I volunteered at the school for 2 months, and was really impressed by the dedication all the staff shared; they do great work and truly make a difference in the lives of their students. They also made me feel welcomed and I learned a lot. All around a great experience and a great organization.
I was a volunteer at the school for the month of November and really loved my time there. The kids are great, and I'm lucky enough to still see them once a month!
I loved my time volunteering with EFTC! Everyone that works there is so friendly and dedicated to providing the best education and services for not only the students but their families and the community. The volunteer coordinator is super helpful and checks in to make sure you are having the best experience possible. The Teachers are so greatful for the help even if it is just grading papers or helping make posters that gives the teacher more time to focus on lesson planning and helping the students who need it. This is an absolutely incredible organization and I can’t wait to volunteer with them again!
Fantastic organization serving a community in need of assistance. Volunteering here doesn’t only make a difference for the kids — it’s intrinsically rewarding and provides new experiences and memories in abundance. EFTC is incredible and far beyond what a online post can describe. You need to come see it for yourself!
When researching NGOs and charities to support, EFTC really stood out to me. When I read about the foundation and its mission, I knew I wanted to be involved. The team at EFTC have been fantastic in terms of communication and support for volunteers, even helping with arranging a lovely homestay family to stay with in Antigua.
I volunteered with the foundation during July 2019 and I was blown away with how forward thinking some of the initiatives here are, including the well balanced food for the kids, the sexual and mental health support and the university sponsorships to name but a few.
The kids here are so lovely, the staff are amazing and the opportunities for volunteering are varied. I have personally learnt a lot during my time here and while I can´t say I've saved the world by volunteering here, I do feel I've had a very real and positive impact within the foundation and with the kids.
If you have time to give while in Antigua, I would strongly recommend getting involved. If you When researching NGOs and charities to support, EFTC really stood out to me. When I read about the foundation and its mission, I knew I wanted to be involved. The team at EFTC have been fantastic in terms of communication and support for volunteers, even helping with arranging a lovely homestay family to stay with in Antigua.
I volunteered with the foundation during July 2019 and I was blown away with how forward thinking some of the initiatives here are, including the well balanced food for the kids, the sexual and mental health support and the university sponsorships to name but a few.
The kids here are so lovely, the staff are amazing and the opportunities for volunteering are varied. I have personally learnt a lot during my time here and while I can´t say I've saved the world by volunteering here, I do feel I've had a very real and positive impact within the foundation and with the kids.
If you can't get down here in person, the charity relies 100% on donations, and every cent is clearly well spent, so that's another great way to be support.
Thanks
Simon
I came across La Escuela de Esperanza through the Spanish school I was planning on attending in Antigua and decided to inquire about a volunteer opportunity as a way to pass my time after classes. What I could have never anticipated was that my time at Esperanza was by far what I cherish most about my trip. I came into my five weeks alone in Guatemala with the expectation that I would be purely studying, but was instead met with amazing other volunteers who I would become my friends and who I'd end up exploring practically the entire country of Guatemala with. The heart of this organization is absolutely incredible, as they truly seek to propel each of their students into bright futures, supporting them as far as their dreams allow. I can't put into words how much I grew to adore the children I worked with in my 3rd grade class, and just how thankful I am for the opportunity to become their friend. My only warning is that it is incredibly tough to leave, but how beautiful to have found something that is so hard to say goodbye to ( :
(for a visual I've also included below the video I made about my experience)
I worked at EFTC from April to June and have come back for another month. It's amazing to be part of such a great project which supports so many children with not only their education, but nutrition, health, and life skills.
It has been such a great volunteer experience, far surpassing volunteer roles I have done before. As a volunteer an important thing to mention is the ongoing support and guidance you receive as there is a full time volunteer coordinator based in the school. This means that the placement has flexibility and can be catered to what works best for you in terms of hours, roles, and your level of Spanish. I have really enjoyed assisting in the English classrooms with students aged 13-16 and can appreciate the impact and importance of having native English speakers to complement their studies is for these pupils. My other role is supporting the volunteer coordinator and the office in general with admin tasks such as translations, fundraising activities and blogs. It has been a great opportunity to learn about an NGO during my placement year from university.
Working at the school for 2 months was one of my greatest experiences. Teaching English to 4 classes of 25 kids is something that I'll never forget and both the kids and staff radiate positivity something that excited me about working there every day. The work they do at EFTC is amazing and I can't wait to be back next year!
I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience at the School of Hope. During my time volunteering there, I was overwhelmed by the support, welcome, and encouragement given to me by both students and staff. As a school teacher in the United States, it was incredible to see the amount of emotional, psychological, and health support given to each student through meetings with psychologists, after school programs, healthy lunches and snacks, and important hygiene. I had a truly wonderful experience here and I cannot wait to return next summer!
I have the wonderful privilege to sponsor 3 students at this incredible school and organization. I also had the opportunity to visit the school, volunteer, and learn more about my students while teacher assisting in the classroom. This education and nutrition program is vital to the lives of those living below the poverty level in Jocotenango. They are able to provide healthy meals, basic hygiene, mental health support, after school clubs, music, dancing, art, English classes, and so much love for these students and their families. I cannot day enough about them and the programs they are offering. Highly recommend visiting and of course sponsoring!
I have worked here for two months and it has been an incredible experience! Every day i get to work with 25 amazing kids while improving my spanish and making great relationships. My time away from school has been just as enriching with the abundance of places to eat and natural beauty all around! It has been amazing!
I've spent 3 summers volunteering at the School of Hope with EFTC since originally discovering the school during my search for volunteer opportunities abroad. The school provides everything from nutritious meals to psychologists and healthcare for their students. The individual attention that each student receives is unparalleled.
I've volunteered in both English and Spanish speaking classrooms. The teachers and students have always welcomed me without hesitation. The students are always eager to meet the volunteers and learn about them. The school is always willing to accommodate any special skills you have as well, especially with their after school programs. I've now been sponsoring a student for two years as well, and love get updates from him. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better volunteer opportunity.
Visited this school a couple years ago. Was able to spend lunch and recess with the students and teachers. It was a great experience serving them lunch and listening to them practice their English. I’m happy in my small way to be able to support the school.
I had the privilege of visiting EFTC in Guatemala in 2015 and was amazed at the wonderful work being undertaken there. I could sense a genuine care that each of the staff members had for the children and families that benefit from the program. Most of all, I was impressed with the kids! It was a great visit and has inspired me to continue following their efforts even after I left. What an amazing organization!
I've been involved with EFTC since 2012, first as a volunteer, then as a board member, and now as the director of their USA-based branch. I've visited and volunteered at the school multiple times. I'm always impressed with how happy the students are and how dedicated their teachers are. The staff is well-organized, cheerful, and always excited to meet new volunteers and get them involved at the school.
I was a volunteer at the School of Hope for two weeks in May 2017, and due to my amazing experience there, I decided to return to Guatemala and volunteer for another two weeks the following year. I am also a sponsor to a student at the School of Hope.
During my time at the School of Hope, I felt very welcomed by the staff. They treated with a great amount of respect for doing what I could to help out. Despite the language barrier that I had due to my limited experience of speaking and understanding Spanish, the staff were amazing at meeting me at the level of Spanish I was at by being patient and taking my abilities into consideration. The volunteer coordinator at the School of Hope does an excellent job of checking in on volunteers to see how they are doing throughout their volunteer experience as well.
The School of Hope itself is a great place for the students as it truly works to improve the quality of their lives. The School of Hope focuses on not only education as its main priority, but also nutrition, hygiene, and emotional well-being. I believe this is one of the many great qualities that sets this school apart from others, and I deeply admire how active the School is in bettering the lives of the students and even the families of the students.
As for my experiences interacting with the students at the School of Hope, I have to say that they are the most wonderful, memorable, and eye-opening experiences I have had. I went into my volunteer experiences there thinking that I would make an impact in the lives of the students there, but I was shocked to find that the students were the ones to impact my life. I learned so much from my volunteer experiences there. The children taught me that you don't need a lot of money or materialistic things to be happy; that no matter how different we may seem from one another, we are all connected; and most importantly, that love has no boundaries. The children there love volunteers, and will show you love regardless of who you are, where you come from, or what language you speak.
Because I loved working at the School so much and because I loved working with the children there, I decided during my first two weeks that I would become a sponsor to a student at the school. I was able to sponsor one of the students I had worked with in my assigned classroom. My sponsorship experience has been nothing but positive. The sponsorship coordinator is very friendly and helps you maintain a relationship with your sponsor child if you wish to by coordinating Skype calls, acting as a translator, sending letters and pictures, and so much more. I can't express how great of an honor it has been to be a sponsor, and how blessed I am that I was able to see my sponsor child a second time to see how he had grown and how he had progressed in his academics at the School of Hope. Being a sponsor is an absolute privilege and such a lovely experience!
Overall, working as a volunteer at the School of Hope has been the most incredible experience. I am looking forward to returning sometime in the future! I highly recommend volunteering here to anyone who wishes to have a positive and enlightening service experience. The School of Hope, the staff, the students, and my sponsor child will always have a special place in my heart, and if you're lucky enough to be able to volunteer there, they will all have a special place in yours too.
I had the privelage of volunteering at the school of hope for 2 weeks. The teachers and other faculty were incredibly welcoming. This kids radiate positivity and are balls of energy. Everyone is incredibly grateful for all the help they receive and all the help they definitely deserve.
surrounded by mountains and filled with positivity and laughter, the school is a place the children and staff look forward to going to every day because they know it's changing lives. as a volunteer there you are welcomed warmly and made to feel useful for however long you stay. it makes a big difference if you speak spanish or are improving as the kids dont speak much english.
An absolutely incredible charity! I spent almost 5 months volunteering at the school in Jocotenango, and it was an amazing place to work. All of the staff are wonderfully dedicated to the vision they share for the project and the kids themselves are truely amazing children who love having volunteers work with them and who you will love seeing everyday and help to learn. You become friends with them as well as staff in their eyes. The only difficult aspect of working there was the day I had to leave and say goodbye to the kids!
From the moment you step onto EFTC's campus you can tell it is a special place. The staff is entirely welcoming and they set their volunteers up for success.
The school takes a holistic approach to education ensuring that their students are well fed, healthy, and receiving all the attention they need to flourish despite their difficult circumstances. This includes parent trainings, scholarship services, on site psychologists, a school nurse, two meals a day, and a qualified staff that makes it all happen.
The school is full of laughter and truly is creating a place of hope in Jocotenango. I would highly recommend volunteering here or doing what you can to ensure that the organization gets to continue its incredible work in Guatemala.
