Work trips are a practical way for many people from other parts of the world to help participate directly in the community transformation of San Juan de Oriente. Most trips last about ten days and are intentionally designed to immerse groups into a new culture, one that they often know very little about and to which they have probably not been exposed. With this in mind, we offer work projects that will allow teams to work side by side with locals, and activities are designed to help those from other countries gain a better cultural understanding of life in Nicaragua and ultimately the local community. Local involvement and integration are vital in the development of all our programs, and as a result, we believe that work projects should continue to foster this goal. The following is a sample itinerary for a work trip:

View photos from the latest work trip
  • Construction – Afternoons are spent with local volunteers building a retaining wall and seating area for the auditorium at the public elementary school.
  • Kids’ camp – Mornings are spent helping to run a children’s program for local kids which includes games, singing, art projects, and educational activities.
  • Pottery with local families – several local families “adopt” members of the team in order to demonstrate the pottery process and show what their daily life is all about.
  • Soccer match with the locals – The group members get a thorough whooping by the locals and a good laugh from everyone.
  • Local church service – The team participates in a local church service.
  • Folkloric dance – Locals perform traditional folkloric dances for the team.

For more information on joining a work trip, please email us at worktrips@lavidaeducation.org