Further Information
Mayan Explorer

Mexican Marine Expedition in the Caribbean Sea - Global Vision International’s ambitious and unique coral reef research expedition supports and assists the work of local NGO’s and government groups, international NGO’s and universities on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Survey – a programme funded, in part, by the World Bank. The reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world and the largest coral system within the Atlantic Ocean, stretches from the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, down south through Belize and Guatemala, to the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras.

The Mexican State of Quintana Roo has approximately 650km of coral reef that represents the Mexican portion of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The reef has an important value for fisheries and tourism, activities that at the same time represent a high environmental risk. GVI’s expedition is based within and around the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico’s first biosphere reserve. Sian Ka’an is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO under criteria III and IV, and a member of the ‘Man and the Biosphere’ programme, which promotes the integration of human activities and natural resource conservation. At present, scuba diving is not allowed within Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve for recreational purposes. However, GVI and Amigos de Sian Ka’an have been granted a research license by Sian Ka’an Biosfera Reserva. As a volunteer, you will be assisting in a range of community-led environmental research and awareness projects, including:

• The collection of coral reef characterisation and monitoring data in the northern part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which will help form a comprehensive picture of the ecological health of the northern region of reef
• Seasonal crocodile nesting surveys (when available) to determine crocodile populations and breeding success in the northern part of the reserve
• The crocodile dietary study (when available), determining the population dynamics of the two species of crocodile, and the prey species and quantity in the northern part of the reserve
• The seasonal sea turtle nesting survey, determining the species and breeding success of sea turtles nesting in the northern part of the reserve. (Nesting survey is seasonal, but turtles can be seen in water at all times of year)
• Training local fishermen to survey multi-species spawning aggregations and develop sustainable fisheries policies
• Developing the expedition base as an ‘Ecological Research and Awareness Centre’
• Education and awareness programmes at local schools, hotels, the expedition base and in the open environment.

Volunteer Work in Guatemala - Please note: GVI’s education projects in Guatemala are unique to Global Vision International. All funding of these projects comes directly from Global Vision International and all volunteer contributions are included in the programme fee. We receive no other outside source of income, apart from that raised through GVI and volunteer contributions. Suffice to say, without this funding from GVI and the volunteer contributions, the projects simply would not exist.

The indigenous Maya in Guatemala make up a huge percentage of the population, yet many live off of just $1 a day. Global Vision International is currently working with two indigenous communities – San Andrés Itzapa and Santa Maria de Jesus – to improve the standard of education for the indigenous people of the area. Both communities are within a 45 minute journey from Antigua, through lush mountain scenery and typical Guatemalan villages.

GVI’s aims lie first and foremost in education, paying particular focus to literacy and educational reinforcement for the children of each community. What extra money the families have goes towards primary education for the boys, with girls are often being sadly neglected. Illiteracy rates are high and the standard of education for those that do go to school is low, with many having attended for just a couple of years before being unable to continue due to economic constraints or being sent to work in the fields. Coupled with this, there is a lack of knowledge in basic hygiene and nutrition. Global Vision International, with the full support of the indigenous leaders of the communities, aims to tackle these issues in many different ways through education.