Apply to the team

Are you ready for a true adventure that blends travel and sightseeing with the opportunity to serve a local community? By joining this team to Guatemala, you'll see how building homes brings hope and better living conditions to families in need. We're seeking enthusiastic team members to work with us in a community near Antigua.

We'll be joined by Clive Rainey, Habitat's first-ever volunteer, who will share his stories from many years of Global Village trips. No construction experience is required, just a passion for exploring new places and an open heart and mind. In addition to helping build, you will also have the chance to meet with local government leaders, and to visit Mayan ruins and beautiful Lake Atitlan. Join us for this unique experience– you'll help change lives, maybe even your own.

About Build Louder Advocacy Global Village trips 
Build Louder Advocacy Global Village trips involve education and advocacy in addition to home construction. Volunteers learn about housing poverty issues, are trained as advocates and meet with the governments, people, and NGOs that deal with these issues daily, allowing them to view their work with Habitat in a broader social context. The primary goal of both types of trips is to foster volunteers as informed advocates for Habitat’s legislative priorities and the issues affecting the work of our affiliates on a state and local level. 

About Guatemala
Guatemala is located in Central America. It borders the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize. Volcanic peaks, scenic coastlines and a forested mountain interior shape the brilliance of the Guatemalan landscape.

Guatemala is a small country in Central America with an estimated population of 13 million. It hosts a tropical climate along the lower elevations and cooler weather in the mountains. The country is full of rich indigenous culture and Spanish traditions. However, Guatemala also has a nearly 80 percent poverty rate and a housing deficit of about 1.5 million units.

About Habitat for Humanity Guatemala
Since its founding in 1979, Habitat Guatemala has built more than 50,000 housing solutions, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for Guatemalans in need of housing. Structured as a community organization that includes the participation of more than 700 local volunteers, Habitat specializes in working with families that have no access to the national financing system (banks, cooperatives, etc.) and who are living in inadequate conditions.

HFH Guatemala constructs earthquake-resistant houses made with concrete floors, block walls and corrugated zinc roofs. Habitat has a presence in all Guatemala’s departments, working with more than 205 local committees in 260 communities.

You can learn more at Habitat's Guatemala country profile or http://www.habitatguate.org/.

Types of construction for volunteers
This group will be working both on full home projects as well as smokeless stove construction. Homes will be made from cement blocks and construction will be directed and supervised by a local mason team. The group will also work on smokeless stoves, which are made from adobe blocks and mud, and will be supervised by a construction manager from the local affiliate.

Itinerary
Feb. 21: Greeted at the airport by Habitat Guatemala staff, spend the night in capital.
Feb. 22:Informal settlement visit and orientation, travel to Lake Atitlan.
Feb. 23: Cultural activity day, travel back to Antigua.
Feb 24-26: Build days.
Feb. 27-28: Meetings in Guatemala City.
March 1: Travel to Iximche ruins.
March 2: Departure day.

Accommodations
This team will stay at three hotels, one in Guatemala City, one in Panajachel (near Lake Atitlan) and one in Antigua. Hotels include double-occupancy rooms and are simple and basic. Guatemala’s climate can be humid in some areas, and so rooms in some areas may smell a bit musty. Hot water is typically provided; however, the water heating systems may not work as well as in the volunteers’ home countries. Hotel rooms will be cleaned and maintained daily and are screened for safety and comfort.

Program cost
US$2,300
(For more details about what is included in this cost, visit Global Village program cost.)

Increase your impact: Take the GV Challenge
Habitat for Humanity is accelerating its work to end poverty housing, and we need Global Village teams to help. Set a goal and fundraise to make your impact last longer than the days you’re in the field. Your support builds more homes, creates resource centers, educates families, and advances our projects to build sustainable communities. We’ll even provide tools to make fundraising easy. Take the GV Challenge – join us in sharing our story and building a better world. 

Team leaders
Heather Phibbs and Jose Quinonez are both Habitat for Humanity employees -- Heather with the Washington, D.C. affiliate and Jose with Habitat International. Jose is also a native of Guatemala and uniquely able to immerse team members in the country's rich history and culture. Both Heather and Jose are avid travelers. For more information, please email Heather at heather.phibbs@dchabitat.org.