Paraguay
Projects in Paraguay
Agriculture
Our volunteers are placed in suburban and rural communities where there are Vocational/Technical Agricultural High schools (BTAs) where they work with teachers, students, and their families. The goal of the project is to achieve sustainable agriculture-based livelihoods in rural households.
Specifically, the goal of our project is to build the capacity and interest of young future farmers and extension agents in the exciting field of agriculture. Volunteers work with the BTAs, applying the scientific method, and helping students of the BTAs reach farming families in their communities to make small scale farming more viable in Paraguay. Volunteers, teachers and students work together to help families adapt to new market conditions, learn new skills and achieve a more reliable, steady income and a more varied, nutritious diet.
Community Economic Development
Community Economic Development Volunteers focus their efforts on youth and women in three areas: personal money management, entrepreneurship and income-generating activities. The Volunteers work with technical high school teachers and students on building entrepreneurial culture and opportunities; and on small business and savings club creation. Volunteers also work through other local institutions with entrepreneurs and women’s organizations on community saving groups and income generation.
Environment
Our Environmental Volunteers focus on promoting sustainable and effective environmental practices with youth, community members and community institutions. Volunteers support a variety of institutions and groups within a wide range of communities, working in both urban and rural settings to implement sustainable practices and environmental awareness activities. With youth, Volunteers work to create “eco-clubs”, or to support previously-established clubs, with a focus on promoting youth environmental leaders. In schools, Volunteers work in and outside of the classroom to co-teach on environmental topics, celebrate environmental holidays, and to promote improved solid waste management through the “Basura Cero” (“Zero Trash”) initiative. Through a cooperation agreement with the National Forestry Institute, Volunteers also support the plantation of, and care for, native and exotic tree species in order to increase tree coverage in the community, while also supporting the creation and maintenance of temporary tree nurseries in family homes and public institutions
Health
Our Community Health Volunteer works with the Community Health Worker (CHW) to support health promotion activities related to adolescent well-being within the health post, the school, and the community at-large. The Health Extension Volunteer, work in rural, semi-rural, small towns and/or urban sites (1,000 – 7,000 inhabitants). The Youth Health project works with local institutions to promote youth leadership and well-being. Integrated youth health can include the following: leadership and life skills, sports and healthy recreation, sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, non-communicable disease prevention and other areas. A major part of this job will include working with middle and high school students, also working with youth clubs outside of school.