Volunteering in Latin America: What To Do!
Latin America is a wild and wondrous cocktail of volunteer opportunities! Despite this, Africa tends to be at the forefront of people’s minds when they are considering where to volunteer. This is a shame as Latin America needs help just as much as anywhere else. It is a continent of vast disparities in wealth, yet people tend not to think of it that way.
There are a myriad of volunteering opportunities in Latin America, so you can help in almost any way you wish. Even the more developed countries like Costa Rica and Argentina have significant pockets of poverty. The type of work that can be done can vary hugely, from community development and teaching to health and sports. What kind of volunteering you choose to do will depend on your background, your abilities, and how you want to use the experience to shape your future.
Conservation
Latin America offers a variety of conservation projects. You can help preserve endangered turtle species in Costa Rica, or you can work in animal rehabilitation centres from Ecuador to Argentina. All that is required is a love of nature and a desire to get hands on and stuck in, as these projects need you to be proactive and to help out where necessary!
Sports
Sports placements are ideal for those who like getting outside and enjoy working with kids. And if you love football then you will love Latin America, as it’s almost a religion there! From Costa Rica to Argentina, el futbol is a way of life, so the opportunity to volunteer coaching football should be snatched up! What better way could there be to soak up a culture, have fun and make a positive difference?
Community Development
It’s not all sunshine, samba and smiles in Latin America though – as mentioned earlier, the continent suffers from some of the greatest disparities in wealth possible. There is a whole group of people for whom the dream of a normal life is just that, a dream. That is why volunteering on one of the many community development projects can be very rewarding as you are helping some of the most vulnerable sectors of society, be they street kids, orphans or the disabled. Despite being very gratifying, working with the underprivileged and destitute can also be tough emotionally. However when you see the happiness that you bring it’s all worthwhile!
Latin America is a continent famous for its spectacular destinations. Places like Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, and Rio de Janeiro are admired from afar the world over. Given the opportunity, who wouldn’t want to volunteer in such a memorable location? From conservation on the Galapagos to teaching at Iguazu Falls, it’s all brilliant! But what’s really breathtaking is the positive effect you can have by volunteering in such a wonderful place!
