Overview
Volunteer Travel in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras

This combination program gives volunteers the chance to teach and travel across three Central American countries: Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, spending four weeks in each. The cost of education in Guatemala and Honduras is often prohibitive, so GVI (with leaders of the indigenous communities) have built schools and started open classes that are free to attend. Living with local families in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua volunteers will take Spanish lessons and travel each day to teach the areas’ underprivileged indigenous children.

Several side trips are included so you have the opportunity to visit many of the highlights each country has to offer.

View Film Footage, images, blogs, volunteer stories from the field, volunteer video diaries and more at the programs media centre

It is great to be able to travel and work in different countries in the same trip, experiencing a wide range of cultures.

Volunteer, Alison Wakeson, April 2007

What Difference Does This Project Make?

Volunteers work in GVI programs which provide educational reinforcement and first time education for children and adults, funded through volunteer contributions. We also run a food program. Without these projects, education would not exist for most of our children in Guatemala and the children in Honduras would not have secondary education or primary reinforcement.

Highlights

Teaching in indigenous rural communities in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, learning Spanish in one-on-one teaching environments; going on various exciting trips, including Lake Atitlán and the Copán Ruins; living with local families. Seeing the best of everything in Central America whilst giving something back.

Location

In Guatemala volunteers live in the beautiful old Spanish colonial town of Antigua. Project work is carried out in San Andrés Itzapa and Santa María de Jésus, both within a one hour journey from the town.

In Honduras, volunteers live in Copan Ruinas, a tiny colonial town close to the Copan Ruins. Project work will be undertaken in the Chortí community of San Rafael, within a half hour journey from the town.

In Nicaragua Volunteers live in Estelí, also known as “El Diamante de las Segovias” (the Diamond of the Segovias), situated 150km North of Managua, surrounded by mountains and valleys dotted with small agricultural communities, in which the project work will be undertaken.

Field Conditions

Living with local families in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in comfortable but basic accommodation allows volunteers to immerse themselves in the culture of the countries, as well as providing you with the valuable opportunity to practice your Spanish! All accommodation provided is private, has washing facilities and includes three meals a day; lunch is eaten in the communities with a local family or packed lunches during the project work week.