Volunteering in South America

Argentina is a country rich in culture and passion - but has poor standards of social inequality and housing for its most vulnerable communities. In partnership with a local NGO, Love Volunteers' offer programs that aim to address these issues and improve the lives of the country's poorest residents.

Based in the capital city of Buenos Aires, volunteers have the opportunity to soak up the Argentine vibe. From streets teeming with cafes and restaurants to sprawling parks vibrant with natural colour.  History abounds as does art and culture.  This metropolitan city has something for everyone.

From the sub-tropical north to the sub Antarctic tip, extensive coastline and lush Pampas plains, the deserts of Patagonia and the glaciers and waterfalls of the deep south. Argentina is a stunning destination!

Join us and our local partner in supporting the marginalised communities in Buenos Aires and enjoy the best of South America.

Programs in Rio are currently only available to groups.  Contact us if you are interested in a group (4+) program in Brazil.

Love Volunteers and our Brazilian partner need assistance with a variety of programs in Rio de Janiero and surrounding areas. Our programs aim to help disadvantaged Brazilians escape poverty and learn valuable life skills that will equip them with the knowledge and resources to provide for their families and learn skills otherwise unavailable to them. Volunteers in Brazil can choose from a range of amazing programs including childcare, teaching, construction, sports and the arts. Not only will your efforts help change the lives of locals in need, volunteers will also be able to experience the famously warm Brazilian culture first-hand.

Brazil is the giant of South America!  Covering roughly half of the entire South American continent and home to well over 200 million people it's not hard to imagine the vast array of experiences awaiting visitors. In terms of natural draw-cards the thousands of miles of sun-drenched coastline offer a blissful escape for tourists and locals alike.  In the North the Amazon Basin, covering a staggering 40% of the country and home to the famous Amazon Rainforest and mighty Amazon River, are not only ecological wonders but stunningly beautiful. The Southern states border neighbouring Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay and include the fertile plains of Rio Grande do Sul with its vineyards and the astounding Iguacu Falls, which have to be seen to be believed.

Unlike all other Latin American countries, the official language in Brazil is Portuguese.  While most of South America was colonised by Spanish conquistadors, Brazil owes its history to Portuguese settlers who began to arrive in the 1500s and retained governance until independence in 1822.  Many of the colonial villages have been perfectly preserved to this day.

Our programs are based in Rio de Janeiro on the south eastern coast. Symbolised by the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer on Sugarloaf Mountain and world renowned for its eponymous carnival, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and the passion of its locals, Rio is culture at its richest and best!

Rio enjoys a tropical climate making it a year-round destination. Even in the winter months (June, July, August) temperatures area a pleasant 70ºF.  Volunteering in Rio is an unique and fulfilling experience volunteers will never forget!   

Love Volunteers is looking for volunteers to provide support in many areas of Ecuador. Our volunteering options include teaching English, working directly with disadvantaged children and women, assisting in hospitals and day centres, as well as volunteering on environmental and animal welfare projects in the Amazon. Volunteers’ efforts will make a positive impact on the lives of people for whom poverty is a daily reality.

We find that many volunteers on programs here appreciated just how much of a difference their help could make, and that the locals were very willing to welcome these relative strangers into their world. South American culture is steeped in history and Ecuador is a highly individual country where visitors will encounter amazing friendliness. 

Supporting Ecuadorian communities requires volunteers to make use of your their resourcefulness – their wisdom, judgement and sense of humour. Many people feel that they become a better person as a result of their experiences as a volunteer.

Ecuador is a compact South American country known for its extraordinary natural diversity. It combines Andean vistas, tropical jungle and Pacific beaches. With a population of around 14 million, its people belong to a large spectrum of different ethnic groups, some speaking Quichua, an Inca language.

Love Volunteers’ along with our partner in Peru urgently need volunteers for the many programs in Cusco and surrounding areas. We offer the chance to teach, work with children and the disabled, undertake medical placements, and support women’s groups, as well as a number of other programs. The efforts of our volunteers in Peru have been seen to drastically improve the lives of people in the local communities.

Anyone willing to volunteer in Peru can be sure that their skills and expertise will be put to good use. The satisfaction and fulfillment that this can give a volunteer is not something that one often gets from a job or internship. Volunteering overseas - particularly in a challenging environment - is an experience you will look back on with pride.

Through living and working in Peru volunteers can gain insight into this fascinating South American country. They will get to interact with other international volunteers, and with the community that they are serving on a day-to-day basis. It is likely that they will meet people whose experiences of life may challenge their assumptions and values. With volunteers in Peru coming from many walks of life and generations, it is often a way of forging new and lasting friendships.

Volunteering in Cusco, besides being culturally stimulating, also provides an excellent opportunity to improve one’s Spanish.

Colombia is a richly diverse country at the northern tip of South America. Its geography is stunningly varied, categorised by the Andes mountain range, Amazon Rainforest and Los Llanos plains in the south and Pacific and Caribbean coastlines in the north.  Lying on the equator and with incredible variance in altitude the climate in Colombia is tropical along the coast, eastern plains and Amazon and cold in the highlands with periodic droughts. Lacking the usual seasons, Colombians normally refer to rainy seasons as winter—but the differences in terrain and altitude mean the rainy seasons are different in every corner of the country! 

Colombia strongly reflects its history as a colony of Spain. It is often referred to as the most Roman Catholic of the South American countries and most of its people are proud of the relative purity of their Spanish language. Its population is heavily mestizo (of mixed European and Indian descent) with substantial minorities of European and African ancestry. Civilised since ancient times the country has a wealth of culture and history which is immediately evident in the charming city of Cartagena, where our volunteers are based.

Cartagena, known as the 'Jewel of the Caribbean', is a stunning home away from home for our volunteers in Colombia.  The charm of this city lies in its Unesco World Heritage listed 'Old Town', framed by miles of impessive colonial stone walls.  Soaking up the atmosphere walking the quaint cobbled streets or the beach scene on a promenade, relaxing with a drink at one of the many bars and restaurants or enjoying the myriad festivals and cultural events on offer; visitors to the city can't help but fall in love.  

From the safe and comfortable base of host family, volunteers reach out into the poorer areas which comprise 95% of the city.  What an incredible location in which to give your time as a volunteer!