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Academic Credits in Merida, Venezuela

Volunteer Programs in Merida, Venezuela

STREET KIDS- FOUNDATION “DON BOSCO”-FOUNDATION DEL NIÑO

Role for Jakera

We work hand-in-hand with this non-profit charity organization, providing a steady flow of positive and creative student volunteers. The work of the students can often make a huge difference to the lives of street kids.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE FOUNDATION DON BOSCO/FOUNDATION DEL NIÑO IN MERIDA:

The Foundation Don Bosco of Merida (Venezuela) is aimed at developing and parenting children and adolescents that live in particularly difficult circumstances. There are three-stages to this difficult task:

Stage 1            “Off the street” - The school provides food, clothes and shelter. 

Stage 2            “Making a Connection” - Educating the children, including:        social education, elementary school curriculum, physical education, art and craft classes and extra activities (determined by a designated volunteer ).

Stage 3            “The Next Step” - Foster homes.  Eventually the children are offered the opportunity to return to family life. A variety of chosen families are ready to take kids into their homes.

HISTORY

San Juan Bosco, also known as Saint John Bosco, was founder of the organization.

Born into a poor family he was brought-up in a small mountain village of Becchi in Piedmont, Italy. He was born on the 16 of August 1815 and died in 1888.

San Juan formed a band of well-educated workers who had a common goal to help street kids. Together they set up institutions for homeless children all over the world. By the time of his death the Don Bosco foundation was caring for 130,000 kids.

Now running independently of each other, Don Bosco has homes all over the world.

The "Foundation Don Bosco" Merida was formed in 1982 and is the only organization of it’s kind in the city.

Aware of a terrible reality, and moved by the desire to help, the foundation was initially created to get hungry kids off the street, washed, fed and into shelter.

Over time this independent organization has turned into a 3-stage rehabilitation center. Relying totally on volunteers, the organization aims ambitiously to take children from a life on the streets and offer them a family life, a job easier said than done.

volunteer job description

Students will join other volunteers, workers and staff. Tasks can include cooking and cleaning, showering and putting the children to bed, sports coaching and organizing your own extra activities with the children.

Extra activities have included – English lessons, German lessons, football coaching, art lessons, music classes and even ice-skating excursions! – all new fun ideas are very welcome.  The participants also can organize little trips around the city with the kids or set up adventure or sport activities and fun parties.

The organizers at the Street Kids’ Foundation are open to good ideas and love the creativity and energy we at Jakera have brought through our student volunteers. We have become an essential part of the process as we all work together with a common goal.  Often small things that we take for granted can be life changing for children that have previously experienced very little in their lives but the harshness of street life. Your help can make a huge difference.

Jakera comments - We at Jakera have great faith and hope in this ‘hands on’ program, we believe it to be a great opportunity to help a local community in a developing country and change individuals’ lives in a genuinely positive way.  Viva la vida!

PARQUE ZOOLOGICO “CHORROS DE MILLA”

Jakera Role 

We assist the animal sanctuary by providing energetic and creative student volunteers. The non-profit organization relies heavily on the volunteers provided by Jakera. 

Description     

At 1850m above sea level, this beautiful park was founded by the State of Merida in October of 1953.  Initially only a zoo created as a tourist attraction and has now developed into an animal sanctuary helping injured and sick wild animals.  All injured and sick animals are cared for with the ultimate goal of returning them to their natural, wild habitat.   

Jakera student job description

Acting as important members of the volunteer team, participants will help feed and clean the animals, maintain their homes, and accompany the English speaking vet, Phillipe, with his work caring for the animals.  

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the vet and other Zoo workers as they attend the animals. There is also an animal surgery in the zoo where Phillipe operates on injured animals and also performs operations on domestic pets from the surrounding area. In South America animals are often not treated as well as in Europe. This animal sanctuary with the work of Phillipe and our students is often a life saver for sick or abused animals.

The emotional connection between the workers and the animals can be very strong.  A sick animal will not be long unattended.

Hours: 4-8 hours a day, 5 days a week (Note that this volunteer option is not available during July and August)

WARAO INDIAN SCHOOL, ORINOCO DELTA LODGE 

Jakera Role 

Jakera together with the Orinoco Delta Lodge have joined efforts to educate the children of the Warao Indians who live in the remote area of the Orinoco Delta in Venezuela. We feel that it is important to provide education to the children and young people of this community such as learning the Spanish and English languages as well as to read and write. 

We do not want to limit this education to traditional school subjects but rather teach ecological concepts with respect to nature and preservation of their environment. We also want to help them in the practical things of life such as making a fire, sowing, how to build a curiara which is their way of transportation, as well as proper disposal of trash. 

Description 

With the help and encouragement of volunteers we have started this project building the School with our know-how and providing the material, but the Indians of this community contributed with their labour. 

The School was opened early June 2004 but we were not prepared for the enormous demand. 75 children between 5 and 15 years of age came to register and even some adults came looking for help because they are anxious to learn how to read and write. We therefore faced the challenge of providing the funds for a second teacher, cost of boat-transfer to and from the School, budget for a midday snack, educational material and most important, additional space for teaching.

Jakera student job description

Volunteers stay in the unique Orinoco Delta lodge, set deep in the jungle of the Orinoco Delta. You Volunteer at the school in the morning (directly across the river) and then in the evening help in this small intimate lodge normally helping at the small resort bar (there is only normally about 15 tourists at any one time at the lodge).
 

JAKERA CLUB – PLAYA COLORADA 

Jakera Role 

Improve the recreational and social infrastructure in and around Playa Colorada with an emphasis on providing activities for young folks to help them enjoy and take pride in this beautiful corner of Mochima National Park. 

Description      

This was started in 2002 and is based in the fishing village of Playa Colorada where our adventure camp is situated, amid various picturesque fishing villages scattered along the coast. Playa Colorada is a beautiful stretch of beach and popular with locals and travelers alike. 

Past projects have included a baseball stadium and beach volley ball pitch. These projects were taken by our volunteers from inception of project idea, to developing plan for layout/location, technical design and build. Throughout we were careful to ensure local buy-in and support – at the end of each project we organized training events and hosted a tournament. 

Jakera student job description 

The Jakera Club in a rolling program if discrete projects with a common aim to improve the recreational and social infrastructure in and around Playa Colorada. This means that the work content is constantly changing albeit with an emphasis is on community involvement. For example during the summer vacation we aim to positively occupy local kids in activities that are of interest to them. This may involve teaching geography, language or music or more active activities such as sport.  

Though our program for 2007 is still under discussion we aim to enhance facilities at the local college, primary school, sports field and doctors surgery.  

Hours: 4-8 hours a day, 5 days a week