Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
The main aim of this project is to improve the standard of living of 100’s of indigenous families who live in extreme poverty in Guatemala.
You will make a very real and measurable impact on the families you will be working with. Each week can see you finishing the production of a stove that will save lives. You will see the visible results - having worked with the family in their home for a week you will notice that the kids are coughing less and their eyes are no longer watering. The stoves use about 4 times less fuel then the 3 stone fire, and therefore are very good for the environment and for the families pockets.
Alternatively if you choose to work on the agriculture or livestock projects you will be making a huge difference to the everyday lives of the indigenous families. Most of the indigenous population cannot afford the basic seeds and fertilizers to grow their own crops to feed their families. They may have or rent small plots of land far from the villages though these lay abandoned. With your contribution and physical work, you will be providing a family with all the necessary tools, seeds, fertilizers etc to seed an area of a minimum of 33mts by 33mts. This will be harvested within three months, feeding the family and allowing a little extra income to buy yet more seeds for two more harvests throughout the year.
Once the initial starting phase has been funded and completed, it can be continued for many years without further funding, helping the families become self-sustainable and even start micro-businesses to increase the family income so you will be supporting an environmentally friendly, sustainable long term project, with the full support of the Indigenous leaders of the communities.
The owner of this company did a gap year trip in the early 90s which involved building a bandstand for a small village in Patagonia. While he was there, he realised the project was only helpful in developing the Western traveller as the village didn’t want a bandstand and only argued about who owned it. And so he set up a volunteer organisation which is useful to communities and provides them with resources and help with funding. Today, his projects offer travellers an opportunity to fully integrate into communities and to make a real long-term difference to the local people’s lifestyles.
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