About Volunteer Latin America

Volunteer Latin America is an independent and ethical organisation committed to helping protect Latin America’s flora and fauna, its biodiversity, and to offering the most cost effective way to become an environmental or humanitarian volunteer in Central and South America.

We decided to set up Volunteer Latin America while participating on several conservation projects in Costa Rica and Ecuador. We were inspired by the reaction of other volunteers when they discovered the disparity between our financial contributions and the subsequent analysis of what they received for their fee. Hence, it was a direct response to all of those other 'voluntary work facilitators' out there asking for exorbitant fees from international volunteers. Our service provides individuals with all the information they need to organise a volunteer placement in Central or South America; thereby, saving them hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. Volunteers also have the satisfaction of knowing that all the money they pay (if any) goes directly to the host organisation rather than an intermediary agency.

Besides the economic aspects of volunteering abroad, another important factor behind the creation of this website concerned own views and beliefs regarding the natural world. The experience of working and travelling in Latin America has only served to increase our concern for, and awareness of, the need to preserve the uniqueness that is Ecological Latin America. Make no mistake; the ecosystems of this region are truly magnificent, and there remains so much still to be learned about them. We either try and protect Latin America's spectacular wildlife and their habitats or watch them forever vanish from the surface of the earth. In the end, we believe our societies will be defined not only by what they create, but by what they refuse to destroy.

Another driving force was our belief that living and working overseas encourages personal development. Volunteering is not just an altruistic act but also a 21st century opportunity for advancement in all areas of your life. No classroom or book can teach you the things you will learn first-hand about life, yourself, and the world you live in. We know that volunteering could change your life for the better and is usually the perfect tonic for the mind, body and spirit.

The Manager’s Perspective

A true love and affinity for the world and its flora and fauna led me to study for a degree in Environmental Science at the University of Greenwich. Since then I have worked within the realm of environmental protection. My concerns regarding the treatment of other animals, human rights, nature conservation and sustainable development have been the catalyst to me formulating a deep ecological worldview. The realisation that we need to achieve a fundamental ecological transformation of our socio-cultural systems, collective actions, and lifestyles has helped me to develop clarity so I can concentrate my best efforts on practical solutions. Volunteer Latin America is my contribution to the objective of saving species and habitats. It was also established to give volunteers from around the world the opportunity to help the economically, socially and politically disadvantaged people of the region.

I hope you find this website a useful source of information and decide to become an environmental or humanitarian volunteer in Latin America.