Costa Rica Orphanages and Homes

Programme Age Limit
Minimum age is 18 years (17 years with parental consent); maximum age decided on potential participant’s health.

The Volunteer Programme
The children who live in the homes have either been taken into care by the government because of abuse and/or neglect or have been abandoned by their parents. They stay at this residence waiting for either adoption or for when the government decides that they are able to return to their biological parents.

There is a great range of tasks and activities for volunteers to do and these vary according to what project you are located at. Activities include helping to get the children ready for school, assisting them with their homework, preparing activities such as arts, crafts, and music and helping with the organisation and running of the home or orphanage.

You will have the opportunity to volunteer at one of the following orphanages or homes:

Temporary Home for Abandoned Children Hogar de Maria
Located in San Pedro de Montes de Oca, East of San Jose, the home is within walking distance of the volunteer office. It has a lovely outside area where the kids play in their free time, a dining room, a living room with a television set, a study room and three bedrooms and bathrooms. There are currently 8 children living at the home, aged between 1 and 7 years.

Orphanage in Vista de Mar
The orphanage is located in Vista de Mar, Guadalupe which is around a 50-minute bus journey from downtown San José. Housing around 70 children, (both boys and girls) aged between 9 months and 11 years old, the orphanage is a non-profit organization that gives child support to orphans.

The institution provides the children with lodging, meals and recreational activities and the children attend public schools either in the morning or the afternoon.  Volunteers will be supporting the teachers who visit the orphanage in the afternoon to help the kids with their homework.

Temporary Home for Abandoned Children in Guapiles (Female Volunteers only)
This orphanage homes abandoned children or children who have been removed from their family by the government because of abuse and/or neglect.  It is located in Guapiles, Limón and is a 90-minute bus ride away from downtown San José. The house has a dining room, a living room with a television set, a bathroom, and three bedrooms. There is also an outside, grassed area where the children can play during their free time. There are 10 children at this home, all aged between 1 and 5 years.

Temporary Home for Abandoned Children Hogar Blanca Flor (Female Volunteers only)
The home is located in San Francisco de Dos Ríos, an area south of San José. It features a house with a small green outdoor area where the children can play during their free time, a kindergarten class where they spend most of the day with their teacher, a dining room, a living room with a television set, three bedrooms and bathrooms.  The home houses 10 children who are aged between 1 and 6 years. 

Temporary Home for Abandoned Children Hogar Curridabat (Female Volunteers only)
Situated in La Colina, Curridabat, east of San José, the home is a bus ride and short walk from the centre of San Jose. There are currently 10 children between 2 and 9 years of age living at the home. The house has a small patio where the children can play in their free time, a dining room, a living room with a television set and three bedrooms and bathrooms.

Choosing your Volunteer Option
Upon booking this programme we will ask you to list your top two preferences with regards to your volunteer placement.  Once in Costa Rica our volunteer coordinator will take you to see the various schools and day care centers allowing you to make your final choice. Please be aware that projects are subject to availability and wherever possible we will strive to place you in your first choice.

Project Orientation
On your first day of work you will be shown the home and its location. Our project coordinator accompanies you and introduces you to the “tías” and/or home administrator. 

Project Support
All during your stay, you have the support and guidance of a volunteer work coordinator and their team. We also give you a 24-hours-a-day UK emergency contact number if you need to get in touch with us.