There are many volunteer opportunities to help kids in Brazil.
Brazil is a diverse country, and your experience as a volunteer will be dependent on where you go and what kind of work you want to do. From the largest city in the southern hemisphere, Sao Paulo, to the tiniest villages, there are rewarding experiences to be had volunteering with small, local nonprofits and international NGOs. Some organizations require you to pay a fee to take part in their programs, as a way of funding their efforts. Others are free, but you will need to cover your living costs. In some cases, you may be able to provide your services in exchange for room and board.
Working with Kids
If helping children is your goal, there are many opportunities with different organizations in Brazil. Teaching English, coaching sports, working with street kids and volunteering in orphanages are a few of the options. Most organizations simply ask that you love being around children. Special skills are always welcomed, and speaking Portuguese is definitely a plus, but not usually necessary. Bridge Volunteers offers a program in Rio de Janeiro where volunteers can do a number of things including teaching English, leading recreation activities and working in a nursery.
Bridge Volunteers
Youth Outreach Volunteer Program
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
888-825-3454
www.bridgevolunteers.org
Health-Related Volunteering
If you are a doctor, nurse or another type of healthcare practitioner, you will find no shortage of volunteer work in Brazil. Occupational therapists, speech therapists and acupuncturists will be warmly welcomed. Even if you don't have any medical training, you can easily find opportunities to work alongside doctors and provide valuable assistance. It's recommended in many cases that you speak Portuguese, or at least some Spanish so you can communicate with patients. There are NGOs specifically dealing with women's health, nutrition, cancer and other issues. The Institute for Field Research Expeditions (IFRE) has an HIV/AIDS project looking for volunteers to help with education, outreach and patient care.
Institute for Field Research Expeditions
HIV/AIDS Project
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
800-675-2504
www.ifrevolunteers.org
Environmental Work
With many of the plant and animal species in the Amazon rainforest facing extinction, there are efforts underway to replant and protect these fragile trees and plants. Other volunteer opportunities address the effects of deforestation and over-fishing, and provide education to the local population on protect the land and water around them. There is also work to be done in the coastal areas, protecting seahorses, turtles, whales, dolphins and other species. Amigos de Iracambi is one organization that seeks volunteers to help maintain, improve and protect the Brazilian rainforest.
Fazenda Iracambi
Caixa Postal No. 1
Rosário da Limeira
36878-000 Minas Gerais
Brazil
55 32 3711 1086
www.iracambi.com
Tags: Bridge Volunteers, Field Research, Field Research Expeditions, Institute Field, Institute Field Research, Janeiro Brazil, Research Expeditions