Creative Corners - Destinations - Home for orphaned and abandoned boys

Home for orphaned and abandoned boys

Boys Home La Paz

Next project in Bolivia...

Project

A large state home for orphaned or abandoned boys aged 14-18. The boys attend school and the home also provides technical training in Electricity, Auto Mechanics, Industrial Mechanics, Electronics, and Carpentry. From 2.30 each afternoon the boys are free to take part in volunteer activities. Projects are based from the library where boys meet to work on the computers, do their homework and borrow materials for school. The library is run by 2 boys who have left the home and are now part of one of our other projects The Helping Hands Foundation.

Why we need you

Volunteers are needed to work with the boys at the home to provide after school activities and homework support. Creative activities are very much welcomed and enjoyed by the boys so we want volunteers who can run drama workshops, photography, graphic design, music, drums and more! Why not start up a band with the boys and put on a concert? Other activities could include:

• Organise sports activities (football and basketball) and competitions.
• Teach IT skills to small groups (using office packages, graphics packages and the internet)
• Run arts workshops
• Run raise-funding activities
• Re-decorate the home
• Paint a mural
• Plant a garden
• Teach English to small groups in the evenings

Price

• £695 for 2 months £195 for each additional month

• £575 for up to one month

What’s included

• Airport collection
• Organised and personally visited accommodation in a family home stay in La Paz.
• Comprehensive Travel insurance
• Quality pre-departure information, visa advice

Skills needed

• Basic Spanish required or be willing to learn before you go!
• Ability to relate to teenagers (14-18) and organise workshops, games and extra-curricular activities
for the kids at the home
• Willingness to interact with adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds that have been
abandoned or abused.
• Be able to work independently without supervision.
• Initiative, flexibility and enthusiasm.

Have a look at this video of a volunteer's drama workshops with the boys in the home....

Tony's story....

"My first experience was remembering the view from a taxi driving down from into the city of la paz from up at the airport... absolutely fab.

The city is a fantastic hub of hustle and bustle never short of transport.

I worked as a arts practitioner specialising in Drama & Theatre for development, and to furthering the education and welfare of socially disadvantaged people.

I had the pleasure of creating a theatre production about peoples attitude to the environment and the land they live on. This was created and performed by young men at a Boys orphanage. I also delivered several other workshops for teachers who work with young people and at other orphanages.

I found the experience highly fulfilling and memorable and I'm really keen to go return to Bolivia next year!

Tony Cealy

Bolivia May 2007

Have a look at some more photos of some of volunteer workshops here...