Poverty, abuse and alcoholism have left many children in Guatemala without families, depriving them of the parental love and care they need. IFRE's orphanage internship projects in Guatemala aim to change these children's circumstances providing caring and nurturing interns to work and play with them. Manpower and resources to support these orphanages are scarce. Your assistance helps keep these children off the street and helps provide them with a happy and productive childhood.

Interns in a Guatemalan orphanage, depending on individual skills and interests, may act as mentors and companions, helping children with their homework and teaching English, but your love and support are the most important elements for these disadvantaged children. Interns at orphanages provide care for the children, help them with their homework and organize workshops and playtime activities. You may work with other interns and/or teachers. Most orphanages receive either boys or girls, though there are a few that receive both girls and boys. The children – ages 5 to 16 years – value your care, attention and friendship.

In IFRE's program, interns primarily help orphans with basic English skills and by organizing creative, extra-curricular activities such as game, singing, music, drawing, etc. This program is the perfect place for interns looking for opportunities to share their love, passion and skills with these very-unfortunate children. Many interns joining orphanage Guatemala program as life changing and rewarding . This is the perfect project if you want to serve humanity or share your love, passion and time with children deprived of their parents love and care.

There are no specific qualifications needed to join IFRE's internship orphanage project in Guatemala . However, interns are expected to be flexible and patient, as well as possess a passion and love for orphans. While Spanish is preferred, it is not required

IFRE interns in orphanage projects in Guatemala teach English (3-4 hours a day) either at the orphanage or the day school the children attend. Interns assist with day-to-day skills: dressing properly, personal hygiene and travelling to school safely. Interns may also organize games, art lessons, singing, dancing as well as other creative, educational and extra-curricular activities for the children. This may include training groups in sports, teaching arts and crafts organizing inter-school football matches, playing music, as well as teaching subjects such as mathematics, world affairs, hygiene and nutrition. The possibilities are truly endless. Some participants will assist in the care of the children who cannot yet attend school as well as lend a hand through food distribution, kitchen work and garden maintenance.

n Guatemala , all interns stay with well-screened host families. Our host families are socially respected and are well versed in the art of hosting international interns. Host families offer a safe home, private rooms (occasionally rooms will be shared with other same-gender interns) and shared bathroom facilities with running water and a “western” style toilet. Interns have the ability to do laundry at the house or the host family may offer to do it for you for a nominal extra fee. You receive three prepared meals per day. If you will be out of the house during lunch hour, you can request a lunch "to go" that you can take with you or eat out on your own. Host families provide typical meals that are traditional to Guatemala .

Throughout the internship project, our local staff stays in contact with interns either with face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. With longer placements, we visit our interns every two weeks (when possible) and interns are always welcome at the local office. If project placement is local, we request that interns stop by the office once a week to keep us posted on how they are doing with their home stay and project. If project placement is very far, then our local staff members maintain communication by either email and/or phone.