If you are looking for no fees volunteer work, the place you should come to is Quetzaltango, Guatemala´s second biggest, and most fantastic city.
Quetzaltenango (also called Xela) is located in the western highlands and lot to offer in terms of nightlife, culture, food and outdoor activities. Within an hour or two, you will be able to visit natural hot springs, bustling markets, several volcanoes, Lake Atitlan and the Pacific coast. It's also got nearly 30 Spanish schools to choose from and is a lot less touristy than Antigua so you actually get to speak Spanish, not English, in the town!
Xela is a centre for volunteering, with numerous NGOs accepting foreign volunteers from anything from a day of volunteering to a year (some people, myself included, just can't seem to leave this place). So if you want to be more than just the average tourist, this is the place for you.
I work for a women's rights NGO called Nuevos Horizontes (New Horizons) which works to empower Guatemalan women, provides services for domestic violence survivors and raises awareness about gender issues here in Guatemala. We accept volunteers (male and female) year round, working with the children in our shelter for domestic violence victims, the first in Guatemala. Volunteers devise creative and educational activities for the kids, such as arts & crafts, English classes, excursions and physical exercise.
We don't charge any fees and we can help you find cheap accommodation and a decent Spanish school if you want to study here too. We just ask for a commitment of four weeks, and lots of enthusiasm.
For more info check out our website www.ahnh.org or email me at nhcoordinadoras@gmail.com
Jocelyn
Volunteer Coordinator
Asociacion Nuevos Horizontes
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