Learn Spanish and assist community projects in Esteli, Nicaragua

Previous Pause Next

Program Overview
Life on the Program
Program Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

Take a step off the tourist trail and travel to the heart of rural Nicaragua to teach basic Spanish to children in rural communities.

As a volunteer on this project, you will be working with children from the age of 4 and up, focusing on basic education and literacy. By joining this project your time and money will contribute to providing an education to children who would otherwise not have this opportunity.

This project is run in conjunction with our in-country partner, Phoenix. Since starting in Nicaragua in 2009, Phoenix schools have already received recognition from the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education as official community preschools. Phoenix is also permitted to conduct reinforcement classes through Grades 1 to 6.

Life on the Program

Your time will be split between your base town of Estelí and the rural communities of either La Thompson or Chiriza, Monday to Friday. Depending on your level of Spanish you may be assisting other more experienced volunteers or GVI staff, or even taking your own class.

The work that you do is vital and very rewarding but you will be expected to plan effectively in order to successfully lead a fun and interactive lesson for the children in your class. Adult literacy classes also play a part in this program several days a week, giving you the opportunity for even more community involvement.

You will be living with a local family in Estelí in a basic but comfortable setting, providing an enriching cultural experience and the unrivalled opportunity to practice your Spanish.

Program Details

In our partner communities, educational advancement is affected hugely by a lack of teachers and materials, a problem that this program aims to address through the provision of a structured school curriculum as well as an adult literacy program.

In rural Nicaragua, education and literacy levels are alarmingly low which stems from a reliance on agriculture, a varying climate, erratic harvests and ultimately economic constraints, an outcome that places schooling as a low priority.

This project aims to complete a 25 year cycle where the youngest child at any time will be able to afford education for their children in the future because of the better opportunities offered through attending school.

Volunteer Testimonials

It was great to be involved directly in the local culture and the buzz you get from working with children that want to learn is unbelievable. Also what I did not expect but found amazing was the...

Tyrone Bennett, United Kingdom

It was great to be involved directly in the local culture and the buzz you get from working with children that want to learn is unbelievable. Also what I did not expect but found amazing was the relationship I built with all the other volunteers and since being back we have already had a UK reunion and speak on a regular basis which is great.

Ashley Kosier, USA

On my first day walking up to the school at Chiriza, we were greeted halfway up the hill by about 30 students, who’d run down to meet us. I was amazed that the children were so eager for us to arrive and start school. There was no difference when we actually reached the school—all 180 kids were ready and waiting for the day to begin, excited to sing and clamoured for pencils, notebooks and attention. I was slightly overwhelmed by their energy; it’s definitely not the same in the States: here kids treat going to school as if it’s a chore, while in Chiriza it was a privilege. I was forever changed at the end of that day. I knew I wouldn’t be able to leave after only two weeks and knew it would be difficult to leave the school, the people and Nicaragua when I did have to return New York.