📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Our history began in 2008 when we decided to focus on the care of adults with disabilities. Start your support with a population of 10 young adults with different abilities, currently benefiting 23 people. Its objective is to provide experiential workshops and occupational therapy, as well as workshops on literacy, art education, physical education, fine motor skills workshops, singing and music, basic mathematics, environmental education, as well as visual, auditory, kinesthetic and social activities. In the same way, psychological support, talks, and workshops are given to parents who have children with different abilities. One of our main objectives is the inclusion of children in the workplace, so we work in the area of gardens, greenhouse, social cafeteria, and bakery. Our goal is to achieve the labor insertion of young people so the garden works as one of the main spaces where children can learn and work for a few hours a day
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers will support in specific areas such as:
Vegetable garden: It will rely on the maintenance of the garden and greenhouse; in the garden work will be done on the improvement of planting beds, weeding, cleaning, elaboration of biofertilizers, elaboration of vermicompost; in the greenhouse there will be the maintenance of the beds of culture and the preparation of the soil to realize the rotation of crops. And generally, in the maintenance and improvement of the center, with the aim of providing the necessary conditions to undertake the labor insertion of young people. Then maintenance of the work area, garden and playground will be carried out, support in the diffusion and organization of activities with cultural content or others that generate some benefit of fundraising or social awareness. During the two weeks are also welcome those volunteers who can support us in the management of social networks, promotion of our activities, promotion of our social cafeteria, website update, etc. They will have the opportunity to document the activities in photography and/or video, to make informative notes for digital media and to update the web page. Volunteers can also join activities focused on the development of crafts, which we sell to raise funds, theater, dance and physical conditioning with children. During this second camp on Friday, August 9 a festival will be held to conclude the camp and fundraising. Social cafeteria: It is our space for the labor insertion of the boys. This space aims to promote the insertion of young people with disabilities in the workplace, so the cafeteria tries to be the first step towards independence, through this activity it also rises awareness of society about the way people with disabilities are treated.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Accommodation will be in shared rooms in the volunteers’ house. Meals will be prepared by the volunteers.
📍 About the location
San Cristóbal de las Casas, is a town and municipality located in the Central Highlands region of the Mexican state of Chiapas. The municipality is mostly made up of mountainous terrain, but the city sits in a small valley surrounded by hills. The city’s center maintains its Spanish colonial layout and much of its architecture, with red tile roofs, cobblestone streets and wrought iron balconies often with flowers. Most of the city’s economy is based on commerce, services and tourism.
Tourism is based on the city’s history, culture and indigenous population, although the tourism itself has affected the city, giving it foreign elements. Major landmarks of the city include the Cathedral, the Santo Domingo church with its large open air crafts market and the Casa Na Bolom museum. The municipality has suffered severe deforestation, but it has natural attractions such as caves and rivers.
ℹ️ Additional information
There is a participation fee of 3500 pesos (160 euros) to be paid upon arrival. Includes accommodation, meals and operative costs.