Travel, Volunteer, Learn
Travel, Volunteer, Learn
A volunteer experience is something that accompanies those who do it for the rest of their lives and there is no better motivation to do so than the genuine desire to help others. With that being said, it is important to remember that there are other benefits from volunteering. Just to name a few:
We know how difficult it can be to get involved in volunteering abroad. There are a wide variety of options, each offering different experiences at different costs. However, in most cases, your experience is limited to just one aspect of volunteering: contributing to a local welfare program. Needless to say, volunteering is much more than that! It is an opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture, a journey of self-discovery, an awakening of your consciousness about the world’s reality and, of course, a perfect moment to experience the personal satisfaction that comes with helping other human beings. Besides, it should also be a learning opportunity for you and, why not?, an opportunity to travel and have fun! There is nothing wrong with that.
At Kalan Kuxtal Guatemala, we combined all these aspects and more in a volunteer experience that includes: medical and clinical learning, hands-on experience, cultural exchange and social assistance. But in addition, we are featuring unique characteristics that you will not find in another volunteer program in Guatemala, such as: an on-site medicine course specially designed for our volunteers, multiple scientific research projects and the incorporation of preventive medicine in our medical trips. All these at the same average price of other organizations, because we have designed a logistics system that allows us to perform multiple tasks at the same time.
Yes! Actually, we encourage you to do so!
Currently, we have available only the Health Volunteer Program (Raxnaqil Program). We are on our way to launch the Educational Volunteer Program soon.
Kalan Kuxtal Guatemala is a legal non-profit organization registered in the Registry of Non-Profit Legal Entities of the Ministry of the Interior of Guatemala, under heading number 200, folio 200 of book 2 of Non-Governmental Organizations for Social Development. We operate under the legal framework of the Ordinance 02-2003 promulgated by the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala; and we are registered in the Superintendence of Tax Administration for funding, assests and patrimony control.
You can learn more about us via our social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. We want you to feel confident about your decision of volunteering with us, so please, feel free to contact us if you wish to speak with a member of our team to learn more about our volunteer opportunities.
We have implemented a biosafety protocol that fully complies with the recommendations of the WHO, CDC and local health authorities to minimize the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2. As an organization, we will provide the necessary supplies and personal protective equipment to be at your disposal at all times. In addition, we have designed a patient care system that avoids overcrowding. For us, the health and safety of our volunteers, our staff, and people in the communities are our top priority. You can also check the CDC recommendations before, during and after travel to Guatemala clicking in this link.
If, by any reason, you need to cancel a registration fee or a program fee, we have several options for you. We highly encourage you to read our Terms and Conditions of Service where you can find all the information about our refund policy. Still, if you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to answer all your questions. For more information or if you want a refund, send an email to: [email protected]
Yes, the event dates are flexible. Contact us for more information about a specific event date at [email protected]
No, your registration fee is personal and you cannot transfer it to another person.
Ideally, you should register for an event 120 days or more before the starting date. We have scheduled 1 event per month, so it’s easier for you to planning.
Yes. After you register, your registration will be valid for a 12 months period during which you can change to a different event with no cost if you let us know with at least 30 days before the start date of the original selected event. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions of Service.
If you are register for a specific event and have already paid the program fee (partially or totally) you can transfer all those payments to a different event. Just be aware that you might be charged with a Change Fee depending on when you notify us about this change. If you let us know soon enough, there will be no charge for changing your dates. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions of Service.
No, it is not a requirement. However, you should know that our Health Volunteer Program (Raxnaqil Program) is especially designed for graduated and undergraduated students that are interested in a healthcare-related career. Hence, expect during your volunteer experience a lot of medical terms, standard procedures, patient interview, pharmacology information, etc. If you feel overwhelmed about this particular aspect, you should reconsider if our Raxnaqil Program is for you.
But! if you are interested in pursuing a health related career (physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, physical therapist, chiropractor, nutritionist and many more), this volunteer experience is definitely for you! And we can guarantee you that it will help you to decide your professional journey and will boost your scientific and academic resume.
No, you do not need to speak Spanish at any level. We have professional Spanish-English interpreters that are going to be working with you at all times. Nevertheless, this is a great opportunity to work on your language skills and improve your Spanish.
For the protection of our patients, staff members and volunteers, and in compliance with international recommendations and Guatemala’s local health authorities, Kalan Kuxtal requires immunization against certain vaccine preventable diseases, which are: Chickenpox (Varicella), Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), Polio, Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DPT or Tdap).
We also recommend you to visit your doctor to ask about other precautions you should taking before traveling to Guatemala, such as Malaria, Hepatitis A and Typhoid Fever prevention.
Our primary care clinic is not situated in a specific location. In order to cover the largest number of communities, we have a “mobile clinic” which we assemble and disassemble as we move to different communities. Thus, we transport all the medical equipment and supplies necessaries to implement the clinic in a location provided by the community visited. In the vast majority of cases, we use town halls, public schools or local churches to set up the clinic.
You will find more information about how the clinic works in the “Volunteer Handbook” that we will provide once you registered for one of our events.
This unique feature of Kalan Kuxtal Guatemala is a 6-hour course designed especially for our volunteers. The topics covered are: Pharmacology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Infectious Diseases, Pregnancy, Vector-Borne Diseases, Tuberculosis and Basic Life Support.
No, unfortunately we do not accept volunteers under 18 years old. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Our program is designed for you to have an holistic learning experience. During this experience you will be carrying out different activities including:
Kalan Kuxtal is a phrase of Mayan origin whose literal translation is “Guardian of Life”.
Raxnaqil is a kakchiquel word whose literal translation is “Health”.
Hence, Raxnaqil Volunteer Program = Health Volunteer Program
Travel insurance is mandatory in order to volunteer with us. Although we do everything we can to ensure that your trip goes as smoothly and memorable as possible, it is important to warrant adequate travel insurance in case you fall sick, your bags go missing, or something is stolen. “Foresee the unforeseen”.
Besides your personal luggage, you must bring at least 3 medical uniforms (scrubs) so you can change them and use a different one per day. The hotel where you will stay provides laundry service in case you want to use it. You can bring your own medical equipment (stethoscope, cuff pressure, oximeter, etc.) but this is not mandatory as we provide the necessary equipment to work in the clinic.
Although unlikely, in a case of an emergency (such as a fire, earthquakes, flooding, public protests or any other type of incident), please follow the instructions of the Chief Physician and the Group Counselor, they are in charge of the group and they are trained in safety protocols designed to get the entire group out of the risk area as quickly as possible, to a safe location.
You will be arriving to “La Aurora” International Airport, located in Guatemala City. Once there, your Group Counselor will be greeting you outside the airport and take you to a hotel in Guatemala City for your first night. From that moment until the end of the trip you will be always accompanied by a staff member. By the way, for your first night, we have prepared a welcome dinner for you, during which you will get a briefing about your volunteering trip.
Up to 90% of the money raised through registration and program fees is used directly for volunteering events. This money covers the costs of executing a medical volunteer project, such as: medicines, local doctors, professional interpreters, medical equipment and supplies, private transportation for volunteers, food, lodging and field staff (group counselor, clinic manager, etc.).
The remaining funds are used to cover administrative expenses, such as: accounting department, human resources department, statistics and evaluation department and office rent.
We will never use your money, under any circumstances, to distribute it among the members of Kalan Kuxtal Guatemala. We are a non-profit and will remain as a non-profit.
Send us an email to: [email protected] and tell us all about your questions, we will respond as soon as possible.
Write to us directly through the Messenger chat and we will assist you as soon as we can. Please note that sometimes our waiting time may take a little while. Apologies in advance!
You can contact us by calling to (+502) 2220-3064. Keep in mind that there are surcharges for international calls. If you reside outside of Guatemala, we recommend you our other communication channels.
Complete the contact form below; select the topic you want to consult and send it. We will respond to you via email to the address you enter.