Volunteer
The in-Honduras volunteers are the cornerstone of our work. We seek volunteers with a red-hot motivation, relevant talents and some background to help make a difference in the lives of impoverished Honduran children. Some ability to speak Spanish is a plus but not a requirement. Flexibility, collaboration and problem solving skills are a must!
Click here to fill out a volunteer application!
We welcome volunteers of any race, religion or country of origin. We prefer volunteers of 20 years and older and are especially interested in long-term volunteers. Although the minimu
m volunteer period is typically 6 weeks, we can sometimes welcome volunteers for shorter periods so do not hesitate to apply.
HondurasChildren is a small NGO based in the United States. With four “hands on” board members and a crew of dedicated volunteers from all over the world, we operate a Kinder / Daycare in the small, north-coast town of El Porvenir. Our volunteers also staff a local English project that we call “ PEP” (Porvenir English Program) and work at two local orphanages providing enrichment activities such as academic help, creative arts and sports. We regularly host university groups and youth-groups and have ongoing teams from Duke University and Virginia Tech.
We are all volunteers! Our volunteers pay their own traveling or incidental expenses and typically live in our volunteer houses or at inexpensive guest-houses. Volunteers enter Honduras on a tourist visa that should be renewed every 90 days. We can typically be flexible in accommodating your preferred starting date. Approval to work in the country is not required since this is a non-salaried position.
Most HondurasChildren volunteer projects are in the beach community of El Porvenir near the lively La Ceiba area of the Honduras north coast. The jungle rivers of the Pico Bonito National Forest and the sun and sand of the Caribbean Sea are just minutes from where our volunteers live and work. The villages that house our projects are rural and poor but the small city of La Ceiba is only 20 minutes away. La Ceiba has internet cafes, ATM machines, a mall and excellent medical care. It also has a modern airport, a bus station and more taxis than anyone can count!
Our organization is small, but with the energy of countless volunteers, we are enriching lives and providing opportunities for children who would otherwise have none. We welcome you to volunteer with us!!
• Volu
nteer at the El Porvenir Kinder
Just a few blocks from the Caribbean Sea, you can help run our Kinder/ Daycare to support the children of the town of El Porvenir, Honduras. The HondurasChildren Kinder is a small concrete building that is used for the Kinder program and a common area for meals. It has a full bathroom and there is a play area outside. Each morning, while older children attend the local public school our volunteer crew works with the younger ones at the Kinder. The children need to learn basics like the alphabet and numbers. They need to learn appropriate school behavior, raising one’s hand, sitting ina circle, etc. We also work on hygiene, tooth brushing and hand washing. The Kinder is an ongoing project and a tremendous opportunity to help.
Children attending the Kinder receive a daily breakfast or snack. This is typically corn flakes and milk or some fresh fruit. We sometimes are able to also serve a hot lunch. This is often the only complete meal these children will have that day.Volunteers assist in prep and serving.
The children at the Kinder: Our Kinder volunteers also help identify the physical, educational, emotional and health needs of family groups at risk. HondurasChildren volunteers and sponsors are helping children prepare for and stay in school. They’re improvingliving quarters, providing clothing, school supplies and uniforms and helping to supplement the children’s diet. This support helps fragile family units stay intact, thus avoiding the heartbreak of sending children to institutions.
The name of the town these children live in is El Porvenir. It translates as, “the future”. ‘Volunteer in Porvenir’ . . . and with your help, these children will certainly have a brighter future!
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• Volunteer at the Vacation Activities Program (VAP)
Heads Up for November 2012 – January 2013!
The Honduran school year starts in February and ends in early November. We are seeking volunteers who can make a commitment for this specific three month time period (November, December & January) to work together to run something along the lines of a “summer camp” enrichment program for children in El Porvenir and two other nearby locations. We do reading, math, English and a variety of other subjects based on the expertise of our volunteers. There’s always time for art, music and sports and also plenty of time to play! Groups are currently forming for our fifth annual “Vacation Activities Program” which will start in November 2012. Volunteers arrive late-October and work November, December, January, 2012-13. Ideally, volunteers should plan to stay for the full 12 week program (or longer if desired) but we do accept some volunteers who can only stay for a shorter period so do not hesitate to apply.
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Additional placements that are staffed by (but not operated by) HondurasChildren – Volunteer in Honduras include:
• Porvenir English Project (PEP)
Teach English for elementary age children in El Porvenir.
The Porvenir English Project (PEP) is offered at our classroom across the street from the public elementary school. Our volunteers work side by side with an experienced TESL teacher for a few mornings each week but also run classes (in teams) on their own. We have a workbook and curriculum but there is lots of room for creativity in how you choose to work with your groups. We encourage you to teach with songs, movement, games and other fun activities. Immersion is one of the easiest ways for young children to learn a new language. This program also includes a “Reading Club” which reinforces reading skills in both Spanish and English through story-times, journaling, drama, games and creative activities. There is a smaller room adjoining the classroom that can be used for tutoring or small group work.
Why teach English to Honduran children? It’s because a child who is bilingual will have better opportunities for education and employment. This ongoing project started in April 2010 and has been very well received by the parents and teachers of the EL Porvenir community.
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• Elementary School at a Children’s Home (orphanage)
Teach and assist at a grade 1-6 elementary school located at a local children’s home. Provide personal attention, life skills and remedial and enrichment classes to boys who live at the home.
There are many children in Honduras who live in children’s homes (orphanages) due to situations of abuse, neglect or abandonment. These children are not available to be adopted and will generally live in these homes until they reach the age of 18. We support two local children’s homes that provide the best possible environment for the children in their care. However, the children still need educational support, enrichment opportunities and most importantly, some one-on-one attention. Our volunteers are working in a K-6 elementary school on the grounds of a children’s home. This school serves about 10 children from the home as well as 80-90 more from the local community. Working with these children is immensely moving and rewarding.
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Housing for Volunteers
Inexpensive, clean and safe housing is available for our volunteers for $28 – $35 USD per week, depending on location. Since we are working on the north coast, all of our houses are very close to the beach – - in fact, one is actually beach-front! Volunteers will typically share a room with 1-2 other volunteers of the same gender. Some private rooms are also available. Our volunteer houses have comfortable twin beds, full bathrooms with showers and full kitchens. Volunteers purchase and prepare their own food. More details will be provided when you are interviewed for a placement.
How to apply to Volunteer
• Click here to to fill out an application. There is no application fee.
• Once we receive your application, we will contact you and provide more information about the projects, potential housing and the El Porvenir and La Ceiba areas where we work.
• If it seems like a ‘good fit’ to you and to us, we will arrange an interview by either telephone or Skype. We want to learn more about you but this is also a great time for you to ask questions and to get to know us too! We will talk about the projects, housing, expenses to consider, travel arrangements, etc.
• After that, you can start investigating travel arrangements on your end while one of our volunteers will work on checking your references.
• Please note that you are not accepted into the program until we have completed your references. This usually takes about a week.
• We will stay in contact as you plan for your trip and we will introduce you to current and former volunteers via email and facebook to help give you an idea of what to expect!
• For more information, please contact us at volunteer@honduraschildren.org.
• We look forward to welcoming you to El Porvenir or La Ceiba, Honduras!
“Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t even have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve… You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love…”
~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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