There are many ways you can help Limitless Horizons Ixil achieve our mission to support the community of Chajul. Please explore the variety of options listed and contact us for more information!
Volunteers are often lifesavers for important projects and help us deepen in our work in areas where we need additional resources and expertise. If you’d like to support our work and help youth and families, read on to find a good fit for you!
If you are interested in any of the following opportunities, please contact Danielle at [email protected]. If you have ideas about how you could support in ways not listed below, feel free to reach out.
Volunteer or Intern in Chajul
Limitless Horizons Ixil welcomes volunteers or interns who are highly proficient in Spanish and can commit to a minimum of one month of volunteering. We ask that volunteers contribute $180 as a volunteer coordination fee. This tax-deductible fee covers: support from LHI staff pre-departure and on the ground in Guatemala; an information packet on LHI, Chajul, and the neighboring town of Nebaj; general advice on life in the Ixil region including housing and eating options; and orientation to LHI, Chajul, and your particular volunteer project. We are particularly in need of volunteers who have experience in library or literacy programming and any of the professional skills listed below.
If you are interested in visiting and volunteering in Chajul as part of a larger group, please click here to read more about our trips for groups.
Lend Professional Expertise
Limitless Horizons Ixil seeks pro-bono professional services on an ongoing basis. We are in particular need of professionals with skills and experience in the following areas:
- Accounting/auditing
- Graphic design
- Web design
- Online marketing (including Google AdWords)
Join our Board of Directors
Please click here to learn about potentially joining our board.
Translate Youth Letters
Our youth write letters a few times a year to the sponsors who support their education. Translating letters from Spanish to English gives you a personal glimpse into the daily lives, challenges, and proud moments of Chaul’s most promising youth.
If you have proficient Spanish skills, please consider volunteering your time to translate batches of our scholars’ letters (as few as five at a time). This can be done on your own time and is a huge help to our Youth Development Program!
Sell Artisan Goods
The sale of fair-wage Guatemalan artisan goods and handicrafts is an essential part of ensuring the financial stability of our programs. The sales generate thousands of dollars each year for Limitless Horizons Ixil’s programs, while offering us an opportunity to share the beautiful artisan traditions of Guatemala. We rely on a dedicated network of volunteer sellers to make this possible.
Volunteers can sell handicrafts throughout the year, but most activity occurs between October and December, during the shopping season for winter holidays. Many people sell in their workplaces, religious institutions, community centers, and schools, while others host gatherings at private homes. The artisan goods vary to some degree but include traditionally hand-woven scarves, shawls, bookmarks, hats, and bags; beaded ornaments and jewelry; and accessories including cosmetic bags, eyeglass cases, pillow shams, and stuffed animals.
Artisan goods come from the Limitless Horizons Ixil Artisan Program’s weavers (see a small sample of products for sale here), as well as other artisans around Guatemala and Latin America.
Please email [email protected] if you are interested in learning about selling artisan goods.