Proyecto Mosaico: Volunteer Work in Central America

Proyecto Mosaico is a well organised organisation with an office located in Granada, Nicaragua. The small fee for all the administration work and maintenance of this NPO is really appropriate and way less than other organisations charge you. I chose a small community center on the Island of Ometepe and I loved to work in my project. Within the 4 months I lived with a local family and taught English, Spanish and some German and French as well as afternoon activities. Although there were some problems with the head of the project due to cultural differences, the volunteer coordinator in Granada always offered help and tried to mediate. And even in the shared flat, that's situated next to the office, I always felt welcomed and with all the other volunteers who lived there we celebrated christmas together. The atmosphere was so cosy and it almost felt like family. And two of the office even visited the project and stayed at my familys house as well.
I really recommend you to do your volunteer experience with Proyecto Mosaico cause they are a small and non-profit-motivated organisation with the aim to support cultural exchange and a sensitization towards a different culture. And you can do it no matter of you're 18, 30 of even 60 years old - it's always a unique experience! Thank you again Katrin, Sabine, Silvi und Sandra!

Mano Amiga is a great community project which supports the children and women in Balgüe on Ometepe in Nicaragua. Founded by expats in the area, it is now run by locals to be a self-sustainable and independent project. The library, daycare, playground, garden and nutrition program is aiming at the children of the community, while the clothing workshop offers women the possibility to work and meet, and the coffee roasting is working with local farms. Therefore, working with Mano Amiga has many opportunities to learn from and to develop further. The organizer Roberto is a very nice guy, who speaks well English, but otherwise Spanish knowledge is important. Motivation and ideas are very welcome to support the project and give the quiet, small town new input. The work, therefore, depends on one’s contribution and ambition, or can otherwise be boring due to the lack of the local’s creativity. With this, as well as enough time on site and in the neighborhood (min. 2 months), great things can be achieved. For this, self-sustainability should be aimed at. Host family and Spanish teacher can be found in the community, which is frequently visited by short-term tourists, but is otherwise very simple and typical Nicaraguan. From the harbor on the main land (San Jorge), it takes about 3 hours to Balgüe, where various nice projects are taking place, though mostly run by expats. Getting familiar with the surrounding is definitely a good idea to understand the community and help the locals to grow their community. During my time (winter 2016/17), some parts of the project were not running well or closed due to holidays or due to lack of money and motivated people.

In 2015 I found an amazing volunteer project in Guatemala through PM. I have done a lot of research online in order to find a local NGO in Guatemala or Nicaragua with a suitable volunteer position for 2-3 months. PM were the only organization I felt comfortable with and that didn't charge huge fees for a placement within a local organization. I was looking for a volunteer position quite spontaneous and without a very precise idea. PM was very helpful and always fast with their professional advice and suggestions for specific volunteer positions that do make an impact. Just within a couple weeks I found the perfect match in Guatemala, where I lived such a valuable and rich volunteer experience. Thank you a lot PM; without your help, I would never have found this organization and position and made this unique experience.

I was struggling to find a volunteer group until the providential day I found PM. Immediately I was struck by the prompt and thorough communication I received with patient and attentive help in determining not only my placement but my lodging as well, all catered to my desires.
The project was great, so fulfilling. The people of Nicaragua were wonderful, locals and foreigners alike.
I am blessed to have found PM and hope to be able to work with them in the future!! Vielen Dank and muchas gracias!
Marielle

I was a teacher in an afterschool for kids between 3 and 5. My role was to be an assistant also. I really loved my work. You reveive more than you give and it's for your life. I saw so many people who came in our association and all return with a bigger heart and a new vision about what is the real life. Even the culture are really different in this kind of country, a child stay a child and need affection, games, laugh and love ! Don't ask yourself to be a volunteer, do it !

First, my English is not the best.

My time in Nicaragua was sooo nice. And I can say I will come back to this place.
My family there were so amable and the weather was great.
I love to work with adultos mayores and the nice thing was, that I had all the time I need to work with heart and calmness with them.
I had no bad experience! Every person is diferent. When search time, warm weather and nice people then are you right here!
Nicaragua is a land where you can discover so much things! My plan was 2 month working and one month travelling, and i thought "that is enough", but after a while i recordnize that the time for me was not enough. There are so many beautiful things to see!
I like this project!

Proyecto Mosaico is a very well organised and highly professional working association. I spend two months with their partner organization Telares Indígenas Nicaragua in Matagalpa, a nice little town in Northern Nicaragua. I worked in the fields of public relation and marketing. Getting to know the indigenous weavers has been definitely a highlight. I spend the most interesting and inspiring time with them. I absolutely recommend the association as well as the project!

Within 9 months in Nicaragua I worked in two different projects:
A library, which sent me to help an English teacher at one of Granada secondary schools as well as in an afternoon school located in a poor neighbouhood of the town.
In the highschool I got to know the school system and everyday life of teachers and students in Nicaragua - an unique expecience!
Nevertheless, I liked the afternoonschool more, as I could work with younger kids that came voluntarily in their free time and were (most of the time) motivated and always really adorable.
In my work and everyday life I Iearned a lot about culture, traditions, and (especially young) people. Experiences that I don't want to miss any more! After six months of living in this beatiful place I decided to extend my time there and stayed 4 more months.

I'm still sure that it was the right decision to start my voluntary work with Proyecto Mosaico as they are very professional but still uncomplicated so that I could work in different projects and stay longer than first planed. It felt good to know that there is always someone in the office that could help you with any problem concerning work but also life in Nicaragua, traveling or anything else.