Paramedics for Children
We started out in 1996 by delivering school supplies to hundreds of Mayan Chortí Indian children in the mountain villages of Copán, Honduras. From there, we expanded to disaster response and training (by 2004 we had the largest all-volunteer ambulance services in all of Central America!), and established Clinica la Esperanza, which treats up to 12,000 patients per year.
What started as a small group of paramedics, nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals has evolved into so much more. We now host volunteers from all walks of life, and we have a lot of fun while making a difference in our communities.
VOLUNTEER WITH US Individuals, couples, groups and families: no matter what you’re looking for, we have a volunteer opportunity waiting for you.
The people we serve are largely the indigenous Chortí Maya, descendants of the great Maya city-state of Copán. Many of the families we work with live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.25 a day with little access to healthcare.
OUR MEDICAL PROGRAM Clinica la Esperanza invites students and people with medical training—such as Paramedics, Nurses, PAs, and Physicians—to volunteer or intern with our onsite physician. If you’re interested in building your career or learning about medicine in a developing country, come work with us!
Our clinic offers quality medical care to some of the poorest communities in Central America. Our patients are Chortí Maya Indians—direct descendants of the Maya, whose civilization dominated Mexico and Central America for thousands of years. Copán Ruinas, where our clinic is located, is a World Heritage Site with famous Mayan ruins located less than 800 yards from our front gate.
OUR SCHOOL SUPPLY PROGRAM Since 1996, we’ve been providing school supplies—notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, and pencil sharpeners (and maybe some lollipops and small toys!)—to children in remote mountain schools all around Copán, Honduras.
We visit each classroom four times per year, and through this program, families in deep poverty—many surviving on just $1.25 USD per day—have been able to send their children at least to elementary school.
Join us as a volunteer: your help will have a direct impact on bringing the next generation out of extreme poverty and on toward success.
OUR DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING PROGRAM In a disaster, the first 72 hours after the event are the most important. That is when the most lives can be saved and the most property salvaged. It’s also that long before international disaster response teams can be mobilized—so we train and equip Central American Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians.
This kind of immediate assistance and long-term training can save far more lives than a reliance on outside help. Not just in disaster situations, but also in the smaller-scale emergencies that happen every day.
BECOME A PARTNER Our partners provide invaluable support to keep our programs running in Honduras and Guatemala.
SPONSOR A SCHOOL Imagine a child living in a village with no electricity or even running water—yet now he can communicate with the world through his local school. Many of our schools are high in the mountains with a direct line of sight to Copán’s Internet providers below, meaning if they have Internet access, they also can access professional education services beyond what their teachers currently are able to provide.
A school can be fully equipped with everything needed for under $2,500 for hardware and just $49.00 per month per school for high-speed Internet service. Please contact us to learn more.
- Listing ID: 14357
