Most Rewarding Social Programs in La Ceiba, Honduras

I am happy to have chosen this Non-Profit Organization and Honduras. I have gained so much hands on experience at the clinic and have seen so many medical cases during my pre-med program. The doctors were more than happy to show me how to do sutures, catheters, vaccines and more. I have seen cases and diseases I could only read about at home. At the hospital, I got to watch so many surgeries, deliveries and met so many different types of doctors. It is amazing how well they do what they can with such little and limited resources. We also gave pets vaccinations and went to schools to educated people with an outreach healthcare program.
I am so very thankful for the opportunities and all that I have learn. I could never have gotten this kind of experience at home (Canada), and this truly reinforced my path in the medical field.
The Spanish lessons were good and very helpful as well.
The neighborhood we live in was very safe. There are two security guards that are circulating in the neighborhood 24/7. We are located near the mall and a taxi anywhere in town is only 25lps (US$1.50). I met so many amazing ABV volunteers from all over the world during my stay.

My health care program in Honduras was so amazing! I made so many great friends and got to do things I never would in the United States. I did over 200 blood pressures, cleaned and dressed wounds, put on casts, removed stitches, put in stitches, watched births, c-sections and surgeries. This program receives many volunteers from A broader view, so we manage to go out on tours on the weekends and do things during the week like bbq, shopping at the market, dancing, and just hanging out on our free time.
I LOVED my host family! They spoke very good English and were very caring. They were always making sure we were okay and had everything we needed. The portions were so big at my host family’s house, but the food was excellent. Expect a lot of beans, rice, and plantains.
I felt very safe in my accommodation and the neighborhood we were in, felt very safe. I recommend anyone that wants to volunteer here to... Just do it!

I’m very glad that I chose this program in Honduras with A Broader View, the location, and to go over Spring Break. A Broader View was a great choice because of large amount of support and information given to me before and during my stay. The location was good because it was close (a short plane trip), good weather, friendly people, and very impactful with its culture and economy. The short time period was a good choice because it allowed me to have enough time to adjust but also ensure that if I did not like the program (since it was my first time traveling abroad for medical volunteering), I would return home soon. I learned a lot in how imperative it is to be able to improvise, think on the spot, communicate in a profession, understand and become integrated within a culture, and analyze a situation to find the underlying problems. I plan to do more of this kind of work once I improve my Spanish and experience.

Wonderful Dentists to work with. Sometimes the water isn't running so the water is collected in buckets under the sink so instruments can be scrubbed before sterilizing. It amazes me how they just go with the flow. Americans could use a little more of that attitude especially from the Northeast.
Many of the problems are the same in the US Preventative care not used so extractions are too common. Sugary drinks and juices and sodas are common causes of dental problems much as in the US.

During my time in Honduras, I volunteered at a public clinic in the town of La Ceiba. The second week I also spent time in the Emergency Department. Most of my time consisted of taking blood pressure, giving shots, and cleaning wounds. I also did whatever other task needed to be done. This trip was life changing. The program itself was very smooth, with no major issues. I was able to focus on giving my time as much as possible. I already knew I wanted to be a doctor and this merely reconfirmed my love of medicine. I was able to see up close the impact that being in medicine could have on the world. Overall, I would not only recommend Honduras, but volunteering through A Broader View.

Being here in Honduras for 2 weeks in the Premedical program seemed like a very short amount of time for me. I felt that I had a purpose there and was doing something useful. Also meeting and making friends with the nurse and doctors and helping them out was a rewarding experience for me. The accommodation was really nice; no AC, cold showers which are really not a problem as its so hot in La Ceiba, the meals are good and although different, usually the hosts make sure you are well fed. As for security as long as you are aware of your surrounding and know when and where not to be, I felt safe.

I really enjoyed working in the clinic. The doctors, nurses and nursing students were all very welcoming and helpful. I learned quite a few skills that are out of my scope of practice back home and I felt that the experience reaffirmed my design to nursing.
The clinic always needs gloves, medical tape, catheters, a lot of which is cheaper to by here, Gloves are really important though; we’ve run out a few times during the middle of the day. As far as meds, pretty much anything, antibiotics, anti parasites, anti-fungal medications, metformin, malaria meds, and acetaminophen for children and adult too.
The host family I stayed with was very welcoming and went out of their way to make sure myself and the other volunteers had what we needed.
My favorite place was Utila, Its beautiful, full of backpackers from all over the world and a great place to learn to scuba dive. Cayos Cochinos is amazing as well. Check out with water rafting in Pico Bonito and Zip ling out in Sambo Creek.

I had the most amazing experience in Honduras. I met life-long friends, traveled to place I'd never seen before, helped children in need, and had a lot of fun.

I volunteered in the mornings at a special needs school, helping the kids with their studies, teaching a little bit of art, and learning as much Spanish as possible.

In the afternoons, I volunteered at an orphanage. It was so nice to put a smile on the faces of the children living there. They are smart, and funny, and love new volunteers coming into the home. I really enjoyed learning to cook traditional Honduran foods for the kids.

On the weekends, the other volunteers and I would travel around Honduras. We spend time on the beach relaxing, scubadiving on the islands off shore, hiking in the jungle, and white water rafting. There were only a handful of the adventures we experienced together.

Not only did this trip teach me a lot about the Honduran culture, but it taught me a lot about myself. It was never hard to be far from home because I was surrounded by so many great volunteers and children.

Despite what you may have heard about the dangers of Honduras, it is a beautiful country full of wonderful sights and people. Listening to the volunteer coordinators, coming home before curfew, and pairing up with other volunteers at all times are important parts to ensure your safety and enjoyment.