DAY 1 | Sunday: Arrive in Guatemala City

Your journey begins today with your arrival at La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City. A Habitat for Humanity representative will meet you at the airport (look for the Habitat Logo sign). You’ll then take a 3-4 hour drive to your hotel in Sololá. Once you’ve had time to settle in, you’ll meet your fellow volunteers and the Habitat for Humanity team during a welcome dinner at the hotel.

DAY 2 | Monday: Orientation and introduction to the community

After breakfast at the hotel, the Habitat for Humanity Guatemala (HFHG) staff will provide an orientation session to introduce you to the country’s housing issues, HFHG's approach, and the specific community you’ll be working with. You'll then travel to the construction site, where you'll have lunch with the family and affiliate staff. The afternoon will be spent getting familiar with the build site and the community. After returning to the hotel, you’ll have free time before gathering for dinner, where volunteers can share their reflections and discuss the day's experiences.

DAY 3, 4, & 5 | Tuesday to Thursday: Full days building with your teammates

You will see the new house take shape over the next few days and you will be amazed at how much can be achieved in just one week. Each day will start with breakfast at the hotel before heading out to the construction site. You’ll be working closely with the family and local community members to build safe, decent housing. The mornings will involve distributing safety equipment, receiving a safety briefing, and beginning construction work. There will be scheduled breaks for snacks, lunch, and rest, with work continuing into the afternoon. Evenings will be spent at the hotel with dinner, followed by opportunities for reflection and sharing insights from the day’s work.

DAY 6 | Friday: Social Learning Exchange & Farewell Celebration

The closing day is emotional for everyone involved. The morning will be dedicated to a Social Learning Exchange, designed to foster the sharing of cultures, ideas, practices, and experiences between Global Village volunteers and local community members.. The afternoon will be a time of celebration as you join the family, community members, and HFHG staff for a farewell event, featuring traditional Guatemalan food. Afterward, you’ll return to the hotel for a final evening together.

DAY 7 | Saturday: Departure from Guatemala

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transported as a group back to La Aurora International Airport (GUA) for your departure home. Even as your build week concludes, the lasting life experiences will continue to fuel your commitment to championing safe and secure housing for everyone.

Typical Housing Solutions

All new homes are made of steel-reinforced concrete block and cement, designed to be resistant to natural shocks and tremors. Corrugated metal sheet roofing keeps the family dry during Guatemala’s brutal rainy season.

Typical Volunteer Tasks

Volunteers assist families in the construction of new hybrid homes, smokeless stoves, latrines or concrete floors. Tasks vary depending on the phase of construction.

Volunteers will support local labour and families by:

1. Digging foundations
2. Mixing concrete and mortar
3. Pouring concrete floors
4. Moving materials
5. Tying rebar
6. Building walls

Through peer-to-peer fundraising, Global Village volunteers contribute a program and build donation that will advance Habitat’s work in communities with the greatest housing needs. Build donations cover volunteer accommodations, meals and ground transportation. Crucially, the program donations also directly support Habitat’s housing programs in the countries.

Once you register for a this Global Village build, you commit to fundraising:

$3520 minimum fundraising target

What's Included

• Double Occupancy Accommodation
• All meals for the week
  
• Daily transportation to and from site
• Airport pick-up and drop-off
• Snacks and water
• All necessary building materials and safety equipment
• 24-hour support
• Insurance whilst on the build site

*What's Not Included

• Flights to and from Guatemala City
• Travel Insurance
• Visa
• Vaccinations

Meet Cassie Collins!

Hi! I’m Cassie Collins, and I’m thrilled to be your team leader! I am based in Belleville, ON and am the Global Village Program Manager. Before joining Habitat for Humanity Canada in July 2024, I served as a Board Member with Habitat Prince Edward-Hastings for three years, where I deepened my commitment to creating positive change.

My journey has taken me across the globe, from leading sport-for-social-good programs in inner-city Toronto, Eeyou Istchee, and Cambodia, to coordinating water harvesting initiatives in rural Kenya. I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to guide volunteer trips to Rwanda and work as an educational tour guide.

What excites me most about Global Village is the chance to bring people together from all walks of life to work as one team, united by a common purpose. It’s inspiring to watch relationships blossom during these builds, even when language barriers exist. By the end of the week, everyone is smiling, laughing, and communicating in ways we never could have imagined at the start.

If you have any questions about this build, I’m here to help! Feel free to reach out at ccollins@habitat.ca, or register through the online application.

Global Village Frequently Asked Questions