Asociación Casa del Niño – CANI

Since 1964, the organization has supported poor children and families in Antigua, Guatemala. They have worked with community leaders and have received support from the Ministry of Health and the Rotary Club. In 2001, the program was officially named Asociación Casa del Niño. It employs 8 people and is managed by a board of directors. The association works together with other institutions, private as well as public.

The goal of the Asociacion Casa del Niño is to create, develop, and facilitate programs and workshops that strengthen and support the education, health, sports, art and culture for youth. The association represents an effort to improve the lives of at-risk children and teenagers.

The Asociación Casa del Niño offers its own dental clinic, a day-care center that works for the two night schools, and drawing and painting courses on Fridays and Saturdays in which children, teenagers and adults participate. Additionally, they offer expositions and contests, and furthermore offer different activities on holidays and special occasions (Mother’s Day, Saints’ Days, Children’s Day, toy marathon, etc).

The association is planning on opening a Drawing and Painting School that will open in April, 2008. Currently, they work in the community of Jocotenango and are helping with construction projects at the local school, clinics and halls.
As a volunteer, you can help in different areas and programs. Some of the programs are only for a definite time; ask us for details. Presently, they are looking for a web designer to create their homepage. The schedule can range from the morning, afternoon, or night, and length of your stay depends on the work you would like to do. To work with this organization, an intermediate/advanced beginner Spanish level is sufficient, as all the employees of the association speak Spanish.

If you wish you can donate clothes, crayons, paint (pastels, oil, tempera, boxes of paint), paint brushes, pencils, colored pencils, erasers, drawing boards, easels, wax, markers, paper, cardboard, disposable diapers, milk, money, or any other donation you wish to give. The Asociación Casa del Niño would be happy to receive your help.