Nemby Travel

Traveling & Volunteering

Volunteering is a particularly good way to get to know the culture and make a difference at the same time. Cultural exchanges and volunteer programs are possible through a variety of established international aid organizations with long track records in Paraguay such as the Peace Corps, Amigos de las Americas, American Field Service, and Rotary Club. There is no lack of Paraguayan organizations willing to take on extra help either, especially if you have decent Spanish skills. It can be a challenging to coordinate volunteering details from a distance though. You will have better luck finalizing plans in person. As with all other matters in Paraguay, having a contact within the organization can help things run smoothly. Unless the organization already has a pre-existing volunteer program, don’t expect to hit the ground running. If you are on a tight schedule but would like to fit in some volunteer work, it makes more sense to work with programs that have specific scheduled short-term projects such as Habitat for Humanity.

Many people like to combine volunteering with travel. Plan to travel after having been in country for a while, rather than upon arrival. This will allow you to acclimate to the culture and make Paraguayan contacts, both of which will significantly improve your subsequent travel experiences.

Volunteer Organizations

Fundacion Paraguaya

This organization is linked to several micro-financing institutions worldwide including Kiva and Teach a Man to Fish. One of the few NGOs in Paraguay that has a system set up for receiving foreign volunteers. Tel: 021 609-277, Manuel Blinder 5589 almost at Teniente Espinoza,

www.fundacionparaguaya.org.py Un Techo Para Mi Pais

A Latin American NGO that coordinates groups of volunteers to build houses for impoverished families. There are several projects throughout the year. Tel: 021 660274, 0984 607 600, Raul Carmona 759 almost at Lillo, www.untechoparamipais.org/paraguay, on Facebook Habitat for Humanity

An international NGO that builds homes for the needy. Tel: 021 299 229, 282 760, Sargento Primero Tomas Lombardo almost at Ambay, www.habitat.org.py