Every year we receive more than ten volunteers who come to support us by participating in the different components of our “La Libélula” or “Amanecer” programmes. Although their intervention is temporary, they are full members of the team because the precious help they bring allows us to widen and enrich our action with young people.
Volunteering as a powerful tool to strengthen international cooperation.
Introduction
Be a volunteer!
Volunteering is a unique experience of cooperation by an individual who wishes to invest his or her time, money and skills in the service of an action, idea or cause to which he or she feels close, through the intermediary of an association, institution or group of people. It’s a significant commitment that requires preparation beforehand, open mindedness during the process, and self-reflection after completion.
It is quite common to associate volunteering with some form of assistance to people in difficult, deprived, disadvantaged, marginalised or disabled situations. This view is consistent with the idea that volunteering is a selfless gift of self or a demonstration of purely altruistic behaviour. In reality, volunteering is a reciprocal exchange between an individual who supports a project or a target population and receives in return powerful lessons about themselves and their social environment. And often the volunteer learns far more than the beneficiaries themselves.
Indeed, being a volunteer is not only about helping others. It is above all about deconstructing one’s certainties, getting rid of one’s habits, opening up to discover that individuals, the world and its values are organised differently elsewhere. With a decade of working experience with volunteers from several continents, we know how difficult it can be to step out of your comfort zone and question your assumptions. On the other hand, every smile on the children’s faces, every monetary or humanitarian support, strengthens international cooperation towards the less fortunate, improves the living conditions of some and the spiritual wealth of others. This exchange is the key to a fairer society.
Some past volunteers
Our volunteering
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Participation in the various aspects of the “Amanecer” and “La Libélula” centres:
- Volunteer work in constant contact with the children
- Incorporation into the centre’s work team
- Helping with school support and the canteen at lunchtime
- Organisation of recreational and sports activities on holidays or when homework is finished
- Participation in other activities according to the skills and motivation of the volunteer: translation of letters, daily
- Life of the girls in the hostel.
Can I volunteer?
If you are over 18 years old, have experience working with children or with the environment, speak a minimum of Spanish, are open to other cultures and are able to adapt to living conditions that are different from those to which you are accustomed, you are eligible to volunteer!
How long does volunteering last?
In general, we ask volunteers to stay for a minimum of 3 months and up to one year. If you have a special profile and/or are highly motivated, we can make exceptions, for example for a two-week stay. However, keep in mind that you will miss out on some of the richness of volunteering: the discovery of a culture in depth and a lasting investment in the service of others.
You can apply all year round, but please note that the centre is closed to children from the end of December to the beginning of February (school holidays). There are therefore far fewer activities for volunteers during this period.
How to apply?
If you want to come independently, send us a message through the “I want to volunteer” button or directly on the “Contacts” tab of the menu.Explain your motivations, what made you decide to volunteer, your expectations, your requirements, your fears and your questions. Also give us the potential dates of your volunteering. We will then assess your application and give you a reply so that you can plan your trip. You can also send us an email directly to contact@edyfu.com with your CV attached and a motivation letter.
What type of work will I be doing?
The work is centred around education and involves direct and constant contact with children. The volunteer participates in the various aspects of the centre, helps the children with school support, supervises them during the canteen, organises activities, animations or sports classes according to his/her skills. The girl volunteers can also accompany the beneficiaries of the hostel in their daily life (preparation for school, hygiene, meals, evening activities, etc.).If the volunteer is motivated, he or she can also support the sponsorship project by translating the children’s letters or visiting families.
Où me loger ?
We have flats for volunteers at the La Libellule centre. We ask for a financial contribution of 1200 bolivianos per month (from 150 to 170 euros depending on the exchange rate). This includes a private room, kitchen and bathroom shared with other volunteers. Hot water for showers, gas cooker, electricity, wifi and lunch from Monday to Friday inclusive during school periods (mid-January to mid-December).Volunteers are asked to keep the premises in a clean and tidy condition and to organise their own cleaning.
How to prepare my volunteering?
Find out about Bolivia and volunteering through the various sources available to you: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, travel guides, Wikipedia, newspaper articles on Bolivia, the network of former volunteers, etc.
Consult your doctor, who may be able to recommend vaccinations or treatments to take with you. You should know that normally only the yellow fever vaccine is compulsory.
For the VISA, you can try to apply for one from France or Belgium at the Bolivian embassy. However, the procedures are long and complicated, and we advise volunteers to enter the country by applying for a tourist VISA without mentioning volunteering, in order to start the procedures for a volunteer VISA on the spot.
You are responsible for buying your own plane ticket. Once you know the date and time of your arrival, you can let us know so that we can pick you up at the airport or bus station in the city.
Stories
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