The project takes place in one of the largest children\'s hospitals in central Quito. You will assist children who need or are receiving medical treatments and support their education.
Programs Abroad
BOLIVIA - Live and Work with an Indigenous Community 
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Booking Nº: BO102 Country: Bolivia + Location: Madidi National Park Minimum Stay: 4 weeks Start dates: All year round Price: from 4 weeks, 1,560 USD |
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Task
- Learn to work with agriculture
- Play with children
- Teach English to adults and children
- Teach how to play a musical instrument
- Assist in constructing new cottages
- Help with visitors (interpretation)
- Clean and cook in the lodge
During your volunteer program you will work in a National Park supporting the indigenous community of the Tacana Indians that live there. You will learn how the indigenous people plant rice and collect fruits and vegetables for their food. In addition, you will learn how to fish and hunt as well as how to make medical remedies from native plants using traditional techniques. It is also a benefit for the village as you will teach English to adults and children and support the community wherever their help is needed.
This is a unique opportunity allowing you to live closely with indigenous people who are open-minded and curious to learn about your culture while at the same time showing you their different traditions and lifestyles. You will have many useful and educating experiences including making good friends within the community. The simplicity of the lives of the people will change your perspective on the world and open your eyes to the way life was before the modern technologies existed!
Please keep in mind that you will live a very simple way of life. You should be respectful of the people and their traditions that span several centuries. Your acceptance of their ways of life will allow you to experience a unique and wonderful stay in one of the most pristine and diverse sites on earth. You will be one of few people that can say that they have lived in an indigenous community within the Amazon jungle!
Accommodation
During your volunteer work you will either live with a group of tourists at the Eco-Lodge or in the specially built volunteer cottage which is taken care of by an indigenous host family. Your host family will provide you with three meals per day and you may even receive an invitation to stay in one of their typical houses. You will be surprised to see that in the typical household all of the family members sleep in the same room that also serves as the kitchen and the living room. In their home, you will have the opportunity to learn and practice indigenous cooking techniques and try the delicious recipes. This is a completely unique experience that is not offered to average tourists!!The meals provided by the host family typically contain the ingredients that the family grows, hunts and fishes. Mostly they eat fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, corn, rice and occasionally some red meat.
Volunteers can also eat and live with other tourists at the Eco-Lodge. In the lodge the meals are more international and may also include chicken and beef amongst the other ingredients that are local to the area.
Requirements
Language:Spanish skills required (you can book your Spanish course in Bolivia with us!)
Skills:
No professional skills or experiences required.
Age:
18+ years
Vaccination:
Not required. Please consult us and your doctor for specific recommendations.
Insurance:
Full travel and medical insurance is required. You can purchase a full coverage, no deductible health and travel insurance at a special rate for our participants by contacting your South America Inside representative.
Visa:
Tourist visa valid for 90 days. For further information regarding visa requirements please contact us and the corresponding embassy or consulate in your home country.
Details
Your volunteer work will take place in a little village that is located on the Beni River in the Madidi National Park. You can only reach the village by boat, which takes about one hour from the main town. The community has approximately 235 inhabitants who are all Tacana Indians. They live in complete harmony with their environment and are dependent on the nature around them for survival. They are the perfect modern day example of how one can live without modern technologies but remain content with what they have! The Tacana Indians will warmly welcome you, allowing you to immerse yourself in the community's culture.
Of the many things that the community is involved in, you will learn how to live like them through working directly with the community members. You will work in planting rice, collecting fruits and vegetables, fishing, hunting and preparing traditional medicine. In addition, you will assist the people in making them more international by teaching the adults and children English along with your native language if it is different. If you know an instrument, they would love to learn how to play that as well. You will assist in the construction of new cottages and interpret for foreign visitors and their native tour guides.
There are a lot of things volunteers can do, so you should be flexible to help wherever the community needs you!
Source: Google Maps
Prices
| Duration | in USD |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks |
1,560.- |
| 5 weeks | 1,745.- |
| 6 weeks | 1,925.- |
| Additional week | 180.- |
One time registration fee 75 USD.
Price includes the national flight from La Paz to Rurrenabaque and the fligth back to La Paz
What’s included:
- Accommodation
- 3 meals / day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Orientation kit
- Local support
- 24h-Emergency Number
- Volunteer Work Placement
- Certificate of participation
What’s not included:
- Flight
- Medical Insurance
- Visa (if necesary)
Country
Country Information Bolivia |
 Sandwiched between Peru, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Chile while straddling the Andes Mountains, stands Bolivia, the “Tibet of the Americas”. Bolivia earns this title by being the highest and most isolated of all the Andean nations. About twice the size of Spain, Bolivia holds over 42,000 square miles and is home to over 9 million people. The capital city of La Paz embraces over 800,000 Bolivians and rests at an elevation of 11,800 feet.
This unique country possesses nearly every possible climate and terrain from the snow capped peaks of over 21,000 ft., semi-tropical lowlands and steaming jungles of the Bolivian Amazon Basin. The famous Lake Titicaca, which shares a Peruvian border, is the highest navigable inland sea in the world. Furthermore, the boasting crystal blue waters, reed boats and islands known for pre-Columbian ruins make Bolivia a must-see destination! Though Bolivia stands as the poorest land in South America, the cultural landscape of this country is one of a kind. The religious and native practices of both Indigenous people and ¨hybrid¨ Christians, an influence from the Spanish conquistador Simon Bolivar, categorize Bolivia as truly prosperous in culture. As Bolivar claimed independence for Bolivia from Spain in 1825, the absence of clergy in rural areas led to the development of a hybrid Christian/Indigenous way of life. Today, overlapping cultures exist where 95% Bolivians profess faith to Roman Catholicism, however over 50% of the population maintains traditional indigenous values and beliefs as well. Visitors are exposed to these wonderful people and their lifestyle full of intriguing doctrines, rites and superstitions. In addition to rich culture, the breathtaking terrain and wildlife of Bolivia will surely stand as the clincher to discover this country. One has the opportunity to see various exotic birds, plants, insects and animals due to Bolivia's relatively sparse population, lack of development and diverse geography. In fact, Bolivia is one of the best places to see South American wildlife, including the jaguar, llama, anteater, chinchilla, condor, and the rare spectacled bear! Climatic consideration should be taken when planning your visit to the ¨Tibet of the America’s.¨ Remembering the high altitude of Bolivia, the weather here deserves respect. Though unpredictable, the weather more or less follows certain trends. Summer months of November to April entail heavy rains with washed-out roads making a buzzing river community of boats and vibrant colors. The winter months of May to October typically offer a more gentle travel experience with dry temperate weather during the day, breathtaking alpine glow and freezing nighttime temperatures. The most popular months, due to festivals and mostly temperate weather, range between June and September. During these months, you’ll find lots of activity and smiling faces. Remember the impact altitude has on irregular weather so investing in a hardy raincoat, sunscreen, and an insulated jacket are highly recommended! Vast amounts of Bolivia continue to remain undiscovered and unknown. The country’s phenomenal landscapes, colonial architecture, indigenous cultures and the legacy of its ancient mysterious civilizations combined with a quiet political climate offer an extraordinary travel experience!
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