Quetzal Trekkers Guatemala

Website: www.quetzaltrekkers.com
E-mail: quetzaltrekkers@gmail.com.
Phone: +502 7765 5895

Who they are

Quetzaltrekkers was founded in 1995 as a means of self-sustainable, grassroots fundraising for the functioning of Escuela de la Calle, a school for street children in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
Quetzaltrekkers was started by a South London social worker, Gavin Barrer, as part of a multilateral fundraising effort ranging from a restaurant to a newspaper delivery service. The aim of these efforts was to fund a rehabilitative home which provided 24 hour care for children living on the street with histories of drug abuse and child prostitution. The rehab program started the same year with a base of 10 boys, aged 9-16, who were constantly at risk living on the streets. The project succeeded for 18 months but due to overwhelming financial burden and community problems fostered by a lack of acceptance of drug addiction rehabilitation programs, the home was forced to close. Meanwhile, Guadalupe Pos and Miguel Quiroa, two progressive Guatemalan teachers, had been successfully struggling to open a school in Las Rosas, the poorest neighborhood in the city. When the home was forced to close, Gavin brought together Quetzaltrekkers and EDELAC to provide much needed funding to make the school a success. In 1997 the school was up and running with just a few students.

What they do

With the constant financial support provided by Quetzaltrekkers, the program has been able to expand to include almost 195 children in grades 1 through 6 who are being provided with a low-fee comprehensive education including reading, writing, mathematics, computer classes and art classes. The rehabilitative aspect of the EDELAC program is based in a centrally-located dormitory, El Hogar Abierto. This dorm offers a safe, abuse-free environment for children that either lack families capable of providing the same quality of care or have families living outside of a district in which basic education is available.

With continuing and expanding interest in Quetzaltrekkers, the future looks bright! Quetzaltrekkers are also now supporting the clinic Primeros Pasos, a medical clinic located in the outskirts of Xela which provides vital health care and educational programs to the local community as well as schools and organizations in Xela. With your help Quetzaltrekkers will succeed in providing these children with some of the opportunities that most of us have taken for granted.

What they offer

Volunteering as a trekking guide:
Quetzaltrekkers offer six treks between one and six days throughout the highlands of Guatemala. The proceeds from these treks provide the main source of funding for their programs. While the skills listed below are important, a strong desire to work with Quetzaltrekkers is enough for them to welcome what skills you have and help train you in the ones that you lack.
- Be able to commit for three months
- Have previous trekking experience
- Speak minimum intermediate Spanish
- Enjoy working as a team member
- Eager to help with fund raising events
- First aid certification
- Experience working with people
- Take on projects on your own initiative

As a guide, your responsibilities include: recruiting customers for treks, preparing food and equipment for the treks, maintaining and cleaning equipment, shopping for trips and guiding at least three weekends each month.

Volunteering in our Street School (EDELAC) in Las Rosas:
Currently Quetzaltrekkers offer free education to over 225 children (between 5-15yrs) in the economically poor neighborhood of Las Rosas, just on the outskirts of Xela. If you are interested in volunteering in their school you will need the following attributes;
- Be able to commit for a minimum of 3 months, 5 days a week
- Speak intermediate Spanish
- Be flexible, adaptable and take initiative
- Have some experience working with children
- Help with fundraising events

Possible work at the School is limited only by the imagination and funding resources. Current needs; (co)-teachers, social workers, health care workers, etc. Work at the school is in the mornings unless you want to help out with computer classes in the afternoon. When co-teaching with one of the local teachers you will be involved in all teaching aspects – helping children to learn to read and write, class discipline etc.

Treks & rock climbing:
Quetzaltrekkers also offers a range of stunning treks between one and six days throughout the highlands of Guatemala. Look forward to scrambling to the top of the highest peak in Central America, weaving through rural indigenous villages, taking in one of the world’s most beautiful lakes and watching the flaming sunrise over Xela on top of Volcán Santa María.
Rock climbing excursions will take you to the bizarre landscape of La Muela, a lava field in the area of Xela.
Please use the website link provided for Quetzaltrekkers to find out more!

Location

Quetzaltrekkers
Casa Argentina,
12 Diagonal, 8-37, Zona 1,
Quetzaltenango,
Guatemala C.A.

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What you need

This will depend on the treks you decide to undertake, but some essentails are:
- Warm Clothes
- Rain Gear
- Sun Screen
- Headlamp
- Hat
- Backpack

Prices

All volunteers are given a discount at Casa Argentina. Estimated cost: Room GTQ600 per month (US$72.36/EUR€48.22); Food GTQ400 per month (US$48.24/EUR€32.14);Other GTQ200 per month (US$24.12/EUR€16.07); Total GTQ1200 per month (US$144.73/EUR€96.43).
As a trekking guide all expenses including food are paid for on the treks and when available there is the option to have a bed in the guide house (around GTQ300 per month)
The minimum donation payment for the treks offered ranges from GTQ150 to GTQ1100 depending on duration. Rock climbing adventures have a minimum donation of GTQ200.