February 21 - February 27, 2013

For years Guatemala has been a contrast of natural beauty and socioeconomic disparity. Its diverse population has a long history and rich culture, but poverty is prevalent in all regions of the country. Since 2010, the Manifest Foundation has aligned with Hug It Forward to make a difference in Guatemala and improve the quality of life for children and families in need. By working with communities to build schools out of discarded plastic bottles, an endeavor that costs just $10,000 per two-classroom school, the Manifest Foundation and its incredible volunteers have helped to create environments for children to receive an education. This is your opportunity to take a Voluntour and help build a Bottle School for children in San Martin Jilotepque, located in the department of Chimaltenango, Guatemala. You’ll meet new friends, get to know the community, visit Mayan ruins and experience Guatemalan culture firsthand. Take a trip to make a difference. You’ll cherish every minute.

• 7-day & 6-night Manifest Series - Bottle School
• Quaint, comfortable accommodations in Antigua and San Martin include private bath, lush grounds, and a warm welcome. (Sharing a room may be necessary. Roommate request accepted.)
• Transportation provided throughout this trip.
• Welcome ceremony and a little icebreaker to get everyone acquainted with fellow volunteers and with the community.  You will have a chance to ask questions, find out what everyone wants to get out of this trip and get to know the men, women and children in the community.
• Volunteers will spend time working side by side with the villlage and children building a bottle school.
• A community hike will give you an opportunity to see farms, family homes, and places of worship and allow you to get a feel of the people you are there to support.
• Enjoy a visit to the Mayan ruins of Mixco Viejo. Mixco Viejo, the capital of the Pokoman Mayan tribe, was by the early 1500's one of the most important Mayan cities, known as both a military and religious center. A local teacher/guide who practices Mayan spirituality will explain the importance of the Mayan culture in Guatemalan society.
• Visit Tikonel, a women's solidarity group. Enjoy a small presentation outlining what the group does in the community. Afterward you will have a little time to shop for the handmade items created by the group.

• Enjoy a shopping trip to the local market. This will allow you to learn more about the Guatemalan culture, foods, artians and community while supporting the local economy.
• Visit a school for children with special needs in San Martin, learn about the school and play with kids there.
  Interact with kids at the bottle school and create and carry out a workshop to educate them about hygiene.
• Sightsee and shop for souvenirs in the picturesque colonial town of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage City.
• The member who booked the DreamTrip will be emailed an e-Folder containing destination details 2 weeks prior to travel.
• If flying in, you must book your own air travel.  We recommend flying in to Guatemala City Airport (GUA), arriving by 4pm on the first day of the trip if possible, and leaving at any time on the last day of the trip.
• *Trip hosted and led by Dave Watson
• Click here for itinerary

Hug It Forward is a 501c3 non-profit that empowers communities to build bottle schools. We are delighted to be able to offer you this amazing opportunity to work side by side with the Manifest Foundation, Hug It Forward and the community of San Martin Jilotepeque, Guatemala to help build a school using soda bottles and other "trash".

A "Bottle School" consists of thousands of plastic bottles (filled with trash bags, grocery bags and other inorganic trash) stacked on top of each other, and sandwiched between chicken wire. The kids in the village participate by collecting the bottles and stuffing them. After forming the walls out of this "trash", cement is used to coat the walls. When finished the village has an eco-friendly, cost-effective school to provide education to their children.

To participate in this trip, we also ask that you fundraise for Hug It Forward bottle schools. We suggest a $250 fundraising goal, but some people choose to do more or less than this. It’s really up to you – how much you think your friends and families can give, how creative you can be, and how much time you’re prepared to put into it.

Fundraising online is quick and easy, using the Stay Classy web site: http://www.stayclassy.org/events/hug-it-forward-bottle-school-voluntours/e10183

Click the link and follow the instructions to find out how to set up your own fundraising page. Hug It Forward can help you with ideas on how to raise money – some ideas would be to send out an email to your friends, set up a fundraising web site, ask your colleagues and contacts, knock on your neighbors’ doors, run a bake sale, garage sale, barbecue or raffle. See the Hug It Forward web site for more fundraising ideas. You don’t have to do all your fundraising before your trip – you can continue fundraising up to 2 months after you return from your bottle school trip.

**Airfare not included.

The trip will close by January 28, 2013

**Trip hosted and led by Dave Watson

Rovia Terms and Conditions and other pertinent information will be emailed to you after booking.

Minimum number of people required for this trip is to travel is 10. If less than 10, trip will be canceled.

**Voluntour members are required to purchase insurance from the vendor of their choice. Proof of insurance must be received two weeks before travel.  Click here

**This trip is run in collaboration with and sponsored by Serve the World Today LLC and Hug It Forward ; participation in this trip is subject to your acceptance of Serve The World’s terms and conditions: Click here.

“The bottle school trip to Guatemala was the most life changing and memorable of all my travel experiences! The trip was truly magical and I came back with heart felt inspiration… Really knowing deep inside our ability to make a difference in the world and how we learn and grow from other cultures and their values.” – Mike Azcue, CEO, World Ventures

“Understanding the positive impact that our efforts will have on these communities was huge. The Guatemalan people were gracious, kind, and engaging. Gerson was amazing. The food was spectacular. I loved how our group engaged with each other and with the communities. It is compelling to experience the love, the gratitude, the hospitality, and sense of brotherhood that the Guatemalan people express so freely. Hope seems always to burn brightly within the human heart but never brighter than when the opportunity for educational and financial advancement barely exists. To hear stories about impoverished communities willing to give their only chicken for the chance to have their own school is heart rending. I can’t wait to go return!” – Dr Rick White, Tennessee

Link to photos & reports of bottle school trips:
Click here.

Hug It Forward is a 501c3 non-profit that works to support and empower communities in Guatemala to build Bottle Schools: schools built using plastic soda bottles stuffed with inorganic trash.

Since October 2009, 17 communities across Guatemala have come together to build their own bottle school. In the process they have not only cleaned their environment of trash, they have empowered a generation of kids who have built their school with their own hands.

Follow the link to the Hug It Forward website for more information. Hug It Forward. Click here. 

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