TEACHING COLOMBIA

More than 14 years ago, the founder of the organization, also from Cartagena, came to the Rafael Núñez neighborhood, one of the poorest areas of Cartagena. Families and children live there who lack basic foodstuffs, some of whom do not have a real roof over their heads and hardly any prospects for a better future. The founder was convinced that she wanted to change the lives of children, young people and families and founded the organization with the help of donations. The aid project was founded in 2007 and started with a learning center for 120 small children. Today the aid project supports around 820 children in Rafael Núñez.

In order to improve the lives of the people there in the long term, the founder has set up a comprehensive range of different programs to help children, families and older people in all areas of life: There is an educational program, sports and culture program, health program and much more more. Food is donated to the families and they help them grow food in their gardens. But not only that: the organization has also built many small houses in the district to offer the families a suitable home. Many live there in old wooden houses that are about to collapse or where water comes through the ceilings when it rains. A state no one wants to live in. Therefore, the organization takes care of the people in Rafael Núñez and makes a great contribution to a better life.

In the educational program, children aged 3 months to 5 years are cared for and receive care, attention, movement and education. They learn to read, paint, do handicrafts, play, sing and let off steam on the playground.

The cultural and sports program also teaches the kids between the ages of 7 and 16 how to get enough exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle. The staff and volunteers teach and motivate them in sports such as basketball, taekwondo, soccer and track and field. Donations can also be used to buy sportswear, shoes and equipment for the children. There are also music and art classes for the children.

The organization helps young people and young adults to get an apprenticeship or study so that they can later learn good jobs so that they can take care of themselves and their families. The families are also taught how to grow fruit and vegetables themselves in order to be able to support themselves and generate additional income through the sale.

There is also a health program for the elderly. The employees give sports courses and encourage older people to exercise in order to stay fit and mobile.

Many helping hands and donations are needed to keep up all the offers for the people in the district. As a volunteer in this project, you can be absolutely sure that your help will get to where it is urgently needed and that you are doing your bit for a good cause. You can work directly with the locals and gain a lot of valuable experience. Working in Rafael Núñez will certainly change and shape the way you see the world – an exciting time that you will never forget!

The organization is open from Monday to Friday from 7:00 – 15:00. As a volunteer, you can contribute in different areas of responsibility and support according to your skills and interests. Depending on the area of responsibility, the working hours may vary and you will have weekends off.

Your main task is to support the after school program. You will help the teachers to plan, prepare and deliver lessons. With the younger students, it’s about teaching them reading, writing and basic arithmetic. With the older kids, the supports in math and English, for example. You can design worksheets, games, exercises and homework, and supervise the weaker kids during class with their individual tasks.

In addition to the after school program, there are different areas of responsibility, but you don’t have to choose one area, you can also take on different tasks.

The organization is open from Monday to Friday from 7:00 – 15:00. As a volunteer, you can contribute in different areas of responsibility and support according to your skills and interests. Depending on the area of responsibility, the working hours may vary and you will have weekends off.

Besides the after-school program, there are different areas of responsibility, but you don’t have to choose one area, you can also take on different tasks.

Administration: In an NGO there is of course a need for an office where all areas of work have to be managed.

Food promotion: Helping with training in food handling, kitchen machines and equipment, or assisting in the management of food aid, such as distributing food donations.

Marketing: you can come up with new ideas for the website or Instagram channel. Let your creativity run wild writing blog articles and put your photography skills to the test creating new photos and videos for the channels. Add to that research tasks and campaign planning for future fundraisers.

Strategy: the project wouldn’t be possible without donations and support, so the organization must constantly look for new funding opportunities. Help develop new, creative strategies to raise funds and register volunteer sponsors. Again, you can help with the growth and development of the organization.

Welcome to the pearl of the Caribbean! Cartagena absolutely deserves this name, because the city is one of the most beautiful in all of South America and is not for nothing a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For days, you can stroll through the narrow streets, admire the colorful houses with the ornate wooden balconies or watch dance groups without getting bored. In addition, the city has first-class street food to offer, as well as numerous restaurants, bars, stores, hostels and much more. Cartagena consists not only of the charming old town, but also of a modern center from which skyscrapers shoot up.

Of course, the Caribbean city also has its own city beach. However, it is much nicer to go to one of the nearby islands and enjoy the endless white beaches.

After work or on the weekend, Cartagena is the perfect starting point for relaxing on Caribbean beaches with crystal clear water and many excursion destinations nearby. It’s perfect for your adventure.

You can find more information here.

You don’t need any special qualifications to work with children. Of course, you should enjoy working with children and young people, enjoy dealing with them, and have a desire to make new contacts and friends. A certain social competence in working with people is an advantage. You will work a lot with local people. For this, you should be open-hearted and have the motivation to learn about a new culture and everything that goes with it. The work at the school will improve your Spanish skills in a fun way and will also have a positive impact on your life. A wonderful experience that you will remember for a long time.

The national language in Colombia is Spanish. You will spend a lot of time with locals who have no knowledge of English. A basic knowledge of Spanish is therefore a prerequisite. If you do not have any knowledge of Spanish at the moment, we recommend that you take a language course in Cartagena, which we will gladly organize for you. You can take the language course before or during your time in the project.

You will live together with the other volunteers in shared accommodation in Cartagena. In the accommodation you will share a dormitory, bathroom and a common kitchen. You can reach the project by public transportation.

Prices:

• 1st month in starter package: 1160,00 Euro
• Extension month: 630,00 Euro
• As 2nd or 3rd program: 930,00 Euro

Services:

Find out more about our services here.