Help Rehabilitate Street Children/ Children at Risk – Xela, Guatemala

Project Summary

Hundreds of poor children are living in the streets of Guatemala and are in need of your help. They are living in dirty, dangerous, and unhealthy living conditions. The majority of these children are without family or home. RCDP is working with local communities and organizations to help these children get off the streets and on to a better path.

Your role as a volunteer will be to work with RCDP and these partner organizations to provide support and hope for these children living in the streets. You will be sharing skills, talents, and knowledge with the youth. You will be offering your kindness and care. You might be teaching them about health, or helping them with homework. Your genuine support in this project has the unique ability to help these children and get them back on their feet.

Volunteers for this project become mentors for the children of Guatemala and become beacons of support and hope. Your experience may be difficult, but rewarding.

Skills/Qualifications

No specific qualifications are required to volunteer in this project. However, interested individuals should have a passion and eagerness to help these less fortunate children, with a strong personality to deal with these children's often-unfortunate situations and demeanors. While Spanish is preferred it is not required.

Volunteers with skills and/or a background in child psychology and Spanish fluency have an amazing advantage in ensuring the highest level of contribution and effective interaction. Yet, while these skills are welcomed, they are not required of volunteers wanting to participate in this particular project.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Volunteers in our Guatemala street children/children at-risk projects help rehabilitate these children by teaching basic English, supervising/creating games, assisting with creativity-based activities (painting, art classes, etc.) and homework, as well as acting as special companions to the children. Volunteers also assist in daily routines within the designated center, including cooking, cleaning, routine maintenance, laundry, etc.

Project Location

Xela, Guatemala is the second-largest city in Guatemala and the full name of city is called Quetzaltenango. Xela is located in the southwest of Guatemala and full of various natural landscapes. There are volcanoes, hot springs, rivers, mountains, and valleys all around. The land produces coffee, fruit, wheat, cattle, and many vegetables. Xela is full of neoclassical and renaissance style architecture. The city also hosts a plentitude of restaurants, markets, and museums.

Guatemala is one of the most popular destinations on the globe for ecotourism. The biodiversity in Guatemala is almost unparalleled and when you have free time as volunteer you can observe why. The mountains, rain forests, and jungles offer plenty of options for nature excursions.