Volunteer Work on the Construction Sites: Volunteering at Constru Casa offers a unique cultural experience. Our volunteers will share intensive work time with the local masons, and have the opportunity to share the lives of an underprivileged Guatemalan family, all while contributing to improve their lives through the building of a new house. Constru Casa houses are built by paid local building workers and their assistants. The beneficiary family also helps build with at least one member of the family. Construction volunteers and the family member work with and under the direction of the masons. For volunteers, the works consists of digging foundations, carrying materials including concrete block, sand and rocks, mixing concrete and generally helping the masons in their tasks. It takes approximately two weeks to build a complete house. We encourage volunteers to work for a minimum of two weeks in order to be part of constructing a complete home. The construction sites vary considerably, dependent on rural or community settings and the general context of the family. Generally, Construction Volunteers are placed in the Antigua area. We want to ensure that our volunteers enjoy a safe, enriching, and fun experience in Guatemala. Constru Casa staff will help volunteers arrange accommodation (hotel, hostel or home stay), transportation and a Spanish school, if needed. Constru Casa will also provide a complete orientation to the project, the construction work and full assistance during your stay.
Requirements: A minimum stay of one week (two weeks preferred). Usually volunteers stay for two weeks; in exceptional cases four weeks volunteering can be arranged. Enthusiasm, good communication and social skills. Positive attitude and sensitivity towards Constru Casa's mission and the housing problems in Guatemala.
Important Notice – Fundraising: Construction Volunteers are asked to fundraise for the Constru Casa house that they help building before or after their volunteering experience in Guatemala. We suggest that they organize a fundraising event or find sponsors through family, friends or other resources. We will provide them with all the information and promotional materials necessary to carry out such an event. These fundraisers are a crucial part of Constru Casa's success and we rely heavily on the spirit and activism of our volunteers.
Location: Construction Volunteers generally work on construction sites in the Antigua Guatemala area, but we can also offer construction sites in more rural areas. We require more independence of our volunteer in that case, and the conditions where to stay will be different than in more urban area.
