Colombia, Cartagena
Social missions in Colombia - Cartagena
In La Boquilla, a fishing village north of Cartagena, support local associations: workshops, an animal shelter, tutoring and help for at-risk youth.
- Where
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Length
- From 3 to 8 weeks
- Minimum age
- 18 years old
- Language
- Spanish intermediate
- Departures
- Every Sunday
from €1,200 for 3 weeks
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The project
The social projects in Cartagena that we support are centered around the neighborhood of La Boquilla. It is a fishing village with Afro-Caribbean roots located in the far north of Cartagena. For tourists, it is a beach and a place to relax, but behind the scenes, its underprivileged residents work hard every day to try to provide for their families.
Although exclusive hotels and luxury apartments can be found in La Boquilla, there is a sharp contrast between the areas owned by real estate investors and those inhabited by people forgotten by the government, who rely mainly on fishing.
To cope with the extreme poverty of these communities, associations and projects have emerged to support the most vulnerable population. These foundations aim to provide supplies, equipment, and care to children, youth, and adults. These local associations manage different programmes in which volunteers can participate.
Which social project will you join during your stay?
Different projects are open to international volunteers. Two weeks before your arrival, an online meeting with the project coordinator will be organized. This meeting is an opportunity for the coordinator to get to know you and understand your expectations.
Depending on your needs, passions, talents, skills, interests, experience, and level of Spanish, the coordinator will suggest the projects that best suit you, and then a weekly plan will be set up.
You may take part in music workshops (drum making, parades…), coconut-based workshops and community work (social media to sell coconut-based products, product creation), stray dog and cat shelter (washing the animals, feeding them, improving the adoption process and raising awareness), reintegration of at-risk youth (drug prevention, parental awareness, discussions, games…), activities at the local church (helping prepare and distribute lunch for children), or tutoring with children in La Boquilla aged 3 to 12 (teaching English, music, art, theater, games, sports…).
A project we follow
Projects chosen with care and followed through regular visits on site.
Accommodation and meals
The project coordinator hosts the international volunteers.
Depending on availability, you will have a private room with a private bathroom and air conditioning. The other room is private with a shared bathroom and a fan.
You can buy food and store it in the fridge, and you have access to the kitchen to cook your own meals if you do not wish to include the meals offered by the local organization.
The project coordinator can host 2 people at the same time. If her house is not available, you will stay in a family-run hotel owned by one of the NGO members. You will have your own room with a private bathroom and air conditioning. This family hotel is a 10-minute walk from the project coordinator’s house and 10 to 20 minutes by motorbike taxi from the projects.
WiFi is available at the host house and at the family hotel.
We recommend a weekly budget of 90 USD for meals, excursions and motorbike taxis to get to the projects. All projects are located 10 to 20 minutes’ drive from the accommodation.
Additional information
Arrival airport: Cartagena (CTG)
This city is full of history… from the first discovery of gold mines by the Spanish to the five terrible sieges of the city by pirates in the 16th century, the most famous (or infamous) of which was led by Sir Francis Drake!
La Boquilla is an Afro-descendant community devoted mainly to tourism and fishing, located at what could be called the “entrance” of the Ciénaga de la Virgen.
Additional details
- Work starts on Monday: you must be in La Boquilla on the Sunday before.
- A longer stay is possible on request; keep in mind that the tourist visa is valid for 3 months.
- Available all year round, except for the educational projects, which close during the school holidays in June and December.
- Maximum of 4 volunteers at the same time.
- An intermediate level of Spanish is required for some tasks and to interact with the local population, who do not speak English.
- Travel/health insurance is mandatory.
- The work can sometimes be physically and/or psychologically demanding. Volunteers must be disciplined, responsible, motivated, hard-working, flexible, patient and proactive.
Budget
How long are you going for?
Arrival in Cartagena every Sunday
What is included
- Donation to the project
- Administration fees
- Orientation meeting
- Emergency line 24/7
- Transfer from Cartagena airport to the volunteer accommodation
- Accommodation at the project coordinator's home or in a family-run hotel
- One cultural experience per week
Not included
- Meals (can be included on request)
- Return transfer to Cartagena airport on the last day (upon request)
- Flights
- Travel insurance
Where your money goes
Donations are reinvested in full and directly into the local associations. How the costs break down
See the budget week by week
| Length | Total programme budget |
|---|
Getting ready to leave
Your application
An up-to-date CV and a cover letter describing your background and what brings you here.
Conditions to take part
- Minimum 4 weeks
- Intermediate Spanish required
- 18 years or older
To work with children, previous experience with children is required as well as an intermediate level of Spanish.
You must also have accident and liability insurance.
Insurance
For any project abroad, Freepackers requires travel insurance covering accidents, illness, repatriation and third-party liability. With Chapka Cap Student, you get 5% off.
Online language lessons
With Clic Campus: video lessons and an e-learning platform, from home.
In Colombia too
All our programmes in Colombia
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- Duration
- 2 to 8 weeks
- Age
- From 18 years old
from €1,180 for 2 weeks
