The long, thin stretch of land along the southwestern coast of South America belongs to Chile. Claiming over 2,700 miles of the Pacific shoreline, this country has a variety of geography in the extreme—from the icy landscapes of Patagonia in the south to the famously dry Atacama Desert in the north. The Andes Mountains form Chile's eastern border with Argentina and Bolivia, providing a glorious natural backdrop and limitless opportunities for outdoor adventures. Journeying from lush vineyards to snowcapped volcanoes to frozen fjords, you’ll find it hard to believe that all this variety—and all this beauty—can be found in one place.
Program Location: Santiago
The capital of Chile, Santiago is nestled in a valley at the foot of the picturesque Andes. The city of almost 6 million residents boasts a mild, Mediterranean climate and a variety of modern conveniences. Santiago is centrally located, making it the perfect base from which to explore the rest of the country. About halfway between the mountains and the coast, the city allows visitors to get to the Pacific Ocean and the snowcapped Andes in less than two hours in either direction.
Program Location: Patagonia
Patagonia is a swath of unspoiled nature perched on the edge of the earth. Covering the southern tips of Argentina and Chile, the territory exists in a mostly primitive state, a vast range of alternating plains, terraces, and mountains bearing a strong resemblance to Alaska and New Zealand. First explored by Ferdinand Magellan in the 1500s, the region has changed little in the intervening centuries. Recently, however, population growth, mining, animal grazing, oil exploration, and a host of other potential problems have begun to threaten Patagonia’s fragile ecosystems.
Why Volunteer in Chile?
Chile has modernized in the past 20 years, now boasting one of the most stable economies in South America. Accompanying this change, however, is a striking disparity between wealthy and poor residents, as well as increasing pressure on the country’s natural resources. Our partner organizations in Chile have decided to lend a hand to the nation’s people and its environment.
Our programs in and around Santiago help the area’s poor get the education, support, and adequate living conditions that benefit their more affluent counterparts. Volunteers on these projects will work teaching disadvantaged children and caring for young orphans in need. Further south, in the country’s pristine Patagonia region, volunteers dedicate themselves to a different cause: the preservation of endangered ecosystems. Through all of these programs, local residents and volunteers work hand-in-hand to better Chile's cities, towns, and natural resources for future generations.
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