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 two primary schools, Nuestro Futuro and El Porvenir, which now serve almost 500 Guatemalan children from low-income families in the towns of Ciudad Vieja and San Lorenzo de Cubo. In 2015, the organization expanded with a middle school program as well. To ensure each child receives personalized academic support, international volunteers work in the schools as classroom assistants.
NDG schools’ curricula have been reviewed and approved by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education, and all of its graduates receive an official diploma. The organization only hires certified Guatemalan teachers with a minimum of five years experience and place no more than twenty-five students in each grade.
NDG is continually striving to ensure not just the academic but also the physical and emotional wellbeing of its students. All of the children in its programs receive two nutritionally balanced meals a day, medical and dental care, instruction on proper health and hygiene, sexual education, and access to our on-site social work and psychology departments.
The Volunteer Program
There are many options you can choose from to join the NDG community, and volunteers are needed in a range of roles, including:
- Teachers
- Teacher assistants
- English teachers
- Sports Workshops
- Artistic Expression Workshops
- Tutors
As for timing, the length of your program and your existing skills (whether you have any teaching degrees or training) will determine your placement at which schools and which classrooms. Volunteer positions are available for anywhere from four weeks to one year, with single day volunteering also available to tour the project!
The Internship with Cambio Language School
Founded in 2012, to provide a stable source of funding for NDG, social business Cambio NDG offers unique international immersion experiences in Antigua, Guatemala with 100% of profits being donated directly to the education of more than 500 children living in poverty.
The Cambio NDG Internship Program is designed to equip students with skills in entrepreneurship and social enterprise, and provide them with exposure to a diverse set of specialized sectors. The program is comprised of three components: practical experience working with Cambio NDG teams on current models; professional development; and an Innovation Challenge — the opportunity to produce new strategies and models and demonstrate their validity for implementation. Opportunities include internships in Communications, Hospitality & Tourism, PR & Marketing, Curricular Development, and Grant Writing.
Affiliated Social Enterprises in Guatemala
The organization runs two social enterprises to support the NGO:
Duration
- Short term: the short-term international volunteer program at Niños de Guatemala will be of at least four weeks of time, and up to three months.
- Long term: The long-term international volunteer program at Niños de Guatemala will be of at least six months, and up to one year.
- Volunteer Groups: NDG hosts volunteer groups on a short-term basis, one week up to three weeks. The groups are of a minimum of six volunteers who come to volunteer, learn from the Guatemalan culture and go on wonderful adventures.
- Volunteer from home: Extra hands to be able to accomplish our mission are always needed, so we offer online volunteer positions, as well as the invite to be part of our Ambassador program.
- Volunteer for a Day: Volunteer for an entire day at one of the schools from Monday to Friday.