Project Leaders
Childcare volunteering program in Honduras

Dom Williams - Latin America Projects Director

After gaining a degree from the University of Northumbria, United Kingdom, Dom spent 4 years investigating, researching and travelling South America, finally settling for Guatemala where he has lived since 2000. Dom says “Central America, and Guatemala in particular is one of the last really unexplored, exploreable regions on earth”. Dom and Doreen set up their first Indigenous project in San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala in 2003 and due to the success and advances made, they have set up further Indigenous projects in Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador and Honduras with the help of local community leaders.

Enrique Carrillo - Honduras co-ordinator

Kike is born a bred Copaneca; his life has always been spent in Copán, Honduras. He has dedicated himself to community and conservation projects in the area for many years, whilst being the head of the Spanish school in Copán itself. “With hundreds of small Chortí (Indigenous) communities surrounding Copán, there is so much work to be done, in sanitation, education and conservation” he says.

Kat Chidzey - Project Manager

After studying Music, Art and Drama, Kat went on to be a Learning Support Assistant to children with Learning Difficulties and Behaviour Management problems before taking a year out to go travelling. On her return she decided not to stay in England for long, but go and volunteer with GVI Phoenix in Itzapa, Guatemala for 10 weeks. Since then she has never looked back and has been with GVI in Ecuador for 6 months, Nicaragua for 7 months and now back in Guatemala and continuing on from there....

Patrick Smith - Project Manager

Patrick, born in West Yorkshire, England, has always had a passion to travel and has spent as much time as possible trying to visit new and exciting places. After completing a year long trip around Asia and Australasia, Patrick decided he wanted to get to know these countries a lot better and maybe give a little something back. This was where the idea to volunteer with GVI came from. He started volunteering with GVI Phoenix in San Andrés Itzapa in Guatemala 2007 and soon fell in love with the project. Since then, Patrick has worked as an intern in Ecuador and Nicaragua and is currently back in Guatemala otra vez.

Marlen “Carolina” Rodas - Community Liaison

GVI Phoenix secondary school teacher and primary school teacher – San Rafael Carolina Gámez has worked with us since 2006 and is a graduate of Maestra de Educación Primaria and Profesor en Educación Basica in the grade of Licenciatura. She has worked in San Rafael since 2002 and since 2008, has been the one of the pionners of the GVI Secondary School, know in Honduras as the Instituto GVI Phoenix. She says “Es un gusto para mi y una gran y excelente ayuda para esta comunidad la labor de los voluntarios aqui ya que hemos visto un cambio en el nivel de educación.” – “It is a pleasure and an excellent help for this community, the work of the volunteers here and we have seen the (positive!) change in the level of education here”.

Sandra Rebeca Orellana - Community Liaison

Director and teacher in Barbasco Sandra is the soul teacher in Barbasco since 2006, taking all the grades, though with the help of our volunteers this is reduced substantially! She graduated in teaching from the Pedagogica Nacional Fransisco Morazan University obtaining the title Técnico en Educación Basica and Licenciatura en Educación Basica.

Edgar Adan Rodas - GVI Phoenix secondary school teacher and driver

Edgar, who hails from Guatemala, has been with us since 2006 and is a fundamental part of the team with almost every aspect of our work in Honduras. His trusty transport gets us to and from the communities each day as well as his DIY skills!. He graduated as a teacher, specialising in music which he teaches in the GVI Secondary School, as well as physical education.

Glenda Paola Gámez - GVI Phoenix secondary school teacher

Glenda graduated as Perito Mercantil y Contador Público, studying at the Instituto Dr. Jesu Nuñez Chincilla de Copán Ruinas. She is currently training to be a teacher at the Universidad Pedagógica Franscisco Morazan. She has worked with us since 2009 and is the secretary of our secondary school and also gets involved with sports and practical studies.

Celea Refugio Flores - GVI Phoenix secondary school teacher

Celea works with us in our GVI Phoenix secondary school. She lives in Ostuman, Copán Ruinas. Her background is in tourism and she too studied in the Universidad Pedagógica Fransisco Morazan, graduating in high school teaching. In the GVI Phoenix Secondary School, she teaches Spanish and Natural Science to the three grades.

Mercedes Elizabeth Murcia - GVI Phoenix secondary school teacher

Mercedes has worked in our secondary school since 2009. She studied in the Universidad Pedagógica Franscisco Morazan where she graduated as Profesor en Educación Basica en el grado de Licenciatura. She has much experience in education and currently works with us, in our Instituto Privado GVI Phoenix, San Rafael, Copán Ruinas. She teaches Maths, arts and crafts and social studies.