Punta Gorda

Punta Gorda is a village community situated on the north shore of the Caribbean island of Roatan. 

Your Project

The Punta Gorda Community School is located a few hundred yards away from the ocean. Punta Gorda is a unique place; the people are Garifuna, a community of Afro-Caribbean descent and Punta Gorda was in fact the site of the first Garifuna settlement in 1797. They now have a large presence throughout the island and in parts of the Caribbean Coasts of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. They have a strong and identifiable culture and feeling of community that is fascinating to be involved in.

You will be working in the local community school teaching a range of ages and abilities. Your main role will be to improve the children’s written and spoken English, playing an integral role in the students’ schooling. You will also be involved in ICT lessons, teaching basic computer skills as well as using ICT to improve their language skills. You will primarily be teaching English, although you may also assist with Maths, Science and History lessons should your Spanish be at a high enough level. There are also numerous opportunities open to you such as sports, music, drama and other school activities.

There have been volunteers in Punta Gorda for over 25 years. This is a well-established project however, it does require lots of initiative. Volunteers have been involved in a variety of other activities in the community, such as the local kindergarten, youth club and adult English lessons.

Accommodation

You will live with your partner in a small house next to the school which was built especially for volunteers. You will have basic facilities to prepare your breakfast, other meals will be provided by Mary-Lou, a respected member of the community, who lives 5 minutes’ walk from the school.

Your living allowance provided by Project Trust will cover your daily living costs.