Long Way Home
Long Way Home is working to build self-sustainable schools that focus on promoting education, employment, and the environment. They are currently building a school in rural Guatemala that is functioning as a primary school; and …
Volunteering in Guatemala offers an unparalleled experience for the heart and soul. It’s not just about lending a hand; it’s about immersing yourself in a rich tapestry of diverse cultures, unique local traditions, fascinating ancient history, and gorgeous landscapes.
Travelers of all stripes should visit Guatemala on vacation, and consider supporting the unique range of social enterprises in Guatemala on your trip—check them out here. Only volunteers with enough time to make a meaningful impact should reach out to the volunteer organizations listed below.
The country struggles with numerous social and economic issues, which means your skills as a volunteer—be they in healthcare, education, or community development—are welcomed there now more than ever.
Guatemala grapples with a complex interplay of issues that exacerbate its current struggles. Economic opportunities are particularly sparse for the youth, leaving them either underemployed or pushing them to seek better prospects abroad, often making the perilous journey to countries like the United States.
This outmigration, coupled with systemic problems like corruption, inequality, and violence, creates a vacuum of need that volunteers across diverse fields can help to fill. The country is caught in a cycle where the very challenges that make it difficult to live also make it ripe for impactful volunteer work for those with the right skills and enough time to commit to make a difference.
Volunteering provides the volunteer with the unique chance to make a lasting impact while being exposed to an incredible range of local customs and scenic vistas.
By choosing a volunteer path that resonates with you, the impact of your actions reverberates deeply through the community you serve, creating a cycle of goodness that benefits both giver and receiver.
Volunteering in Guatemala offers the unique opportunity to experience different facets of the country, each locale steeped in its own blend of culture and need.
Where you choose to volunteer is like selecting a lens through which you’ll view this multi-layered nation, so here are a few compelling destinations:
The culture in each of these towns has its own distinct needs and volunteer opportunities. They serve as textured backdrops against which your volunteer journey will unfold, influencing not just the work you do but also your broader understanding of Guatemala as a whole.
Long Way Home is working to build self-sustainable schools that focus on promoting education, employment, and the environment. They are currently building a school in rural Guatemala that is functioning as a primary school; and …
Common Hope believes education is the key to unwinding the cycle of poverty. The organization provides resources for thousands of impoverished children to attend school each year. The organization also partners with local schools to …
The De La Gente volunteering program creates a hands-on learning experience about life in Guatemala with families of small, independent coffee producers. Volunteers provide support to poverty-reducing, sustainable economic development projects. De La Gente strives …
Safe Passage, is a non-profit organization in Guatemala known as Camino Seguro. Safe Passage’s mission is to help children and families in the Guatemala City garbage dump community break the cycle of poverty through education, …
Unidas Para Vivir Mejor (United for a Better Life) is a women’s artisan cooperative located in the community of La Esperanza, a former squatter settlement on the edge of Guatemala City. Volunteers will co-teach at …
Quetzaltrekkers is a non-profit, all volunteer-run trekking and outdoors association in Guatemala. They offer adventurous hikes through the volcanoes in the surrounding areas of Xela, Guatemala and then donate all profits to locally-run projects working …
Constru Casa is a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of Guatemalans living in poverty through the provision of basic housing. Volunteering at Constru Casa offers a unique cultural experience. Volunteers share intensive work …
Niños de Guatemala (NDG) is a Dutch-Guatemalan nonprofit working to break the cycle of poverty in Guatemala by providing quality education to those who need it most. Since its founding in 2006, it has opened …