Let´s build an EcoDome

Code: 24c2642e0d754610a0fd929e6782468c Copied

Colombia Construction Environment Manual work Construction Environment +1 Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

Our partner organization is a non-profit entity dedicated to charitable, social, and religious endeavors. Built upon Baptist principles, its mission is to offer comprehensive assistance to individuals and communities facing adversity. Focused on fostering spiritual, emotional, and physical welfare, the organization prioritizes values such as love, compassion, and community service. Its initiatives encompass a range of activities, including food aid programs, educational outreach, community development projects, and religious outreach efforts. Our partner organization is committed to cultivating an inclusive and nurturing environment, where individuals can access support, encouragement, and prospects for a brighter tomorrow.

💼 What the programme involves

This project will be conducted in collaboration with a natural park situated near Bogota, at altitudes ranging between 2,100m and 2,600m above sea level. We aim to construct an EcoDome using sustainable materials within the park's premises. This EcoDome will serve as a sanctuary for rest and a venue for the exchange of ancestral knowledge rooted in the Muisca culture.

🏠 Accommodation on site

The volunteers will stay in a house only for the volunteers in the park. They must bring a sleeping bag. There is a laundry to wash their clothes. The water heater depends on the availability of gas. On some occasions, hot showers might not be available, but in general there is hot water available.

🍲 Food

Volunteers will cook together. This is a perfect space to share recipes and have a culinary cultural exchange. Shopping is organized by the leader(s) and the park, but the volunteers might help.

📍 About the location

Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia, is a vibrant and dynamic metropolis nestled within the Andes Mountains. It is characterized by its rich cultural heritage, diverse neighborhoods, and bustling urban life. The city boasts a blend of colonial architecture, modern skyscrapers, and colorful street art, creating a unique and eclectic atmosphere.

🎒 Leisure activities

Volunteers have the opportunity to delve into eco-agriculture practices and engage in hands-on work within the agroecological garden. Throughout their stay, they will also have the chance to savor typical dishes from the region and participate in various activities, including guided walks through the reserve, exhilarating zip-lining adventures, and an ancestral experience workshop known as KYE MUYSUA. This workshop involves weaving under the Tree of Dreams accompanied by Andean music, meditation sessions, and storytelling around a crackling fire.

Set amidst the Andean cloud forest and surrounded by mountains, this natural park may experience cool and rainy weather depending on the season. Despite its remote location, the park is conveniently close to Bogotá (approximately 1 hour away), offering volunteers ample opportunities to immerse themselves in Colombian culture.

For those who prefer to stay within the park, there are plenty of activities to enjoy during free time, including guided night walks for wildlife observation, trekking both within and outside the park (such as visiting neighboring villages via trails), and various extreme sports and wellness activities like zip-lining, tree climbing, and music therapy (arrangements must be made in advance and costs are not covered by the park). Additionally, horseback riding, bonfire gatherings, and birdwatching excursions are available to further enrich the volunteer experience.

⚠️ Requirements

Good health and physical condition, willing to hike the mountain on steep slopes, and understand the implications of working outdoors.
Please bring a sleeping bag.
Tetanus Vaccine (highly recommended)
All participants must have medical assistance insurance, which covers, among others, situations related to COVID-19.
The volunteer’s participation is confirmed after the extra fee is paid. The payment must be done at the latest 1 month prior to the project starting via bank transfer / Paypal.
Language: English (basic Spanish is a plus)
Fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/ruCp9WtsJYA7qWuo6

🤝 Meeting point

The meeting point will be indicated in the info sheet.

ℹ️ Additional information

There is limited Wi-Fi (because there is only satellite internet in this remote area). It may only be used for basic needs, such as communication (some calls, messages, mails) and information (research, press), but not for large downloads, videos, streaming (music or movies), video calls, etc.

Extra fee: 355 EUR (The extra fee can change a bit due to the exchange rates). The extra fee includes pick up at the meeting point, food, accommodation, 1x zip-line, local insurance during the workcamp and certificate of participation.

To enter Colombia, you must have a return ticket or a ticket that shows you are leaving Colombia.

The activities require constant contact with nature; this means that the volunteer will be finding himself/herself using physical strength and getting his/her hands dirty to get the job done. It is good to know and understand that you can encounter rain, sun, mud and insects. In addition, to carry out the activities it is necessary to walk the different trails, which have steep slopes. Therefore, volunteers should be in good health and willing to walk the different trails. We receive volunteers with physical, intellectual and psychosocial disabilities under a case study since the natural conditions of the park and the terrain may represent a risk or difficulty for the volunteer.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.