Dominique Doyle, England

I discovered INEPAS through my travel guide and decided to get in contact with the Director before arriving in Guatemala. I had found many other organisations offering volunteer work of various kinds, but I have no doubt I made the right choice in committing myself to INEPAS for my time in Guatemala. It has been one the best experiences of my 5 months in Central America, not just because I felt I had made a significant and lasting contribution to the incredible work that INEPAS does, but because I had the good fortune of working with the General Co-ordinator - Maria Antonieta. She is an amazingly talented, knowledgeable and determined individual and anyone who experiences studying or volunteering with INEPAS will take away much more than they expected. I was exposed to the country in a way which most people never will be on the traveller's trail through this part of the world.

As a volunteer I had the advantage of speaking Spanish already, and I was able to get involved quickly with important tasks in the administration office and in the general running of the school. But it was the opportunity to learn from Maria Antonieta, the skilled and experienced teachers and of course the local community itself that made the time there so unique. Any good travel guide will tell you a lot about what Guatemala has to offer. But it's only by investing time in an organisation like INEPAS that you will really live and understand what Guatemala and its people are about. For all those who want to experience what it is to contribute to genuine community empowerment projects - without a doubt INEPAS is the place to do it.

Dominique Doyle,  former International Co-ordination Assistant