Comunidad Inti Wari Yassi

Description of the partner

Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi (CIWY) is a Bolivian non-governmental organisation founded in 1992. Its name reflects Bolivia’s ethnic diversity and its link with nature: “Inti” means “the soil” in Quechua, “Wara” means “star” in Aymara and “Yassi” means “the moon” in Chiriguano-Guaraní. The coming together of these three indigenous languages symbolises unity.

CIWY is committed to protecting wildlife rescued from illegal trafficking and conserving ecosystems. Through three wildlife sanctuaries, CIWY has cared for thousands of animals over the years, offering them a better quality of life and a future in their natural habitat. Today it is internationally recognised for its work in wildlife care and rehabilitation.

The mission

Volunteers carry out the following activities:

• Preparing food for the animals
• Cleaning the animals’ living areas
• Creating and setting up various stimuli to enrich the animals’ behaviour
• Monitoring and analysing animal behaviour

Candidate profile

• All profiles are welcome! Above all, we’re looking for people who are motivated by the idea of taking part in a meaningful project and who are highly adaptable.
• In order to communicate with the team on site, a degree of fluency in Spanish and/or English is recommended.
• Experience with animals welcome!

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided free of charge and most meals (vegetarian) are supplied by the association.

Living conditions are relatively rustic, and may vary from park to park. Volunteers live in a volunteer house (without hot water and with limited or very limited internet access) and share a room.