Our projects

Child daycare

Although the government provides its citizens aged from six to fifteen with free education, there are no public maternal schools; so this program is essential for working parents with babies or children under the age of six. Volunteers working in this programs help local staff looking after babies and little children and they are expected to entertain them by organizing recreational and educational activities such as storytelling, games and songs. They may also be expected to help with daily tasks such as cooking, changing pumpers, washing the babies and cleaning.

The minimum duration of this program is three weeks and volunteers need to have a basic knowledge of the Spanish language.

Teaching programs

Schools in Costa Rica run classes between February and December, so children from six to fifteen have two months of summer break. They also have a couple of weeks vacation in July.

Low-income families may not be able to afford vacation camps or other means of entertainment for their children during these periods out from school and it is important that these children are kept out of the streets and to engage them in productive and educational activities.

This programs are aimed to provide these contention environments as well as to help rural schools which have lower educational opportunities.

As a volunteer in this program you will help local teachers with English classes, help children with their homework, participate in arts and sports workshops and develope some recreational activities for the children.

Although you’ll be working in classrooms some rural schools lack basic learning material such as books, paper and pencils, so your ability to come up with creative ideas to carry out the activities  in spite of these lacks will be highly valued.

After school programs

This program is run in the afternoons so it’s ideal for volunteers who wish to improve their Spanish by taking morning Spanish classes.. Working with children and teens also gives them an excellent opportunity to practice their language skills.

As a volunteer in this program you’ll be helping children and teenagers with their homework, engage them in spots games and artistic and recreational activities.

Volunteers often become a role model to the children and teens they work with, so a good attitude, receptivity and a genuine compromise and interest in their needs and potential gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in their future lives.

To be part of this program volunteers don’t need to have any previous teaching experience but an intermediate level of Spanish is required to be able to interact with the kids.

The minimum duration of this program is two weeks.

Women’s programs

CW works in coordination with local government organizations developing and carrying out programs focused on reinforcing women’s and children’s rights They offer women in vulnerable conditions or victims of domestic violence the necessary support, legal advice and professional training to overcome these precarious circumstances and create better life conditions for themselves and their children..

A variety of women’s programs cover issues like self esteem, health, domestic economy and entrepreneurial projects.

Volunteers can help with training workshops on handicrafts, clothing manufacturing, cooking, pottery, etc.

Volunteers with some specific background on therapeutic or business activities may help develop or be part of workshops dealing with business training, enterprising and leadership, and forum debates on domestic violence, women’s and children’s rights, as well as health consultations.

The minimum duration of these programs is two weeks and volunteers need to have intermediate to advanced Spanish language skills.

 Conservation programs

Almost a third of Costa Rica’s land extension is kept as Natural Parks, preserved landscapes and low impact tourism industry.

Our programs in this area aim to help preserve endangered species, improve corridor restoration and reinforce sustainability.

Volunteers interested in this area can choose among the following projects:

Animal conservation: you’ll help local staff involved in wildlife protection, looking after animals in danger, participating in educational projects and creating promotional material.

Sustainable agriculture and gardening: you’ll help cooperative and other community projects that promote sustainable agriculture and tourism activities, promoting practices that don’t contaminate or endanger the natural environment.

Eco-parks: you’ll be helping local staff with trail building and restoration, interpretation and translation of signs, maps and information notices, cleaning-up and a variety of other ongoing projects that include reforestation and educational and awareness programs for local students and community members.

The minimum duration of these programs is two weeks and volunteers need to have intermediate Spanish language skills.

Health programs

Medical program: Volunteers with a medical background and medical students are welcome to assist local health professionals in hospitals and clinics. They will be assigned with tasks matching their field of expertise and may also be invited to participate in educational programs in addition to time spent with patients in the clinics.

Physical therapy program

Volunteers with a background in Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy can help organizations run by the government and aimed to improve the life conditions of physical or mentally disabled children and their families through physiotherapeutic sessions and entertainment and educational activities such as sports, roleplay and dance.

These internship programs offer volunteers an ideal opportunity for health professionals and students to get to know Costa Rica and its people while offering their host country a very valuable service in return.

They require a stay of at least four weeks and an intermediate to advanced level of Spanish language skills.

 Microfinance programs

CW cooperates with local organizations that provide small scale local entrepreneurs with training programs and business advice, and have shown to be very efficient at a community level.

Volunteers to this program can help community organizations, small business and women groups working with them in teaching programs and training.

Those volunteers with some background in business and commercial activities can help local business by setting up essential strategies such as identification of local business opportunities, prioritize programs, evaluate and execute development projects and find markets to work with.

The minimum duration for this program is four weeks and intermediate to advanced level of Spanish language skills is required.

Group trips

These are alternative break projects ideal for short stays of one or two weeks. To participate on these projects volunteers must arrive and leave on a Saturday. Those volunteers staying for two weeks can use the middle weekend for traveling around.

The projects are located in San Ramón and surrounding villages and are led by the international company Canada-Costa

Project characteristics: This project involves building houses at cost for low income families in the poor neighborhoods of San Ramón and its surrounding villages.

Volunteers don’t need to have previous experience in the construction activity because they’ll be working under the supervision and directions of skilled and experienced carpenters and constructors.

Again, this is a very rewarding project, providing poor families with a home while making new friends and enjoying the Ticos’ hospitality.