Poverty, abuse, and alcoholism have left many children in Peru and Costa Rica without families, depriving them of the parental love and care they need. Máximo Nivel’s volunteer projects aspire to change these children’s situation by providing caring and nurturing volunteers to work and play with them. The orphanages support and protect these children, but most are under-funded and need all the help they can get. Your assistance helps keep these children off the street, and helps provide them with a happy and productive childhood.
In Peru and Costa Rica, hundreds of poor children live and sleep on the street. Street children projects focus on getting these children off the street, and providing them with shelter, food, and education. Various educational, recreational, and health projects are ongoing to support these unfortunate children.
Depending on individual skills and interests, volunteers will act as mentors, help children with their homework, and teach English. However, your love and support are the most important elements for these disadvantaged children.
ORPHANAGE
Volunteers provide care for the children, helping them with their homework, workshop assignments, playtime activities, etc. You may work with other volunteers and/or teachers, and assistants. Most orphanages receive either boys or girls, though there are a few that receive both girls and boys. The children – ages 5 to 16 years – very much need your care, attention, and companionship.
See the boys at the Lucre orphanage – The boys of Lucre.
See the kids at the Colibri Street Children’s Center – The children of Colibri
DAYCARE AND NUTRITION CENTER
Volunteers work at a daycare center that provides housing, care, and food for working single mothers and their children. The children – ages 0 to 5 years – very much need your care, attention, and companionship while their mothers are working. These projects receive children whose mothers can’t afford regular day care services.
As a volunteer you will care for the children, providing nurturing and playtime activities, etc. You will work with the resident psychologist, assistants, and possibly other volunteers. Volunteers are very much needed to bring energy and commitment to these centers.
CLINICA SAN JUAN DE DIOS
Clinica San Juan de Dios offers free treatment to mentally and physically disabled children. The clinic is home to between 50 to 60 children, and employs five teachers, five nurses, and three physical therapists.
Volunteers are assigned various tasks depending on their skills and interests. All volunteers must help in the clinic feeding,
bathing and playing with the children. Volunteers may also work as teaching assistants in the school, assisting with art projects and helping the children with their work.
POLICIA DE LA FAMILIA (CUSCO ONLY)
Volunteers work with a group of abandoned street children – young kids and teenagers – who are in temporary residence at a police headquarters building. Population of the shelter varies from as few as five to as many as 40 children. This project is one of the poorest and least organized that Máximo Nivel works with. These children have most often been separated for long periods from their families and/or come from abusive homes, and have often been exploited. Whereas the police provide a place to sleep and one meal per day, there is no other substantive help.
Volunteers care for the kids, providing organized activities simply to combat boredom, as the children are not permitted to leave the police station; these children love company and enjoy having volunteers visit with them.
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