Having recently completed our Masters in Social Work, Sofie and I decided to leave Belgium to spend four months travelling in South America. After starting in Quito, Ecuador, we travelled down to the beautiful city of Cusco to begin a month of volunteer work. The project we worked on provides care to people living in neglect, suffering from psychological and psychiatric diseases including the treatment of addiction.

During our time here we worked with people with mental disabilities. Our day started at 8.30am and we worked for roughly four hours per day doing a range of activities. We spent a lot of time decorating communal areas such as the dining room and outdoor walls, along with private rooms too. We spent a lot of time drawing things that the residents could then color in themselves, as this was an activity that most of them were able to participate in and really enjoyed doing.

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Everybody likes to think that when they get old there will be somebody there for them. Maybe a family member, maybe a friend. But for some elderly people this expectation does not become a reality.

Volunteer Latin America has a wonderful project running in Colombia, in the midst of the tropical Amazonas, in which volunteers work to enrich the lives of such elderly people.

Based in Leticia, just minutes away from the renowned Amazon River and located at the junction of the Colombian, Peruvian and Brazilian borders, volunteers have their own private facilities in either a shared bungalow or with a guest family from the local community.

Working for around four hours per day, volunteers organize recreational activities, creative workshops and games for the residents.

Participants are forever reporting how rewarding this work is. The residents truly love being surrounded by bright and energetic volunteers, and thrive on the activity that they provide.

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In January/February 2011 I worked at a clinic for mentally and physical disabled children. In my first weeks I took care of the patients (which I now call friends) by brushing their teeth, changing their clothes, entertaining or feeding them. As most of them suffer from severe handicaps I was really unsure if I was going to handle my work well. After my first day of work I realized that I really did not have any “problems” working with the kids; I did not even see their disabilities any longer. We really had the same goal: being happy and laughing as much as we could. Their joy struck me and opened my eyes and attitude towards certain issues.

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In Cusco Peru, our volunteers & volunteer coordinator celebrated the 12th anniversary of one of our volunteer projects, the Unión de Ciegos.

At 10 am everyone came together, the community of the blind people, their families and friends and others who were invited.

At 11 am there was a mess and at 12 am they started a program with music, dances, theatre and a speak of different persons. Afterwards we had a delicious lunch with chicken, potatoes, a big piece of cake as a dessert and wine.
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Tamara van der Houwen and Willeke van Geest were two volunteers in Cusco , who participated in the Spanish and Volunteer Program of AMAUTA Spanish School. They worked in one of our after school projects in Cusco, where many kids go after school do receive something to drink, to eat, and some assistance with their homework.. Also, it is just a place where they can go, meet a friend, or relax. Those places a very necessary, as in many hoses, there is no one home for the kids, when they are done with school….

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Everyone has something special that others want to be a part of. We may not know how to contribute to a world that can seem so broken at times, but volunteering puts us back in a place to give and receive love. There are many ways in which a volunteer can share their talents and their abilities with others around them in South America. Even if the result through giving is merely a simple smile, or a hug, never underestimate the power of how far helping others can go

If you decide to volunteer in Peru, Ecuador, or Argentina, for instance, you can start your day bright and early and head over to one of the local kindergartens. These little children come from poor backgrounds and difficult family life. Some of them were not able to have anything to eat for their breakfast and find it hard walking to school without a decent pair of shoes. Regardless, as soon as you walk into the school, the children run up to greet you and smother you with hugs and kisses. You find yourself uplifted and inspired immediately.

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I started my volunteer work at the FBAS, after four weeks of Spanish lessons at the Amauta Spanish School in Palermo. This was a great choice as I was really needed, and it gave me the opportunity to see a totally different side of Buenos Aires. As a volunteer at FBAS you get involved from the first minute you enter the office, from that moment on, you are one of them. 
On Thursdays we used to hand out condoms on the streets and visited houses where the transvestites and prostitutes live.  I was glad to see they really appreciate our work. We advise them to let them be tested for HIV. It is important know how many people are infected  in order to decrease the number of HIV infected people,. To assure them that it´s free, anonymous and secure we hope to convince them of taking a test. If  HIV is detected, they´ll get medicines for free. 

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After four weeks of Spanish lessons at www.amautaspanish.com I started my volunteer work at the FBAS. I had an amazing time and it gave me the opportunity to see a totally different side of Buenos Aires.
The work was diverse and varied. On Thursdays we handed out condoms on the streets or visited houses where the prostitutes and transvestites live. It was very impressive to see how they appreciate our work. We also advised them to let them be tested for HIV. To be able to decrease the number of HIV infected people, it is important know how many people are infected. To assure them that it´s free, anonymous and secure we hope to convince them of taking a test. When HIV is detected, they´ll get medicines for free.  We also visited a hospital in San Telmo, where the only doctor in Buenos Aires, provides hormones to transvestites.

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I had a wonderful experience volunteering at a clinic for mental health in Peru. I really enjoyed the freedom they gave me in the job.

I began, with beginners Spanish, making art with the lowest functioning patients. As my Spanish improved, I changed my schedule to incorporate some psychology workshops with the higher functioning patients. Observing the workshops at first, I learned about the focus of the group and before I knew it, I was leading the workshop when the nurse was not present.

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The project where I worked, is a great project for anyone, even if you only have a day to volunteer. It´s a clinic for mentally and phsycially disabled children and it comes “ready-made” with things to do.

If you volunteer in the mornings, you will be expected to help finish getting the children dressed for the day, feed them lunch, play with them and help clean them up or put them to bed for a nap. The clinic really needs volunteers on weekends as well, especially during the evenings as there are fewer nurses available and very few or no volunteers. With less people around, the kids sit around doing very little when they could really use some stimulation.

I love this project: the kids are happy, engaging, and generally excited to see you. As a therapist with a background with special-needs kids, I have been allowed access to the therapy room and can choose which children I want to work with. It is up to me to use what kind of therapy or skills I want to provide for that child (not all children here receive therapy). Not only is there a lot of freedom in this aspect, the clinic is also flexible in regards to your schedule. When I can’t make it during the week, I was allowed to make up my time on the weekends. The children love spending time in their large playground, playing with toys in their rooms, going for walks (or wheelchair races) around the clinic.
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