Volunteer Vacations Abroad in Latin America

Introduction: Bolivia is located in the middle of South America. It borders Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. It is a landlocked country which gained its independence in 1825 after several years of wars with neighboring countries. Bolivia is commonly referred to as "the heart of South America" due to its diversity of climates and eco-regions which makes this country an attractive destination.

Education in Bolivia is divided between rural and urban areas. Rural illiteracy levels still remain relatively high while urban areas are slowly becoming increasingly literate. Many children in rural areas have no choice but to work and contribute towards the income of their families and as a result, most do not have the opportunity to go to school. Children living in rural areas receive an average of roughly 4 years of schooling compared to the 9 years received by their urban counterparts. But even in urban areas, education is still under-funded and many schools lack the resources to provide an adequate education

uVolunteer is working with a local NGO, based in and around Santa Cruz, on volunteer projects ranging from Environmental Issues, Animal Conservation, Media & Graphic Design to working with Orphanages, people with special needs & disabilities, in schools teaching various subjects such as English, Music, Math, Art, Dance and Sports. Please read the project summaries for further information on our Bolivian projects.

We have volunteer teaching projects at two schools in the Santa Cruz area. Most of the children in these schools come from very low resource families and a local orphanage. In general the schools have about 500-600 students of primary and secondary levels ages 6 - 18 years old.
Read More: Volunteer as a Teacher

This volunteer project involves working with an editorial organization that addresses issues surrounding culture and tourism in Bolivia. Volunteers become actively involved in writing, interviewing and photographing for the editorials publications. The centre's published materials are then mainly distributed to students at schools and Universities in order to inform them about current events and issues that pertain to their local culture and tourism.
Read More: Volunteer in Media or Graphic Design

This volunteer project placement involves working in a child care center located in Santa Cruz. The project is dedicated to helping street children reintegratete themselves into society. The center provides a crucial support system that includes home, board, education, health care, and social and psychological assistance.
Read More: Volunteer in Children's Home

This volunteer project is aimed towards promoting sports and fitness amongst Bolivian youth. Most of the children that you will be working with come from an orphanage and lack sufficient support systems. The children are between 5 and 18 years old. The sports project is a way for these children to become involved in healthy activities and stay away from crime and drugs that plague certain neighborhood in Santa Cruz.
Read More: Volunteer as a Sports Coach

This volunteer project is based in a zoo in Santa Cruz and is suited for volunteers interested in Bolivian animal species diversity and/or interested in working in animal conservation. Privately founded in 1974, it was opened to the public in 1979 and is now one of the leading zoos in South America. The Zoo is wholly dedicated to species preservation and education.
Read More: Volunteer in Animal Conservation

We are currently working with three schools that take care of the blind, deaf, and individuals suffering from Down Syndrome. These groups are in much need on international volunteer resources as they tend to be greatly under funded and staffed.
Read More: Volunteer Helping Children with Down Syndrome

The World Wild Life Foundation has classified Bolivia's ecosystem as one of the two hundred most fragile and important ecosystems in the world. The country is home to 63 million acres of frontier forests.
Read More: Volunteer in Environment Conservation