Does Honduras Child Alliance need student workgroups, family & friend workgroups, professional workgroups, and individuals for special projects?

Yes! Honduras Child Alliance provides educational enrichment and healthy living programs in the seaside village of El Porvenir and has operated there since 2009. Our community is welcoming and safe, but it is under-resourced and there is much work that can be done to improve access to education and healthcare, and general quality of life. For that reason, although long-term volunteers (6 weeks to 12 mos) provide staff for the educational programs, shorter term (1-4 weeks) workgroups are always needed for special projects and events.

What type of projects will we do?

Recent groups have included a team of dentists and hygienists who provide annual oral care to elementary and ‘colegio’ (high school) students, Rotaract-affiliated university students who constructed an outdoor classroom, university groups who built latrine style shower and toilet facilities with local families, visiting artists who developed an art / literacy project for one week, EMTs who have added training for our local firefighters, medical students who facilitated free health screenings and a health fair, and even professional ballet dancers! Groups have also built playground equipment and an incinerator at the elementary schools, an ‘earthbench’ made from all-recycled materials for the fire station, organized a shoe distribution with Soles4Souls, and more.

What is the process for deciding on a project?

To ensure that your group is doing a project that is well suited, and that you feel prepared for your trip, HCA looks forward to collaborating and planning in advance with your team! This includes an ongoing liaison (typically HCA director or manager) to answer questions and support the group leader(s), and an all-group video-meeting a few weeks prior to your arrival.
Each project is customizable based on the size, skills, and passions of your group and the current needs of our classrooms and community. In collaboration with our management team, workgroups are encouraged to choose the main project, but also a secondary goal if they so wish. For example, a workgroup could plan to primarily build baños but also curate an art project with local children during their stay.

Is it possible to take Spanish lessons?

If individuals in your group are interested in one-to-one conversational Spanish instruction, sign up for our Convo-Amigos program! Volunteers sign up for a 50-minute session with a bilingual Honduran tutor from our intern program. Based on the areas you specify as your focus, your tutor will work with you to practice conversational Spanish. Sessions cost just 125 - 150 HNL (about $5- $7 USD)depending on the package, of which 95 HNL goes directly to your Convo-Amigos partner, while the balance goes toward scholarships and other educational expenses.