An essential partnership, and the adventure of a lifetime!

Work Week Teams

Each year, Hands For Peacemaking Foundation invites a number of Work Week Teams to come to Guatemala to work on a project to assist one of the villages we serve. The Work Week experience gives teams an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with people who live in extreme poverty every day, while assisting them in a project that will have a positive impact on their lives for years to come.

Other examples of past projects that Work Week teams have accomplished:

  • Village school construction

  • Installation of high efficiency clean air stoves

  • Building of water collection systems to provide safe water supplies

  • Installing water filters

  • Clearing areas and assisting villagers with planting of gardens

  • Planting village fruit trees

  • Building a pig pen and providing pigs for a village

  • Building a chicken coop and supplying chickens for a village

Frequently asked questions

Q: Who can attend?

Teams often come from churches, civic organizations, students, businesses, and interested community volunteers.

Q: How big of a team can HFPF handle?

The minimum size is 10, and the maximum is 16 team members.

Q: How much does a project cost?

There are a number of variables involved in a Work Week project. Some of the items that can impact the project and its costs are as follows:

  • Size of group

  • Priority of needs of the villagers

  • Whether a group wants to stay in Barillas, or is open to staying in a village

  • Physical ability of the team members

  • Ability of the group to raise the necessary funds for the project

Once the team director has contacted the HFPF staff, the options for a project can be worked out, as well as possible dates.

Q: How many days will we need to allow for our trip?

Because of the travel time required, 10 days is usually the ideal timespan for a Work Week experience. Most groups fly to Guatemala on a Friday, and return home the following Sunday.

Q: What is the cost to attend a Work Week, and what does it cover?

The Participant Fee is $1,350 per team member, and covers the following:

  • Ground transportation for participant and luggage from the Guatemala Aurora Airport to a Guatemala City or Antigua hotel

  • Hotel stay in Guatemala City or Antigua

  • Ground transportation to Santa Cruz Barillas

  • All meals while in Barillas or the selected village

  • All transportation to and from the village project

Please note that ground transportation from Guatemala City to Barillas usually takes about 12-14 hours, spread across 2 days of travel.

The Participant Fee does not cover:

  • Airfare (to and from the United States)

  • Meals while in Guatemala City, Antigua, or alternate site

  • Souvenirs