This Guatemala volunteer project is not for everyone. But if you are a strong-minded woman and willing to reach out to other women whose mistakes have placed them apart from normal Guatemalan society, then you are the perfect volunteer for this project.

The Preventative Center for Women in the city of Quetzaltenango houses women accused of various offenses who are detained pending trial and sentencing. If convicted and sentenced, they are transferred to another prison to serve their sentences. Our partner in Guatemala has developed an adult education program for the unfortunate women in this center.

There is an additional educational program for the children of the women who, in many cases, must live with their mothers in the prison because there are no other relatives who can care for them.

This Guatemala volunteer program directly attacks some of the social problems inherent in this type of prison system, including lack of education, recreation, and family support, and low self-esteem among the inmates. Volunteers will carry out tasks to meet the project objectives, which include:

• Increasing educational opportunities for the inmates
• Promoting activities devoted to improved use of time
• Offering concrete solutions to the problems that the inmates face
• Improving the quality of life of the inmates and their children
• Promoting recreational activities for the inmates
• Offering activities that help to improve the self-esteem and socialization of the inmates

This Guatemala volunteer project is located in the department of Quetzaltenango.

*Volunteers must be mature individuals to work in this project; female volunteers only

Ongoing Programs

Work in an orphanage English teaching Work as a teaching assistant Health Projects Work for Women projects Work in correction center (women) Conservation and reforestation project Adult education Mini-Adventure (2 weeks)