| Latin America offers a lot of opportunities | | | | revolves a lot around health and related |
| for volunteer work and especially in teaching | | | | services because most of the countries there |
| English. This South American region offers | | | | don't have the necessary infrastructure or |
| beautiful landscape and travel opportunities | | | | skilled people that include, doctors, nurses |
| to places that are more heard of than seen. | | | | and other medical practitioners. Lack of |
| Volunteering in Latin America has increased | | | | education also means that health problems are |
| in the recent past due to a failing economy, | | | | at a rise in the backward areas and smaller |
| poverty, and lack of education and political | | | | towns. You can get a lot of exposure through |
| and civil wars and strife. But the fact is | | | | volunteer work in hospitals in Ecuador and |
| that Latin American nations have a wealth of | | | | Honduras. Sports Volunteerism: Sports may |
| natural resources, but are still considered | | | | seem to be the unlikely area for volunteer |
| as developing countries by those in North | | | | work. South America has a lot of sporting |
| America and Europe. So if you are interested | | | | talent especially in soccer but there is no |
| in overseas volunteer work then Latin America | | | | infrastructure, coaches or training schools |
| is a place to be. Some of the relatively | | | | that can hone the skills of the youngsters or |
| developed countries in Latin America like | | | | teenagers who want to enter the professional |
| Argentina and Costa Rica have significant | | | | sports arena. Soccer is like a religion in |
| number of people below the poverty line. | | | | some countries like Brazil and Argentina, who |
| Apart from this most of Latin American | | | | have also made their mark on the World stage. |
| countries are not well versed with English, | | | | El futbol is considered to be a way of life, |
| which is slowly becoming a global language. | | | | so if you have ever coached any teams or |
| Volunteering in Latin America can vary from | | | | played in any league games in Europe or other |
| country to country and it can include from | | | | parts of the world then you can volunteer as |
| community development, health education, | | | | a football/soccer coach. Volunteer Community |
| environmental work and even sports. As an | | | | Development: Although South America presents |
| individual, you can always choose the kind of | | | | a pretty picture that advertises the smiles, |
| overseas volunteer work you want to | | | | the sun, the sand, the giant palm trees, the |
| participate in and the duration that you want | | | | beautiful and exotic wildlife, there is much |
| to work for. Volunteering in Latin America | | | | work to be done in terms of community |
| includes the following types of work: | | | | development. Latin America suffers from a |
| Conservation volunteerism: This is of prime | | | | disparity of wealth and there are many people |
| importance especially because a large part of | | | | who dream of a better life, more money so |
| the Amazon rain forest has disappeared and | | | | that they can provide the basic necessities |
| with it has disappeared many habitats. You | | | | to their children or parents. Volunteering in |
| can choose volunteering work from different | | | | Latin America in Community development will |
| types of conservation projects that include | | | | involve many aspects like teaching English, |
| preservation of endangered species of turtles | | | | developing projects that will benefit the |
| in Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago; Wildlife | | | | society as a whole, helping old aged people |
| rehabilitation centers in Brazil, Argentina | | | | and orphans, providing education to street |
| and Ecuador and save forests and | | | | kids and many more. It is all hard work but |
| environmental projects in Brazil (mostly | | | | the end result is gratifying because you will |
| Amazon), Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala | | | | be one of the few people to have made a |
| etc. You don't need to have any kind of | | | | difference. |
| degree in animal behavior, all you need is | | | | |
| love for nature, animals and a will to make a | | | | Volunteer in Latin America expert Alex Landin |
| difference and save the planet and its | | | | is a project manager and a frequent South |
| depleting natural resources. Health | | | | America contributor to GlobalCrossRoad. |
| Volunteerism: Volunteering in Latin America | | | | |