Overview
Short-Term Volunteer Community Construction Projects in Honduras

By helping out on community projects when you choose to do volunteer work in Honduras with GVI, you can be a part of alleviating the poverty of the local indigenous communities around the ancient colonial town of Copán Ruinas. During your short time here you choose to assist in building energy-efficient stoves for cleaner air and less wood consumption. Within a week on a short-term volunteer project you will have funded, worked on and completed the individual project to improve the living standards for one family significantly and (literally) sow the seeds for their more self-sufficient future.

Also included are 20 hours of one-on-one Spanish lessons and a guided adventure, such as a tour of the spectacular ancient Copán Ruins.

View Film Footage, images, blogs, volunteer stories from the field, volunteer video diaries and more at the programs media centre

I can’t believe that in such a short time I have made such a big difference!

Lindsay Nicholls, 2006 Volunteer

What Difference Does This Project Make?

The stoves make a huge difference to families economically, as families only have to buy up to a third of the firewood they used to and spend less on medicines for chronic lung illnesses. They also make a difference environmentally and medically, as the deforestation of trees is essentially reduced by two-thirds per family and no smoke inhalation due to the chimney improves the health of the families greatly.

Highlights

Working side-by-side with indigenous communities, living with indigenous families, starting and finishing each chosen project, taking one-on-one Spanish classes, going on a guided tour of the world famous Copán Ruins, exploring your beautiful base of Copán.

Location

Volunteers live in Copan Ruinas, Honduras, a tiny colonial town close to the Copan Ruins (one of the more detailed Mayan ruins in the Americas). Located half an hour from the Guatemalan border and a few hours from the stunning Caribbean Bay islands of Roatan and Utila, Copan serves as an ideal base for exploring Central America. Project work will commence in the Chortí community of San Rafael, which is within a half hour pickup journey from the town.

Field Conditions

Volunteers live with local families in comfortable but basic accommodation, to have an enriching cultural experience and get the valuable opportunity to practice your Spanish! All accommodation provided is private, has washing facilities and includes three meals a day. Travel upgrades are available for this project, see dates and costs for more information.