• Brighten up the lives of children from impoverished backgrounds
• Work with local organizations to provide adequate care and support to children
• Immerse in the local culture through carefully-screened homestays
• Practice Spanish while connecting with the rich history, vivid culture and fantastic cuisine in Mexico in your downtime
  

Enjoy a beautiful, quaint corner of Mexico and spread some love to orphaned children. Volunteer in New Hope's orphanage project and help uplift the lives of the children. Poverty and deprivation are a widespread epidemic in Mexico, with many children left homeless. Fortunately, there are orphanages that provide housing, education, clothing, and food for these children. However, the orphanages are often not well-funded and lack enough manpower to properly care for the children. As a volunteer in Mexico, you will be helping the local staff provide much-needed assistance to the children. Volunteers will also act as mentors, teachers and friends for these children. Be part of the project to brighten up the lives of the children of Mexico. At the same time, you'll be able to enjoy the gorgeous beaches of Mexico while practicing your Spanish as you soak in the rich Mexican culture!

As a volunteer in Mexico, you will be working with children from impoverished backgrounds at an orphanage. You may also work with volunteers or assistants at the center. Depending on your individual interests and skills, and on the needs of the local staff, your daily activities involve, but are not limited to:

• Teaching basic English, Math, Science, Physical Education, or other subjects of interest
• Provide care, love and attention to children
• Providing daily care to the children such as preparing meals and watching over them
• Help them with their homework
• Participate in playtime activities
• Educating on personal hygiene, and safety rules and precautions
• Developing stimulating new ideas to interest the children to learn
• Organizing and leading extracurricular activities such as games, sports, art, music, dancing, story-telling, drama lessons, etc.
• Assisting the local staff with administrative duties, promoting fundraising activities, and helping to plan events and excursions for the children

Orphanages rely heavily on the support of volunteers in order to take good care of the children. As a volunteer, you will also teach English, an essential skill for young children, as well as give tuition in other subjects. You will also be a source of inspiration for the children to motivate them to work towards a better future. The mere fact that you have travelled thousands of miles to bring joy into their lives is reason enough for them to be excited to be around you. Many volunteers have formed close bonds with the children, and have continued supporting them even after they've gone back to their countries. If you are seeking a career in child care or education, this is the perfect placement for you.

There are no specific qualifications needed to join the Orphanage project beyond a fluency in English and a preferred basic/intermediate fluency in Spanish. If you cannot speak Spanish, we recommend enrolling in our Spanish language program. Volunteers should also be enthusiastic, reliable, flexible, patient and strive to be good role models for the children. Experience working with street children is considered a plus. Volunteers must also respect the locals and the host organizations, along with their rules and projects.

This project is located in the town of Manzanillo in the Colima region. It is one of the busiest ports in the Pacific Coast of Mexico, and is a popular destination for tourists. The mid-sized city has plenty of lovely beaches and a lively nightlife, which volunteers can enjoy in their free time. The city is known as the sailfish capital of the entire region and host two highly acclaimed fishing tournaments every year. If you love seafood, you will love the restaurants here, which serve the most excellent seafood. Another enthralling activity that volunteers can do is to explore the underwater volcanoes nearby.