, drawing awareness to the situation. The volunteers also assisted by training some of the local school teachers who struggled with skills and techniques thanks to a lack of initial training and resources. One of the volunteers also specialised in working with children who suffered with learning difficulties and her skills were also put to good use.
Thanks to the project and our volunteers, the local community are more aware of the damage that is being done to the iguana’s natural habitat. Teachers continue to teach children about the native iguana population and steps are being taken to help to preserve their population.

Would you like to experience life in a remote mountain valley in the foothills of the beautiful Himalayas? Would you like to gain a unique insight into rural Indian life away from the tourist track and hustle and bustle of big cities? Or maybe you would prefer to spend your days on a beautiful island or in the tropical forest in Thailand? Then why not choose to volunteer in Asia?

Volunteering in Asia can be as varied as you want it to be, from administrative work, building work to helping on the land with planting and harvesting or even take part in an educational project, perhaps teaching English in a little school or organising a fun sports day for the children.

Asia can offer you a life-changing experience – the breath-taking beauty of the awe-inspiring Himalayas, or the tropical rainforest or the picture-postcard islands will leave you with happy memories for the rest of your life. Volunteering enables you to get up close to the local people, live amongst the community away from the tourist trail and put something back. It is a truly rewarding adventure!

Asia is home to so many of the most beautiful sights in the world – the Himalayan Mountains, just one example, are the world’s highest (and still growing) peaks and are twice the height of the Alps. But whichever one of our projects you choose is situated in an area of outstanding beauty, which will take your breath away!

You will have the unrivalled opportunity of living and working alongside local people away from the beaten tourist trail. You don’t need previous teaching experience – just an enthusiasm to help local children learn a language. Then experience the hospitality and beauty of the country you are in – from the ornate buildings to the idyllic countryside.

There are a whole host of projects for you to take part in, situated in a wide range of locations throughout the continent.

Come and volunteer in Asia to discover new cultures and take part in a life changing experience that you will never forget.

Your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaits you – get packing!

Do you want to do something worthwhile and enjoy experiencing a new culture at the same time? Then why not be a volunteer in Africa? With many different experiences to choose from, working with children or animals, Africa has something for everyone!

You could find yourself helping with children’s activities in Ghana, or working with street children in Kenya. If your passion is animals, why not come as a volunteer and work in the beautiful country of South Africa, helping in the monkey sanctuary, nursing sick animals back to health?
Gain the opportunity to help others and make the world a better place to live. Your CV will also shine, as you gain valuable work experience in an African country and put your creative ideas to good use.

No previous experience is required and you will find working with children or animals very rewarding. Every pair of hands is greatly valued in all our projects and we guarantee you will have many happy memories for a long time to come!

During your free time the beach is never far away and there is so much to discover in this colourful continent! Now is your chance to go on that safari you always dreamed of! Enjoy the beautiful rhythms of African dances and the lovely melodies, buy some beautiful souvenirs and eat lots of fresh fruit which grows in abundance in the lush vegetation.

The world’s eyes were on Africa in 2010 for the World Cup. Why not turn your eyes – and hands – to this great continent now? Come to Africa as a volunteer, and you won’t be disappointed!

Why not come and try something new and develop your own skills and confidence? We lok forward to seeing you!

Why not consider combining helping others with travelling overseas by being a volunteer abroad?
Volunteering abroad can change your life, and the life of others! It can help you gain new skills, improve self-confidence and look good on a CV! It will not break the bank either – With Original Volunteers projects start from as little as £35 per week, including accommodation!

So if you are wondering what to do next year, why not consider volunteering in the summer of 2011? With over 100 projects to choose from, Original Volunteers are in 18 countries around the world. Whatever age or background you are from, the volunteer projects welcome everybody equally, and endeavour to encourage, and support your choices and decisions.

Original Volunteers offer affordable volunteering, unlimited choices, fantastic work opportunities, and a flexible approach – just some of the many reasons why so many people have chosen to go with them. Will you be joining them in the summer of 2011?

Whether your interest is children or animals, whether your preference is Africa or Asia, you can be sure to find something that suits you when you volunteer abroad in the summer of 2011. You might even enjoy it so much that you decide to return for a second time, as Rebecca Morgan from Herefordshire did. She returned to Ghana and says that “the hardest part of the placement was going home”.

Another volunteer, Sara-Jane who went to Mexico to work with disabled people and orphans, says: “Volunteering offers a different side to travelling and an insight into other cultures”.

Go and find out for yourself, Volunteer in the summer of 2011!

CHARITY WORKERS EXCITED TO MEET VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers arriving at Asuncion airport will be met by a charity worker and taken to their accommodation. They will be placed in projects dedicated to helping the vulnerable Asuncion street-children, and will have a complete support team during their stay – for free!

The only money which volunteers in Paraguay will need to contribute is the one-off £125 registration fee paid to join Original Volunteers, and the meals which they’ll eat cheaply at Paraguayan cafés.  This really does make the project a low cost volunteering experience!

The charity workers are eager to welcome the volunteers to their city. They’re hoping that volunteers will bring with them much-needed English language skills, and fresh approaches to teaching and inspiring the children in need.

PARAGUAY – A UNIQUE COUNTRY

Paraguay has a rich history, and has inspired many artists. One of the most prolific of these was acclaimed English novelist Graham Greene, who spent a lot of time in the country. Greene’s works, Travels with my Aunt and The Honorary Consul were written during his stays in Paraguay. Each book has been made into a film: The Honorary Consul starred both Michael Caine and Richard Gere. In addition, the spectacular Iguassu Falls were the location for the film The Mission, starring Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons.

Paraguay is one of the cheapest countries to volunteer abroad in South America. However, this prize has a sorrowful cause. Poverty is rising, partly due to the global economic crisis. Climate change is also having a disastrous effect, affecting Paraguay’s agriculture. Gap-year volunteers often flock to South America, but Paraguay has long been left off the beaten tourist track. This year, though, publishing house Bradt are bringing out the first travel guide dedicated to Paraguay. Paraguay’s unique environment and fascinating culture are sure to leave lasting memories with the charity’s volunteers.

Original Volunteers launch their volunteer for free placements. When volunteering for free in Paraguay volunteers are based in Asunción (the capital) or the suburbs and will have the freedom to choose to volunteer at a variety of projects in different locations.

As a free volunteer in Paraguay you could choose to help out at a day-care nursery or take part in a street kids’ project. You could find yourself helping out with planning activities or cooking meals for the children.

Having not been a volunteer before is not a problem, just a desire to have a go. Get involved, Volunteers really help to improve a child’s life and surroundings.

Life for a Volunteer in Paraguay is full of surprises and can be very rewarding, as many of the volunteers find out once they have given it a go.

Many people who have spent time volunteering for free have been impressed with the way that the trip was organised – the fact that they were met at the airport, the way good accommodation was provided free of charge, (within walking distance of supermarkets and other facilities) and the fact that weekends were always free. This allows volunteers to explore the natural beauty, such as on a trip to the breathtaking Iguassu Falls on the Brazilian border.

“Indeed we have noticed that many people who choose to Volunteer for free decide to go back again or opt for more volunteering in neighbouring South American countries,” states Gus the owner of Original Volunteers.

Paraguay is a little visited country in South America that is waiting to be discovered. Its capital Asunción has a lot of history and volunteers can visit its charming colonial buildings and plazas. A fascinating country awaits, when volunteering for free in Paraguay.

Original Volunteers offers you the possibility to volunteer in Paraguay, whatever your background or interests. Through Original Volunteers, many people have achieved their goal of volunteering, perhaps for the first time, enhancing and making a difference to the lives of those less fortunate than themselves.

Original Volunteers is affordable, offers unlimited choices and has a flexible approach – just some of the many reasons why people have chosen to volunteer with them.

Moving into a more social area of the business we are hoping to engage with new volunteers and keep in touch with past and current friends of Original Volunteers at the same time.

We will be sharing our latest Blog posts with you via Twitter and any news that we feel may be of interest to our volunteers. If you have any questions please direct message us with feedback or any ideas in the way which we can improve our Twitter experience.

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