🍫 Help Build a Chocolate Shop & Cultural Space in Guatemala🏔️

5.0

(26 reviews)26

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The experience

Join us in the magical town of Panajachel, Guatemala — a lakeside paradise surrounded by volcanoes 🌋 and the stunning views of Lake Atitlán 🌊. We’re creating a unique chocolate shop and cultural space where visitors can taste, learn, and connect with the history and traditions of Maya chocolate-making.

Our mission is simple but powerful: craft high-quality chocolate locally, support Maya families, and share the story behind every bar ❤️.

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What you offer

25 hours of help per week

Painting & Decorating: Help with painting or decorating the property facilities.

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

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What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Language lessons: Take free language classes at our place.

Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely

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Requirements

Intermediate English or Intermediate Spanish

Over 26 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

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What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

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Program Details

We believe that good chocolate takes time, care, and a deep connection to the land 🌱. Everything we make is handcrafted in small batches, using cacao grown right here in Guatemala.

Right now, we’re in an exciting transformation phase — turning our shop into “The Chocolate Garden”, a warm and creative space for tastings, workshops, and storytelling 📖✨. And we need your help to bring this vision to life!


What You’ll Learn
By joining us, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about:

-The history, science, and making of chocolate 🍫
-Fermentation, flavor balancing, and kitchen chemistry
-Gluten-free baking & ice cream making 🍦
-Mayan culture & traditions 🪶
-Creative shop design and grassroots project building


What We’re Looking For
This is not a party volunteer position — it’s a meaningful, hands-on project. We welcome you if you are:

-Mature, self-reliant, and results-oriented 💪
-Patient and adaptable to changing schedules
-Comfortable helping in a sometimes-chaotic, building-phase environment 🛠️
-Excited to be part of a small, Maya-led team building something with heart 💛


What We Provide

-Accommodation (private or shared, depending on availability) 🛏️
-Home-cooked meals or grocery support 🍲
-Chocolate of course haha 🍫
-A friendly, open-minded, and welcoming team 🤝


Why Choose This Experience?
This is more than just volunteering — it’s a chance to contribute to a community-driven project, learn rare chocolate-making skills, and immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful regions of Guatemala 🌄. You’ll connect deeply with local culture, gain hands-on experience in a creative project, and be part of something truly unique from the ground up.

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Activities & Shift

We’re looking for two types of volunteers:

🔨 1. Skilled Woodworker Volunteer – Help Build Our Shop

-Install shelves, counters, and display units
-Work with basic carpentry tools and materials (we’ll help source anything missing)
-Share creative ideas for making the space beautiful and functional
-Work independently or in a small team

🌱 2. General Volunteer (Flexible Role)
Tasks may vary daily and can include:

-Organizing photo/video files from the factory 📸
-Writing or translating product/workshop descriptions ✍️
-Taking photos or short videos for social media
-Helping with chocolate production (wrapping bars, cleaning tools) 🍫
-Labeling, painting, or setting up displays 🎨
-Creating artwork for the storefront
-Assisting with future tours and workshops

⏳ Shifts & Hours

-Around 25 hours per week
-1 day off to explore Lake Atitlán 🚤
-Most shifts start late morning or afternoon (schedules can change — flexibility is important!)


Let us know what you would like to participate in😀

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Rules

Shared responsibility for shopping, preparing, and cleaning meals (vegetarian & gluten-free kitchen) 🥦

No smoking 🚭