CARE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN ANTIGUA

Care for children and adults suffering from mental disabilities and physical illness. This project will allow you to gain experience in care, or simply to challenge yourself in a friendly environment where your assistance is really needed. This is a challenging and rewarding project.

“The support that I needed was provided as well as encouragement and care. I was very happy with every aspect of my stay. THANK YOU VERY MUCH for making it so much easier.” Nayna Kennedy

Also on this page:

• Qualifications Needed for this Project

• Accommodation

• Travel & Visas

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The centre looks after children and adults in various conditions, both mentally and physically disabled, who all need higher care than they could or would receive at home. The organization is run by youngsters and adults who have dedicated themselves to helping others.

People arrive at the organization from all walks of life… From families with few means at their disposal, who with the best will in the world do not have the time or the skills required to take care of their loved ones.  Some arrive at the centre after being abandoned by their families… Others have simply grown old and require more assistance than their families can provide. Some are sick or are simply patients requiring rest and are unable to stay in a normal hospital. The centre is based in an absolutely beautiful traditional Guatemalan building in Antigua.

"Imagine my happiness when I heard a little boy named Henry calling me in the morning when I arrived at the centre!!... We continue to take the children to the park and with the older ones we can play with the water in the fountain and every day I buy some biscuits for the children to enjoy. They marvel at the trees and the sunshine and the people that give them attention and ask us about the work we are doing. I have found that people here really appreciate what we do as they often come and say something encouraging to us. Later after returning from the park and with lunch ready to be served, I sneak off to see the babies and of course Perla. I feed her and play with her before heading home for my lunch. (I have a lunch break from 12.30 to 2.00) Work days always pass by very quickly…." - Nayna Kennedy, Care Volunteer 2008

Areas of the Hospital… What are they and how do they work?

Center For Recovering From Malnutrition: With the help of the volunteers the centre cares for children with varying degrees of malnutrition. The centre also cares for children who are waiting for operations for childhood diseases. The centre is also devoted to work caring and treating children suffering from cleft palates. The children need to be given medicine for stomach problems, receive check-ups and to receive the kind of stimulation that any young child needs to develop their motor skills and cognition.  The centre also provides education to the mothers teaching them how to care for their child’s needs.

Centre For Handicapped Children: Care is provided for children with Down’s syndrome, quadriplegics, hydrophiliacs, spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and asphyxias perinatal.  The children receive attention from medics, Psychologists, paediatrics, physiotherapists, neurologists, and specially trained teachers at the school. Volunteers help to stimulate the children to help with their development. These children need lots of care and love they receive physiotherapy, speech therapy, stimulation, play, daily care, and through the help of everyone involved they get to experience constant interaction and movement. Wheelchairs amongst other things are provided to keep them mobile as much as possible. .

"Mente Sana" - for Adults and "Special" Youngsters: They take care of men and women with permanent incapacity, both physical and mental; the frequent diagnostics is setback in mental development, following convulsive syndrome, aggressive behaviour and schizophrenia.  Most of the patients need round the clock care.

Centre for “Incapable People”: This works just the same as ‘Mente Sana’, in that they take care of men and women with permanent incapacity, both physical and mental; the frequent diagnostics is setback in mental development, following convulsive syndrome, aggressivity and schizophrenia.  Most of the patients need round the clock care.

Centre for Elderly Men: Here the men suffer from conditions and afflictions commonly found in men of an older age.  They suffer from a range of dysfunctions they need the same love, care and attention as anyone else. They are provided with activities to keep their minds strong and active amongst other things.

Centre for Elderly Women: Primarily the centre works to accommodate women in their later years who don’t have anywhere to live. They may also suffer from conditions and afflictions commonly found in old age.  They are provided the same love, care and attention as anyone else. Again activities are organised to keep their minds strong and active amongst other things.

Recovery Area: Here they take care for all kinds of general illnesses.  Patients are provided with care and treatments necessary for their condition to ensure that they are spirited back to full health as soon as possible.

Special School: The school teaches the children who live in the hospital.  They give them the education directly suited to their level of understanding, providing the materials necessary for the lessons and of course bringing bucket loads of dedication. The school is very aware of making the lessons fun and interactive and ensuring that they have fun while they learn. Being stuck in a hospital isn’t much fun for anyone so the school makes sure that they know how to show them a good time as well teaching them.

Kindergarten: Just like any other crèche/kindergarten they take care of the younger children who are too young to go to school. Many of the children’s mothers go to work in the market.

Manual Work & Craft School: All kinds of crafts work is taught here at the centre. It really is fabulous to see. Everything that’s made is sold to bring in funding.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:

• An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into Guatemala and Central America.

• The enormous satisfaction of helping disadvantaged children and knowing that you made a difference to them.

• New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.

• An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market

• And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

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OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

You should have some Spanish to participate in this project.  If you have a low level of Spanish or no Spanish at all, you are still welcome to come on the project, but it is a requirement that you spend some time learning Spanish at our language schools before starting work at the care centre. This is for your benefit and for the benefit of the children and patients that you'll be working with. Don't worry though; most volunteers start their project with Spanish lessons then move onto working at the centre - this can be arranged for you very easily.

Most situations can be accommodated, so please speak to your Project Co-Ordinator about your level of Spanish so that we can discuss the option that’s best for you.

You also need to have an interest/qualification or some knowledge about care work to take part in this project, as the work is quite specific and can sometimes be quite trying. No formal qualifications are required, but you should either have a strong interest in the area, be studying a related subject, qualified in a related subject or intending to peruse a related subject as a career or as study. Please talk to us about acceptance criteria, as we can usually be very flexible if your intent is there 

Accommodation with host families means that Travellers volunteers get to eat, sleep, work, socialise and generally live like a Guatemalan. Most of the families take more than one volunteer or student at once (some up to 10!), so the atmosphere is somewhere between a regular family and a hostel... Often very social, but with the benefit of gaining insights into the Guatemalan way of life from the inside - the best of both worlds!!

Many of our volunteers remain friends with their host families long after they leave Guatemala and in some cases they return to the country later especially to visit their family. Many offer the option of single or shared rooms, and generally houses within the same town are in close proximity with each other. The accommodation is comfortable, with a ‘western-style’ bathroom.

"The house I am staying at is like something out of a travel guide, and the family I am with is sweet and so thoughtful! Flori, Edgar Sr., Edgar, Denise and Paula are sure to be fast friends! My housemates are great too, there are 3 guys from Germany, Colorado and Miami, and we get along great! They are showing me around the city and explaining important rules of thumb (like don't flush the toilet paper down the toilet!!)" Elizabeth Collin, Teaching 2008

All of your meals will be provided from Monday to Saturday, leaving you free to sample local eateries on Sundays. Expect to develop a taste for corn tortillas, tostadas and tacos in plentiful supply! Western and international dishes are also easily available in Antigua. Although Guatemalans are big on eating meat, we can easily cater for vegetarians.

One of our hosts outside her house!