Opportunities in Sucre, Boliva

The following is a list of current volunteer opportunities in Bolivia

Fundacion Aprecia

Description: This foundation provides aid, education and rehabilitation to: patients who were born blind; who have lost their sight due to illness or accident or who are visually impaired in some capacity. Main focus of organization is to teach the patients how to live independently.

Activities/Tasks: Currently three programs in operation:

1) School for children/Rehabilitation Clinic for adults
2) Boarding school (infants- 18 years-old)
3) Two art workshops

All programs and projects are under funded. This organization will soon loose its German gov't funding and must function autonomously. The director is visually impaired and founded the organization 20 years ago.

Needed: Therapists (SLP, OTA, PT, Psychotherapists, etc.) and Teachers.
Minimum Time: 8 weeks
Spanish Level: High Intermediate
Other Requirements: Compassion and understanding of under-funded organizations a must. Previous experience with blind/visually impaired not necessary, just a desire to help in that arena.
Schedule: Varies depending on project and current need. Shifts available 7 days/week. Full-time.
Capacity: Maximum 10 volunteers at one time

Fundacion Caritas

Description: Rural agricultural initiative in the surrounding Sucre area.
Main focus: wheat cultivation, fruit cultivation, rabbit farming, potable water initiatives and agricultural education for women and children whose husbands/fathers leave the community in search of work.
Activities/Tasks: Following backgrounds needed: business/marketing, agriculture (community assisted and individual family farming), veterinary medicine, artesanial, psychology, teaching.
Minimum Time: 4 weeks
Spanish level: High- Intermediate.
Schedule: Varies. Expect to volunteer during the weekends too.
Capacity: 10 volunteers at one time

Various Sucre Public & Private Schools

Description: Various public and private kindergarten, elementary and high schools throughout Sucre.
Activities/Tasks: English and German teaching assistants for classroom instruction and also teaching English and German to school administration.
Minimum Time: 4 weeks in Kindergarten
Schedule: Varies, but generally during Museum hours.
Spanish level: Low Advanced
Other Requirements: Relevant experience in English and German teaching. Teaching Certificate.
Capacity: maximum of 5 volunteers at one time.

We also need teachers who willing to support English or German teachers after classes.

Asociacion Sucrense de Ecologia (ASDE)

Description: A non-profit organization dedicated to the environment especially educating people about the advantages to saving natural resources. They run 3 separate programs that operate in different months throughout the year.

Activities/Tasks:

TREE PROJECT: From October 2nd until the end of February.
Dedicated to planting trees in parks, suburbs, streets, plazas, etc. Volunteers work with local citizens and neighbors.

CLEAN-UP PROJECT: From September 15 until October 15.
Volunteers work with Scouts cleaning up the city.

QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECT: From April 22nd (Earth Day) until October 2nd. Dedicated to educating people about natural resources, including water conservation, river contamination, etc. through presentations in public schools, theater and community visits.

Minimum Time: 4 weeks
Spanish Level: Mid-Intermediate
Other Requirements: Public speaking skills, a love of nature.
Schedule: Varies depending on project.
Capacity: Up to 20 volunteers at one time.

Fundacion Oqharikuna

Description: A private, non-profit institution begun in 1995 that works with at-risk, marginalized children and youth of Bolivia who are homeless, drug-addicted, troubled, etc. There are 4 houses in the program.

1) Casa Tinkuy: An open house for young males & females seeking shelter. Also acts as an alternative to drugs ands crime. They need volunteers to help with the orientations, talks, school assistance, medical attention, library, games, etc.
2) Casa Stefan: Offers help to drug-addicted male youth. Capacity for 30 people. Occupants receive their schooling here, also receive therapy and they learn various skills: cooking, tending crops, food distribution and sports.
3) Quinray Punilla: Small rural property located 20 kms northwest of Sucre. There's a dairy farm here that sells its goods in Sucre. The youth assist on the farm. Also supports local indigenous community providing work. Volunteers stay onsite in a separate Volunteer House.
4) Casa Wayna: For Casa Stefan "graduates" offering an education: either a university degree, a skill-oriented program, etc. It's located in Casa Tinkuy.

Activities/Tasks: Varies depending on specific Casa. A lot of supervising, talking to the youth, helping them with different tasks. They need help distributing dairy products, speaking to local women regarding the benefits, helping to package the goods.
Minimum Time: 4 weeks
Spanish Level: High Intermediate
Other Requirements: They only accept male volunteers.
Schedule: Full-time Monday through Friday. Dairy farm workers start at 6:00am!!
Capacity: Up to 5 volunteers at a time

Secretariado Arquidiocesano de Pastoral Social (SEAPAS)

Description: This organization has been in existence for 40 years. It is dedicated to the social pastoral promotion of humanitarian projects. This organization works in small villages outside of Sucre. The main aim of the program is to give better living conditions and education to the residents of some of the poorer villages and communities. Some projects include: forestation, basic construction, alternative education, etc.

Activities/Tasks: Río Chico region in an indigenous community called Falafaya (about 1 hour from Sucre). All of the village residents speak an indigenous language called Quechua, but the on-site staff members of SEAPAS all speak Spanish.
Minimum Time: 4 weeks
Spanish Level: Mid Intermediate
Important Information: Basic conditions during the week (no electricity, latrines, river bathing, simple meals, etc). Bring warm clothes for sleeping at night, flashlight, hiking boots, anti-diarrhea medication, sun block, winter gloves and hat.
Schedule: Monday-Friday all day.
Capacity: 3 volunteers at a time
Important: Space fills up quickly for these placements. 3-6 months advanced notice is suggested.

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