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Volunteers will work with a local women's group called K'anchay Wasi (meaning "House of Light" in Quechua) to help foster and empower women leaders.  Often victims of domestic violence and discriminated against by society at large, women in Peru frequently lack the economic opportunity to be independent and self-sufficient.  Volunteers assist women in learning and implementing basic business skills, while also focusing on the personal growth of each women.

K'anchay Wasi is a center of emotional and economic support for women and children suffering from domestic violence.  It operates in two separate sites in the Sacred Valley:  Calca and Huaran.  Each center provides educational, emotional, medical and legal support to members of the Association.  They hold meetings twice a week where educational workshops, discussions, and a variety of activities are held with the goal of improving their self-esteem and personal development, as well as giving them the tools and skills to become more economically independent.  Volunteers help to organize these activities, such as knitting classes or legal rights discussions, which aid in the empowerment and education of the women.

Your responsibilities could include a diverse range of activities such as:  working to improve women's business skills via workshops; marketing the women's products; working to improve their self-esteem, emotional and personal development via creative activities such as yoga, dance, music, English, women's rights, health, nutrition, etc.; facilitating monthly group sessions with a psychologist.

Education and Youth Projects
Volunteers will work in a primary school as a teacher's assistant from Monday to Friday from 8AM - 1PM.  You will work alongside Peruvian teachers and gain a real understanding of how the education systems in Peru work.  Your responsibilities could include a diverse range of activities such as:  designing lesson plans to assist the children in learning to read and write; playing games with the children during free time; designing worksheets to be assigned as homework; offering support to the teacher in her lesson planning and management of the classroom.  As a volunteer, you will be working to improve children's education in the Sacred Valley which will improve their future opportunities.

Frida's Place - Mentoring Program
Volunteers will work at Frida's Place located in the Sacred Valley.  Frida's Place was started in 2008 by Frida Delgado who runs a hostel in Huaran, a small town outside of Calca, Peru, about a 20 minute ride from Urubamba.  Frida offers her home/hostel to young children during the week who come from isolated communities to study in the Sacred Valley, returning only on weekends to their highland communities (Cancha Cancha, Ch'uro and others).  Many of these children (5 - 12 years old) live by themselves during the week in Huaran where there is no one to provide them with help or support in their schooling or in their diet.  Thus, many of these children suffer from malnutrition and as a result, perform poorly in school.

Your efforts help improve the quality of education, providing social and economic opportunities that facilitate the well being of families, communities and society at large.  Your responsibilities could include a diverse range of activities such as:  developing educational materials that focus on environmental education that will include hands-on work such as planting trees and crops with the children; construction and reinforcement of values and respect for Andean culture in their daily lives; assisting children with their studies and reinforcing lessons taught in local schools pertaining to math, science or English; other activities pertaining to education and youth development. 
NOPCAN
The National Organization for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect is the leading NGO in advocating for the rights of children in Belize. While doing your internship you will be assisting in a variety of tasks that deal with regionally appropriate issues regarding child abuse and neglect.

Primary School Assistant
Foster a positive learning experience for the children of the Cayo District as a teacher’s aid. At local Primary Schools overcrowded classrooms limit a lead teacher’s ability to instruct students effectively.

Volunteers will assist with general administrative tasks, correcting school work, preparation of materials, small group instruction, and other tasks as assigned, allowing the lead teacher to spend more time on lesson preparation and instruction.

Summer Camp
Held for the past two summers, the summer camp will be for primary school children 7-12 years of age. This will be a full day camp.

Activities include games, coloring, drawing, arts, and educational activities. Field trips can be arranged.

Find out more about the ProBelize Intern Abroad program
Provide community members of Oaxaca with a vital tool for improving their social and economic circumstances: literacy. INEA estimates that the ability to read and write can be accomplished by three months of individual tutoring or eight months of group lessons.

At INEA, you will tutor individuals or groups located in communities near Oaxaca. You are also encouraged to support students’ learning by establishing cultural exchanges with students outside of the learning environment.

Cooperativa Nueva Vida
Help the women of Teotitlan del Valle fight oppression through their efforts to achieve economic independence. At Nueva Vida, women of Teotitlan del Valle handcraft woolen rugs using the time-consuming, Pre-Hispanic natural techniques of their ancestors.

The rugs are sold to support the women’s economic independence, but they often receive unfair prices. You will help contribute to the women’s efforts to receive fair prices and achieve economic independence.

Opportunities include teaching English language classes, creating a gallery or webpage, publicizing the cooperative, researching market opportunities, designing a tour, leading design workshops, as well as many others.

La Escuela de Educación Especial #14- Zimitlan
The school – directed by psychologist Odon Martinez – works with children with auditory, visual, motor and mental disabilities up to 6th grade. Many of the children are not capable of learning to read or write.

The largest struggle for most of these children is that once they are out of the system they have no developed skills to help them fend for themselves. They often become dependent on their families and never enter the work force.

You will help find innovative ways to better prepare the children for adulthood, work on a micro-business program to raise funds for the school and teach the children practical skills, and will work with the mothers who travel 2 to 3 hours from surrounding villages to the school.

Puente a la Salud Comunitaria
Puente a la Salud Comunitaria promotes the use of amaranth, a traditional grain, through workshops. These workshops explain the nutritional importance of amaranth and provide the fundamentals of how to plant, grow, harvest, and cook with it.

Puente also promotes good nutritional practices. You can do further research on amaranth, and with a high level of Spanish you can give talks to the communities about amaranth, those with lower levels of Spanish can assist with the talks. Volunteers can also help out with office administration.

Union de Museos Comunitarios
The Union is a non-governmental organization of eighteen indigenous and mestizo communities in Oaxaca State, which have created or are in the process of creating community museums.
The museums are vehicles for unifying the townspeople and for strengthening and revitalizing community culture. It is a place that generates pride and weaves together the old and new generations.

You will focus on one of the 3-4 community museums that lie within 45 minutes of the city. Responsibilities could include: working with the community on tourism projects; setting up and executing art/craft/health initiatives with community members; carrying out a journalism or photography internship, grant writing, etc.

Patronato Estancia Fraternidad
Provide care and support for patients and their family members at Estancia Fraternidad. Estancia Fraternidad provides low-cost housing for family members of patients at the near-by general hospital, care for patients waiting to be admitted, and continuing care for patients who have been released from the hospital but are too ill to return home.

Opportunities exist to participate in fundraising, English classes, art and music workshops, kitchen duties, and nursing duties. If you have conversational Spanish, you can also provide a valuable service by making rounds and talking with patients and family members, providing support and comfort during this stressful time in their lives.

CALPULLI
Located in a poverty-stricken area, CALPULLI is a center to support children that have particular learning challenges. Most of these children are semi-abandoned, children of single mothers or children of parents who have migrated to the United States or other parts of Mexico.

The center assists the kids to improve their learning in basic subjects with a fun attitude towards learning. Participants have the opportunity to teach computer, mathematic, science, or English classes and to also interact with the children in after school and summer programs.

Find out more about the ProMexico Intern Abroad program

Brazil

Arts, Dance and Music School
This project works with women and children from the favelas (shanti towns) and other underprivileged environments. In an environment where children are recruited by street gangs into a life of violence and theft, the project aims to provide an alternative focus and provide support and encouragement to the children to develop ambitions and hope. Groups learn, practice and perform dance, music and theatre productions, produce their costumes and make sets for their performances.
     Why the project needs you:
The group is always looking for new inspiration, input from other cultures and the involvement of people who can provide a positive role model for people who do not have much contact with other sector’s of society. Volunteers with skills in arts, dance or music are encouraged to teach the children what they know and provide assistance to the small number of group leaders who run this project sets.
      Role of the Intern:
The intern will be involved in choreographing dances, making costumes and sets, teaching the group any new approaches, skills or techniques and organizing the performance events within the community. They will help develop the atmosphere and interest within the group that encourages children to want to stay involved. Interns assist the staff at the project in teaching and there may be some administrational work that needs your help too.
      Skills Required:
No specific skills are required for this project, but any skills and interests in music, arts and dance are a bonus.  Volunteers should be good with children and have lots of enthusiasm and energy.

Youth Sports Project
This project works across three locations in Salvador and two more in the countryside where youth who are at risk from gangs and violence are encouraged to participate in sports training and activities to take them away from their situation. Classes are combined with workshops called ‘citizenship classes’ where they learn about respect, cooperation, equality, peace and non-racism, and the teens are given guidance and ambition to make more of their lives.
     Why the project needs you:

Gangs in the favelas of Brazil recruit youngsters who are trained to steal and get involved with violence. Often there is no alternative lifestyle to which these children are exposed to and can aspire to. These projects offer an alternative, and working alongside international volunteers, not only does the project receive invaluable help with organization and planning, but the children learn about the different lives that they can aspire to work towards.
      Role of the Intern:
Interns will help organize and teach the children to play soccer and basketball. Once a week in citizenship classes inters can become more involved once they have developed some Portuguese skills in their classes, and if they have any skills that can benefit the wellbeing or development of the children as citizens, such as arts, playing musical instruments and theatre, they may teach these.
      Skills Required:
Interns with an interest in sports are best suited to this project, but no other skills are required. As you improve your Portuguese skills you will be able to become more involved in the citizenship classes. Energy and enthusiasm are a must for working with these children.

Work with Orphans and Underprivileged Children
This residential institution provides a home and full time care for orphans and children abandoned by their families. There are currently around 35 children aged 0-14 years, in the care of this home.  Through play and learning, these children can grow up in a secure environment develop social and learning skills.
      Why the project needs you:
With limited staff numbers it is difficult to provide the children with all the attention that they need. Young babies and small children need to be nurtured in order to develop and the more assistance that the centre can get, the better they are able to bring up these children. Any volunteers with skills in nutrition, psychology or physical therapy skills are highly valued to teach skills to the staff that can be used.
       Role of the Intern:
Interns will work under the guidance of the staff at the orphanage to aid in feeding and changing the younger babies, playing with the children and organizing activities that are both entertaining and educational. Interns help the older children with their homework and hold English language classes, as well as get involved in arts and crafts with the younger children.
       Skills Required:
No specific skills are required, although any skills in nutrition, psychology or physical therapy are highly valued.  Portuguese lessons will help you communicate better with the children and staff and the most important requirement is lots of energy and a love of children. 

Youth Development through Environmental Education and Art
This project promotes education and awareness for children through natural environment, art and music.  At this project, children from the favelas (shanti towns) and other impoverished areas of the city learn about plants and species from their home country and how they can learn from and survive off the land. The use of art, painting and modeling, as well as dance and music helps the children absorb what they learn and provides them an environment that takes them away from the crime and the gangs of the streets that they come from.
       Why the project needs you:
The project deals with over 100 children and with a small staff they need all the help they can get to organize the children and the activities. Also, as a project trying to expose the children of the favelas to another way of life to help them break out of the cycle of poverty, gangs and crime, volunteers from other cultures provide an inspiration and another perspective to which they have no other contact. Those wishing to teach English classes also provide the children with a skill that can help them find work later in life.
       Role of the Intern:
Interns assist staff in workshops such as making soaps and cosmetics out of natural products, gardening and storytelling as well as art classes in painting, making crafts and mosaic. Any interns with a specific skill can also suggest some different classes for the community which they can run. There is always an interest in learning English and those interested in teaching can take classes a couple of days a week a well.
       Skills Required:
No specific skills are required, and through your Portuguese classes you can build your communication skills which will improve the work you get involved with. Any background of working with children, teaching, art or environmental education is a bonus.

Teaching Preschool and Children’s Day Care
This Preschool Institution and Day Care Centre is located 12km outside of Salvador and provides childcare and learning for children aged 0-6 years in a region where their parents need to go out to work to feed their families.  Staffs teach children basic hygiene and simple classes, as well as encourage socialization and cooperation through play.
       Why the project needs you:
 There are around 70 children at the Institution and only a few staff to look after them.  The help that volunteers provide allows the children the attention that they need to develop social skills and learn.
       Role of the Intern:
Interns will be involved with helping to change and feed the babies in the nursery, help the children with painting, arts and craft, organizing games and activities for the children, cleaning up, teaching basic classes and providing a stimulating and happy environment for the children.
       Skills Required:
Interns who work on this project should have a basic level of Portuguese or Spanish. Any experience with children or teaching is a bonus. Interns must be enthusiastic, patient and good-humored to work with the children.

India
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO IN INDIA

ProIndia’s social and economic development projects focus on programs that meet the basic needs of India’s poorest class, in Udaipur’s slums as well as in rural villages in its immediate surroundings. Projects aim to provide basic services like food, shelter, and education as well as addressing issues like illiteracy and the lack of services for the disabled. The goals of these programs are to empower beneficiaries and give them tools and resources to get ahead.
 

• Women's Empowerment
• Child Development and Care
• Rural Literacy Program

 
   Women's Empowerment
Work on a project empowering women of the local tribes who have been denied opportunities in the past. This project provides residential education, health education, counseling, a women support group and income generation programs within the tribes on the outskirts of Udaipur.

Why the project needs you:
Opportunities remain limited for women in the poor areas on India. Literacy rates are lower than for men, abuse is not uncommon and girls are expected to focus on the family from a young age. Death rates in childbirth remain high and malnutrition for mothers and their babies is a common cause of death. By providing women with better education and knowledge of their rights, a support network and more opportunities for income generation, they can be empowered to improve their own situations.
Role of the Intern:
Through this project you will assist the project leaders in health education, good nutrition practices, counseling, and discussion on topics that refer to women’s empowerment.  Interns can also bring their business knowledge and administrative skills to this project to help educate women in business opportunities and be creative about ways to generate income.
Skills Required:
No specific skills are required, however interns should be knowledgeable about issues facing women today in India. 

    Rural Literacy Program
This project has set up six schools (primary, secondary), eight colleges, 16 child labor rehabilitation & education centers and 17 child learning centers (CLC). So far through its
comprehensive education program, it has helped educate 7,831 students.

Why the project needs you:
Overall literacy rates in India are estimated around 65%. In 1991, Rajasthan had one of the lowest rates, but in the past 15 years has improved dramatically through programs such as this. Female literacy remains below average and this program looks to provide a level of education, which can provide more than just a basic level of literacy.
Role of the Intern:
During this project you will assist teachers in a variety of subjects at the education centers to provide one‐on‐one assistance for pupils who are falling behind and need extra help. You will also be working with those students who are excelling and need extra stimulation to keep them developing.
Skills Required:
No specific skills are required but any interns with experience in teaching would be very valuable. Interns without a background in teaching but who have a specialty that they want to teach are also highly valued.

   Child Development and Care
This project works with children in shelters, orphanages, daycares and creches, as well as mother and child support groups. It provides a host of support facilities for these children ‐ from infants to adolescents ‐ including care, nutrition, development and support for parents.

Why the project needs you:
Child mortality remains high in India, and in the poorest communities malnutrition and disease are identified as the key factors. Working with these children to provide them with
food and shelter, as well as the care and attention they need to develop social skills and personal development is the first step in proving these kids with a better future. Limited
resources need to stretch very far and any additional help is valued.
Role of the Intern:
During this project you will assist staff with looking after, feeding and entertaining the children, running classes and workshops and helping them with homework. With mother
and child groups, interns will help educate the women in health issues that affect their children as well as provide support for them as they bring up their children in an
environment with so many challenges.
Skills Required:
No specific skills are required, but a lot of patience, enthusiasm and understanding is needed to work with children and any previous experience is a bonus. Child therapists and
psychologists are very welcomed to work in specific areas.

Find out more about the ProIndia Intern Abroad program

Thailand
Department of Agricultural Economics at Chiang Mai University
The Department of Agricultural Economics at Chiang Mai University collects research from the northern Hill Tribes in order to determine cause factors for poverty.  Data is collected and analyzed and used to build workshops to help the villagers to develop their communities through better methods and technologies.  Opportunities are available to participate in workshop development and delivery across the 6 provinces in the northern region.

Garden of Hope
The Garden of Hope reaches out to women, children, and youth involved in, at risk of, or affected by prostitution, sexual exploitation and/or trafficking.  The goal of The Garden of Hope is to offer comprehensive, holistic programs that bring resotration and healing to those in, at risk of, or exiting prostition and trafficking in Northern Thailand and its borders.  The Garden of Hope operates a Women's and Children's Drop-In Center which offers relationships, conversational English, trauma conseling, vocational training, and life skills development to women.  The Children's Drop-In Center offers child care, tutoring, Thai and English instruction, meals, and a safe place for street children of the red-light district. 

The Garden of Hope depends on short and long term volunteers and interns to do outreach, staff the Drop-In Centers, help with administration, write grants, provide computer and IT services, teach English, train in Western baking and cooking, work with street children and more.

The Heaven House Orphanage
The Haven House was founded to help the Hmong people live a better life.  It provides a safe place where Hmong children, especially orphans and poor children, can come to live and learn for free with its aim to bridge the gap that denies quality education from the Hmong children.

Opportunities are available to teach English, developing sports and arts programs, and taking on a class of your own in a nearby school.

The Life Skills Development Foundation
The Life Skills Development Foundation works for developing the quality of lives regarding the rights of children, focusing on early childhood care development, education, children living with HIV, and orphaned children.  They work in partnership with both local NGOs and government organiations, and are funded by UNICEF.

Opportunities are available (minimum 2 - 3 months) for individuals with writing and research skills to develop curriculum, training materials, and data collection.

Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism
ECOT seeks to give visibility, a platform and a framework to the issues of tourism as it impacts on vulnerabl communities in the Third World and beyond, and interrelates with development, human rights, justice, gender, law, ecology and culture.  ECOT acts predominantly as a facilitator and coordinator for the "Tourism Movement," raising new questions and challenges on tourism, and discerning the broader global circumstances that impinge on the tourism sector and affect the social and natural environment.

Opportunities are available for those with a background in social science and with experience collecting and analyzing research data as well as provide support for fundraising, marketing and database management.

Find out more about the ProThailand Intern Abroad program

Ghana
Education & Youth Development
Work with a variety of different organizations, including orphanages, primary schools, and after school programs to improve literacy and youth development within our host communities.  Volunteer activities may include teaching computer classes, English, science or math; developing literacy activities; providing general teacher support in the classroom; developing art, music and sports programs; working with special education students; and assisting and strengthening school administration practices.  Many schools are also in need of additional infrastructure support.

The Methodist School for Children with Intellectual Handicaps
The Methodist School for Children with Intellectual Handicaps works with special needs children in Cape Coast.  Volunteer activities may include classroom assistance and curriculum development for students with special needs; delivering workshops for teachers and/or parents on ways they can better support their children's development.

Micro Business Development
Work with ProGhana's partner communities to provide support and training to women and small business owners.  Volunteer activities may include providing consultations; teaching basic business skills; searching for markets; building marketing strategies; developing new products; and working with NGOs in micro-credit and income-generating projects.

The Center for Awareness
The Center for Awareness works on peace and capacity building activities within area communities.  Their various activities which complement their mission to promote peace and awareness include micro-finance lending, income-generating infrastructure for communities, agriculture work, teaching life skills to secondary school students, supporting vocational schools, work in prison populations, and care and support for patients living with HIV/AIDS.  In addition to field work, one of the areas for which they would like volunteer support is in the creation of a website.

Ghana Heritage and Conservation Trust (GHCT)
The Ghana Heritage and Conservation Trust (GHCT) works to protect national monuments in the Cape Coast area and has plans in the future to develop museums and photo exhibits, as well as restore local historical sites with the goal to eventually develop them for tourism.  Volunteers can work in a variety of capacities with this organization.

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice is a government office that investigates allegations of human rights abuse and corruption.  Prospective volunteers must submit their CVs to determine if an appropriate placement with this office can be found.  Opportunities exist for law-based internships and public education.

Garl Processing
Gari is a traditional, nutritious food made from cassava.  Several women's group in surrounding communities work together to process the gari as an income generation activity.  Volunteers can take part in the processing of the gari while getting to know the women.  Opportunities are also available to facilitate workshops with the women in areas such as small business development, health, and women's issues.

Eco-Tourism
Volunteers interested in working with eco-tourism projects can work with one of ProGhana's partner organizations on the development of marketing strategies.  Duties may include creation of marketing materials such as brochures; website development; building upon community members' business skills; and improving product delivery.

Find out more about the ProGhana Intern Abroad program

Brazil
Project Dida
Project Dida works with women and girls to provide training and education in computer technology, English, and microenterprise.  In addition, Dida also has a strong social entreprenship component.  Volunteers will have the opportunity to assist in marketing efforts in the tourism industry about the socially responsible souvenir shop which sells the women's products.  There are also opportunities to run workshops for one of the first women's reggae groups, training women in singing, performance and dance, as well as any other special skill an individual wants to share (i.e., photography, Spanish, web page development, etc.).

Make It Happen!
Make It Happen! is a UNICEF funded program which provies intramural co-ed sports leagues for children from the favelas (shantytowns).  They also provide citizenship classes and basic education programs.

Sol Nascente
Sol Nascente is a free pre-school program that works in a favela where participants can teach public health classes, dental education, microenterprise development, or work on fund development.

Brazil, Europe, Italy Cultural Institute
The institute, housed in a beautiful, history and large facility, implements programs to expose favela children to classic music and art.  The leaders of the organization want to develop a community theatre program and need assistance with construction, community recruitment, production , direction, and more.  The institute also sponsors and hosts events like the first ever international conference of responsible graffiti, so there are opportunities for individuals interested in street art and youth development.

When you're ready, apply at www.myproworld.org/apply.