Short-term (2 to 4 weeks) "environmental" projects in Mexico

Epiphytes Garden is a project aimed at creating a space that protects the flora and fauna of the region where the inhabitants of the city of San Cristobal de las Casas, and visitors can learn about the importance of maintaining forests, to separate and recycle waste, and so on. Another aim is to provide a space for the reproduction of epiphytes such as orchids and bromeliads. The idea is to have a space rich in flora and fauna that can bring joy and engage people in the city, and it is intended, multiply the knowledge gained in this botanical garden. Epiphytes Garden is located on the hill of San Cristobal de las Casas.

The work will consist in the rehabilitation of a live fence (demarcation made from native trees of the region), construction of a rainwater-harvesting tank, a greenhouse for plant production, building a gazebo, cleaning and sorting of trash. During the camp there will be workshops and/or awareness raising of the people in the surroundings of the place on the future care of the botanical garden. Other activities will restore and increase access stairs, improve certain parts of the future garden. Also be built using land adobes to be used in the infrastructure of the garden.

In the volunteer’s house located in the city center of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas.

San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas.

2700 mex. pesos which cover accomodation, food, administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. Volunteering is a way of life, a way to be. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.

Igloo Kokolo is the environmental center of dissemination and information about development, based on rules of permaculture and bio-construction. It tries to experiment and spread the idea of co-existence and equality of ecosystems and their inhabitants.

On this workcamp volunteers are going to work in various projects. One of these is to finish an eco sieve that's going to clean waste water from kitchen and fish pond enough to reuse it in a future vegetable cultivation. The second and third project is about to construct dry toilets and a small igloo as a dormitory for future volunteers. To do that they're going to use a technique of bio-construction earthbags or special bricks called super adobe. This technique consist in filling bags with earth and form a circles from them, smaller and smaller until they create an igloo.

In igloos and tents.

The Center covers an area of 160 hectares of virgin land, in close surroundings of the biggest natural lake in Mexico “Chapala”. It is 1h20min from the city Guadalajara in a small municipality Mismaloya, 10 min. from Tuxcueca.

Tuxcueca, Jalisco.

It is possible to visit a fort on Mezcala island – a place of big battles for the independence of Mexico. For a weekend there are plans to visit Mazamitla – a magic city located in the Tiger Mountains which offers sleeping in the bungalows in a forest.

2700 mex. pesos which cover accomodation, food, administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. Volunteering is a way of life, a way to be. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.

Gandhi House is a poject aimed to conduct integral education to children from 3 years old. It gives an opportunity to children to share and learn about garden planting, how to take care of farm animals and what are alternative sources of energy. The project's objective is to raise children's and parent's awareness about environment and awake their respect forward a nature. It's also a space of ideas sharing about possible initiatives that can encourage wider participation. Gandhi House also organise, apart from Integral Education Project, workshops on literacy, languages, mathematics, recycling, crafts, painting and all raleted to children's creative development.

During this workcamp the volunteers will be involved in the development of collective and family vegetable cultivation: development of vegetable patches, composting, planting, transplanting of vegetables and fruit trees. It involves directly participation together with the families from the farm Los Camphor. In order to strengthen a eating alternative with whole families, all efforts are fairly divided and/or mutual. Also one intention is to make projections of films related to food security and natural resources.

In a house in the town with basic services.

San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.

2700 mex. pesos which cover accomodation, food, administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. Volunteering is a way of life, a way to be. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.

Habitat for Humanity Mexico, contributes in improving the quality of life in the country through the no-commission credit grants to persons of limited economic resources, for the contruction of decent houses through the system of self and mutual assistance, in which partner families and volunteers work together on the constrution. They work under the supervision of construction experts and are suported with training, technical and administrative help. To receive the training technical and administrative assistance the community is organized into committees. It’s also aimed to interact throughout the construction process and then to keep the group informed and willing to develop common activities which can be with benefit for the community.

Each family builds his own house and is supported by the group of program beneficiaries. Foreign and domestic volunteers are also joined in different activities of that process, such as carrying materials, preparation of a concrete, etc. The work begins with the flattening of the land on which a house is going to be built, then ditches need to be dug and walls can be raised.

In a house in the community with basic services.

San Juan Cancuc municipality, Chiapas state.

San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.

2700 mex. pesos which cover accomodation, food, administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. Volunteering is a way of life, a way to be. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.

The cooperative Cotzaselch has organized various international work camps in 2011 with interesting experiences rich in exchange. The cooperative Cotzaselch is a sustainable project serving the community of Tzajalá. With its traditional jewellery workshops, its agro-ecological experimental farm (horticulture, composting, coffee, medicinal plants, etc), the cooperative manages sustainable development projects in complete harmony with nature.
Volunteers will work in agriculture – for example, preparation of the land and construction work; and they will reconstruct various cabins in the community Ha O Mek Ka. They will have the opportunity to do diverse manual labour related to horticulture, composting, and lombriculture, amongst other things.
Time permitting; it is possible to get involved in other works in the community. Presentations in the local schools will be organized by the volunteers.

The activities are directed towards continuing the construction of a pathway that will serve as an access route to the projects of Ha O Mek Ka and the construction of cabins for the volunteers; and the creation of raised beds for the sewing of vegetables, the activities will be based in the permaculture. Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn different workshops about the making of soap, crafts, and cooking.

In the demonstration centre Ha O Mek Ka.

Tzajalá is found 1.5 hours from San Cristóbal de las Casas and 20 minutes from Ocosingo.

San Cristóbal de las Casas.

2950 Mexican pesos which includes accommodation, food, and administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs' use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.

The Educative Park San José was opened to the public in 1995 with the intention to provide a space for recreation and education about biodiversity. From 2010 it is a part of the Ministry of Environment and Natural History of the State of Chiapas. Its mission is the protection, preservation and exhibition of the flora and fauna of the highlands region of Chiapas state. It's actions are focused on rehabilitation and expansion of its structure, to transform their spaces into places eco-cultural with recreational facilities, complementary activities that contribute to the conservation of natural resources in the region and a sustainable livelihood.

The work done by volunteers depends on the needs of the park, as the construction of demonstration areas: water cycle (from planning to the implementation of the design), a mural, development of environmental education materials, reset and development of children's games (related to environmental issues), cleaning and maintenance of the animal cages, cycling and hiking trails.

The volunteers will sleep in park's dormitory.

The park is situated in a Zinacantán municipality, 9 km away from San Cristóbal de las Casas.

San Cristóbal de las Casas.

2700 mex. pesos which cover accomodation, food, administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. Volunteering is a way of life, a way to be. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.

The objective at Xochipilli is to develop a self-sustainable space through the production and consumption of vegetables, the sale of plants, and the creation of links with related projects. In congruence with sustainable development, the space aspires to have rainwater collectors, generation of clean energy and recycling, as well as appropriate technologies. The objective of the space is the development of a model of sustainability that can be replicated in different alternative, rural spaces and contexts; with the aim of achieving sustainable rural development.

The volunteers will be involved in activities depending on the needs of the project, such as cultivation, seed sewing, transplanting of plants, weeding, watering, harvesting, pruning, and polinisation, for example. As well: development and maintenance of systems of water collection, renewable energy, generation of clean energy and the recycling of waste materials.

In a house in San Cristobal de las Casas.

San Cristobal de las Casas.

San Cristóbal de las Casas.

2950 Mexican Pesos which includes accommodation, food, and administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.

Igloo Kokolo is an environmental center for the dissemination information about development, based on rules of permaculture and bio-construction. It tries to experiment and spread the idea of co-existence and equality of ecosystems and their inhabitants.

On this workcamp volunteers are going to work at the maintenance of the place's constructions – repair the mud walls, palm roofs and paint with natural products. Furthermore they are going to construct 2 igloos as dormitories for a future volunteers. To do that they're going to use a technique of bio-construction earthbags or special bricks called super adobe. This technique consists in filling bags with earth and form circles, smaller and smaller until they create an igloo.

In igloos and tents.

The Center covers an area of 160 hectares of virgin land, in close surroundings of the biggest natural lake in Mexico “Chapala”. It is 1H20min from the city of Guadalajara.

Tuxcueca, Jalisco.

It is possible to visit a fort on Mezcala island – a place of big battles in the independence struggle of Mexico. For a weekend there are plans to visit Mazamitla – a magic city located in Tiger Mountains which offers sleeping in the bungalows in a forest.

2700 mex. pesos which cover accomodation, food, administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. Volunteering is a way of life, a way to be. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.