Volunteer - Nature

Share your time and experiences with the people in Guatemala.........

Mundo has contact with several organizations (social, education, health and nature projects) in which you can help as a volunteer. Mundo offers a combination of a Spanish learning program of 4 weeks and volunteering for a minimum of 4 weeks where you can improve your Spanish language. A good level of Spanish is neccessary in order to accomplish your goals and you will not only be sharing time and experience but you will be getting lots of satisfaction and you can experience how rewarding this can be.

The volunteer program is open all year round and it is for all ages (after 19 years old) and all nationalities. Some of the projects require experience in the field such as: nurses, medical students, social workers, teachers, etc.

Description
In 1993, ARCAS initiated its conservation activities in the Hawaii area primarily as a response to threats to leatherback and olive ridley turtle populations by local egg collectors. Despite their endangered status, virtually all turtle nests are harvested and the eggs sold to restaurants or market. Turtle eggs are popular in Guatemala as an aphrodisiac; clearly not a basic need given a population growth rate of nearly 3%. In this program ARCAS solicits donations of the turtle eggs from local collectors and then reburies the eggs in protected hatcheries. After an incubation period of roughly 45 days, the hatchlings are released into the sea.

Activities
During the egg-laying season (June-October) volunteers spend nights walking the beach in search of nesting turtles, once found they collect the eggs and bury them in the hatchery. Once the eggs begin hatching (mid July-December), volunteers assist in releasing the hatchlings and excavating the nests to determine the hatchlings success rate.

Minimum: 2/3 weeks.
Spanish: Intermediate.
Schedule: Flexible.
Location: Hawaii is located 8 kilometres East of Montericco on the West Coast of Guatemala.

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Description
ARCAS is a wild animal rescue and rehabilitation centre for the wild animals from the Maya Biosphere Reserve. All animals that come to the centre must past through quarantine first. After this they are transferred to the rehabilitation area where they are held individual or in groups. There is an animal hospital on the premises for the sick or injured animals. They try to reintroduce all the animals back into the Mayan Biosphere Reserve, however due to the fact that many animals become imprinted on their human nurses or never receive training that a wild animal would, many of the animals may never be released in the wild.

Activities
The work consists of cage cleaning, food preparation, monitoring the heath of the animals. In addition to these tasks volunteers will often be asked to perform extra duties such as construction of cages or extra buildings, trail maintenance, gathering wild food for the animals, research into the wild diets of the animals.

Minimum: 2/3 weeks.
Spanish: Intermediate.
Schedule: Flexible.
Location: 18 kilometres from Flores - Peten, in the north of Guatemala
Others: The costs for this project are higher, you will have to pay $30 extra, on top of your program costs each week!!