A two-week cultural immersion program based in the heart of Old Habana to help you enjoy and understand what’s happening in Cuba right now! Our volunteer placements will help you connect with Cuban people, understand their culture and history, and turbo charge your Spanish language tuition.
This two week program can be combined with other programs to make longer duration and more varied experience.
Airport transfers arranged on request. Our programs comply with travel restrictions for US citizens - see SUPPORT THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
VOLUNTEER
Our volunteering begins with a group ‘orientation’ walk around Habana Vieja & Centro, during which we visit our projects; to discuss the issues and bring everyone comfortably up to speed and feeling welcome. Work begins the next day and depending where our need is greatest will include a combination of the following projects;
1) Suspiro & Arco Iris Community Centre’s
We work with two children’s community centers supporting activities for local kids aged 5-15 years. The kids include those from
broken and troubled families and our focus – in addition to creating a fun filled environment – is to give its members better preparation for adulthood and parenthood. A variety of classes are given but focus always remains on social skills and confidence building. Activities include acting, dancing and singing classes and we often make presentations with our volunteers.
Our work as volunteers includes assisting with needed renovation and maintenance work to the facilities, assisting teachers in preparation and planning of activities, assisting teachers carry-out activities and classes with the kids, hosting and planning our own activities for the kids and donating needed resources.
2) Sports Complejo
The sports complejo has been the main sports facility for all the schools in Habana Vieja for generations. It is very established but
lacks basic facilities. Sports supported at this location include; baseball, volleyball, athletics, olympic wrestling, basketball and judo.
We support sports in Cuba whenever possible, the benefits sports bring to society are well known to Cubans and we follow their lead. Our work as volunteers includes, renovation and maintenance of facilities, donating equipment, assisting in sports training and hosting sports events and matches.
3) ‘El Gimnasio’ Boxing Gym
Following the work accomplished at the legendary ‘Rafael Trejo Gimnasio’ – including rewiring, painting and a huge amount of
donativo – we are now working with another, younger, boxing gym that needs our help.
The facilities are quite poor and in a desperate situation; equipment is almost nonexistent. The coaches are passionate and therefore have a large following of kids, with ages ranging from 5-21 years old. Our work as volunteers includes renovation and maintenance of facilities, donating equipment, assisting in sports training and hosting events.
4) Paseo Del Prado
Weekends are generally free but we also include activities to help you interact and enjoy your surroundings. On Saturdays, weather permitting, we take a trip to the beaches that lie 30 mins by ‘collectivo’ taxi or bus, immediately east of the city, known as Playas del Este.
Sunday afternoon from 12-3pm we take a short walk to the famous Paseo del Prado, where a collective of local artists gives free ‘arts and crafts’ classes to local kids. We bring supplies to donate as well as helping out, depending what’s going on. It’s all very casual and a great way to enjoy and learn about the diversity of local art, as well as mingling with the locals and helping out the kids.
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