Volunteer Abroad

We’ll work alongside the Salvadoran family who will live in the home, partnering with local Habitat volunteers and building professionals to build a simple, sturdy, comfortable concrete block house with steel reinforcement, metal doors, shuttered glass windows, and cement tile flooring.

Our tasks may include digging dirt; moving sand, rocks, and other materials; mixing and pouring concrete; framing windows and doors; laying cinder blocks; building walls; and painting. We’ll work as a team, taking breaks as needed and respecting everyone’s different abilities and needs.

Anyone 18 years and older are welcome to apply. No building experience or Spanish required. 

We'll work hard but also have time for cultural excursions and learning about El Salvador.

Day 1

Volunteers will arrive at El Salvador International Airport (SAL), where they will be greeted by Habitat staff and taken to Hotel Alicante in San Salvador, where we'll settle for the first night and have dinner.

Day 2

The following day, we'll travel from San Salvador to Ahuachapán district (similar to a province or state but known as a "departamento" in El Salvador), about a 2-hour drive from San Salvador. After checking into Hotel Santa Elena Segen in Ahuachapán's Concepción de Ataco and having lunch, we'll participate in an in-country orientation to learn more about Habitat El Salvador’s work, local customs, and the week ahead. We'll have dinner together at the hotel.

Days 3-4

It's time to get building! Our build days will begin with a hotel breakfast and traveling by van to the build site. Day 3 will begin with a full on-site orientation, after which we'll start building a house, with breaks and snacks as needed to tide us through to lunch. After lunch, we'll build more, always with breaks and snacks along the way. Later in the afternoon we'll return to the hotel for free time, dinner, and a team reflection.

Day 5

After breakfast at the hotel, we'll visit a community-based sustainable kitchen and take part in learning exchange activities. In the afternoon, we'll travel back to the hotel for free time, dinner, and a team reflection.

Day 6

Our final day of building! As usual, we'll have breakfast at the hotel, travel to the build site, and get to work. We'll have breaks for snacks and lunch, then in the afternoon put the finishing touches on our week's work. Afterwards, we'll return to the hotel for free time, dinner, and a team reflection.

Days 7-8

This is a time to celebrate with the community and fellow volunteers, have a farewell meal, and travel home (with some volunteers perhaps venturing to other destinations before home).

Here is what you need to know to get started:
Apply:
Please complete the form below and our Global Village trip leader, William, will reach out to you with next steps.

Complete the form as soon as possible as spots are limited and the fundraising deadline is approaching.

Costs:
Once approved, you can begin to fundraise to cover the cost of this trip: $2,450 for shared accommodations with an additional $202 should you prefer a private room. Please note that airfare and any out-of-itinerary recreational activities are not included in this fundraising amount. You cannot use fundraised dollars for these expenses as they are not tax-deductible.

This fundraising amount includes a donation to Habitat for Humanity, meals, accommodations, transportation while in country, travel accident and sickness insurance, and cultural activities.

Fundraise:

Volunteers can fundraise some—or even all—of their costs. It is a great way to get your friends, family, and even your employers involved and make their own impact on building homes abroad. 

Check with your employers to see if they provide matching gifts or even paid time off for volunteer service.

Habitat will provide you with a fundraising page that makes it easy to ask for support. 

All fundraising and trip payments are due by November 15, 2026.