💼 What the programme involves
Alternativas y Oportunidades,AyO (Alternatives and Opportunities) is a non-profit organization that gives health and educational services to hundreds of children and youths that work in the municipal markets, streets and slums of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela.
The main aims of Alternativas y Oportunidades are to provide spaces of teaching and learning where the children, youths and their parents acquire basic knowledge about situation of youth in Honduras, human rights, HIV/AIDS, drugs, violence, gangs, among others, in order to develop social justice and solidarity.
The main activities developed within the project are:
Studies: help the children in their school homework
Health: organize activities and talks about health (AIDS, sexuality, cleanliness )
Cultural Activities: different activities with the children, like theatre pieces, painting, dancing, etc.
Workshops with their mothers: to teach them how to do handicrafts which can be an extra income for the family, and it is also an opportunity to have a talk with their mothers about their family situation.
Volunteers can support any area of the project and its programs, according to their abilities and interests. The volunteer can choose to work with one of the three target groups: children, youths (teenagers) and parents (mainly mothers).
The work can be done both at the office (helping the staff, helping children, youths and parents with their homework or tasks, organizing the office, helping with project planning, etc.) and, especially, in the markets (where most of the activities are held), with possibility of proposals of personal projects, of course related to the already existing activities and the project”™s mission.
📍 About the location
Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, got its tongue-twisting name from the ancient indigenous dialect 'Nahuatl' that means 'silver mountain'. In effect, Tegucigalpa came to be during colonial times a mining center. 'Tegus', as its inhabitants affectionately call it, is a mixture of an old colonial city that has turned into the modern capital of Honduras. It's population is approximately 1,200,000 inhabitants. Tegucigalpa is a city with a very pleasant climate, nestled in a valley of about 3,000 ft. Its highest peek, the mountain 'El Picacho', is located at an elevation of 930 m above sea level. Getting around Tegucigalpa can be a confusing experience. Despite the colonial history of the city, it does not have the typical Spanish layout of square streets around the city. This is mostly that terrain around the city did not allow this. Nonetheless, Tegucigalpa is well connected to all parts of Honduras. Buses leave daily to all cities.
After the capital had been switched back and forth between Comayagua and Tegucigalpa, Tegucigalpa became the permanent capital in 1880. In 1938 it was joined with its twin city Comayagüela to one governmental district, 'Municipio del Distrito Central: M.D.C.'. Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela appear from far as one big city, but the 'Grande' or 'Choluteca' River divides the city, and as one comes closer one can tell the difference. While Tegucigalpa is the political and cultural centre of Honduras, Comayagüela is more commerce orientated; here one can find everything for good prices at the different markets.
In Tegucigalpa, one can find many marginal areas in which unfortunately extreme poverty exists, mainly due to migration from rural areas which causes a high unemployment rate. One of the biggest problems of the city is street children.
ℹ️ Additional information
Volontariat de 4 à 16 semaines; frais supplémentaires de 370€ pour le 1er mois, puis 65€ par semaine. Placement individuel, programme ouvert toute l'année