Bolivia: Hogar de Niños ALALAY

About the local hosting organization

Alalay is a non-profit organization committed to the reintegration of street children into society. The project provides comprehensive support to children facing challenges such as drug addiction, homelessness, and histories of sexual abuse. By offering a safe home, education, healthcare, and crucial social and psychological assistance, Alalay empowers these children to overcome adversity. The organization focuses on fostering self-confidence, responsibility, and a sense of belonging, guiding them to find their place in the wider community and complete their education with specialized vocational training for their future. The Alalay program operates through a network of distinct houses, each representing a specific stage in the children’s reintegration journey. In La Paz, for instance, Alalay manages two distinct houses. One is located in the city center and serves boys, while another, known as Aldeas Alalay, is situated in the countryside, catering to different developmental needs within the program. This phased approach ensures that children receive tailored support as they progress through the rehabilitation and reintegration process.

Presentation of the programme

Helping to take care of the children and helping with their homework, sharing the activities and experiences of the children living in the project, preparing workshops on different topics, work on the streets informing children of the project, taking the children to school, hospital, dentist, etc. If the volunteer speaks good Spanish they can participate in the therapeutic groups. The project is open to new ideas like painting, carpentry, music, sports or whatever skills the volunteer has.

About the accomodation

The project sometimes hosts volunteers but normally they have host families.

About the location

In cities of La Paz, and Santa Cruz

Requirements

The volunteers have to be open-minded, with initiative, creativity, patience, and show a lot of affection for the children. They have to be prepared to work in a difficult context and reality because work with former street children can, at times, be difficult. Motivation is very important and some knowledge of Spanish is preferable. If the volunteer is working in Alalay Aldeas (la Paz’s countryside), they will live within the project from Monday to Friday.