Dominican Republic: Barahona
A 4-Week Build Leadership Skills Through Sports
Project Overview
Dive into Dominican culture while building leadership and teamwork skills. Join or start volleyball teams with local youth and train together for a project‑wide tournament. Connect deeply with your host family, and lead fun, engaging activities with kids in the community.
Training & Preparation
Start Strong, stay confident! Immerse projects offer the highest level of independence, so training builds the skills you’ll need to thrive in community.
National Volunteers:
3–5 hour self‑paced online course (one month before departure)
3 interactive Immerse Training Webinars
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
Local Chapter Volunteers:
In‑person chapter training (Feb–May)
Short online concept quiz (mid‑May)
3 Immerse Training Webinars
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
Ready to lead, ready to immerse! Once you land, you’ll spend 4-5 days getting grounded. Orientation introduces you to local culture, daily life, and your community assignment. Project staff lead sessions on health, safety, and project activities and expectations so you feel confident and prepared before diving into the loca; community.
Closing strong, Carrying forward! In your final two nights, you’ll come together with fellow volunteers to reflect, celebrate, and prepare for the journey home. Debriefing helps you process your experience, navigate reverse culture shock, and wrap up travel logistics. It’s a supportive space to share growth and learn how to tell your story to family and friends.
What to Expect
Experience More, Discover Yourself.
AMIGOS projects are designed to challenge and inspire. You’ll dive into hands‑on activities, connect with local communities, live with a host family, and experience life tech‑free. Every moment builds connection, leadership, and friendships that last far beyond the program.
A look at what volunteers do in the Barahona project.
- SERVICE
- Develop and implement a service project in your community with the Local Youth Leaders (LYLs) and community members.
- Facilitate fun and educational activities for kids 5 days a week with the LYLs.
- CONNECTION & IMMERSION
- Participate in cultural workshops featuring traditional cooking, dances, and local history.
- Explore the region through visits to local sites and historical locations, environmental talks, and hiking.
- Enjoy a beach day with your peers and community members.
- Visit the Panama Canal and Casco Viejo (the historic colonial district of Panama City).
Volunteers develop connections with the people who make each project possible: host families, local youth, community members, partner organizations, AMIGOS staff, and fellow volunteers. These relationships are central to the AMIGOS experience, creating space for cultural exchange, shared learning, and collaborative service.
Living with a host family moves volunteers past the tourist experience, offering a genuine sense of belonging in the community. It’s the ultimate way to rapidly improve Spanish skills and build cross-cultural relationships that often last a lifetime. With 60 years of experience, AMIGOS strictly vets every household through in-person home visits, interviews, and mandatory health and safety training. Staff supervisors conduct regular check-ins and provide 24/7 emergency support.
“One of my favorite moments was learning how to make tostones with my doña. She taught me how to make them while we talked, laughed, and bonded over making food together.”
Over the years, we have observed that volunteers who choose a full digital detox report higher satisfaction, stronger community bonds, and fewer instances of homesickness or emotional distress. Our experience, supported by emerging research on technology use and mental health, demonstrates that disconnecting from devices allows volunteers to connect more deeply with themselves, their peers, and their host communities.
Full Technology PolicyCurious about the daily experience? Explore a sample itinerary for this trip.
Safety and Support
AMIGOS prepares volunteers with health and safety training before departure and project-specific guidance during in-country briefing. Volunteers learn what to expect, how to make responsible decisions, and where to turn for support if needed.
Throughout the project, staff develop emergency plans for each volunteer and location, conduct regular risk assessments, and are available 24/7 through AMIGOS’ in-house Health and Safety On-Call System, supported by a team of medical and mental health professionals.
Cost and Financial Aid
Program fees covers all essential costs, including lodging with host families, local meals, in-country transportation, group excursions, and a 24/7 emergency support network. What’s included:
- 4 weeks of immersive programming and activities
- All meals and accommodations
- In-country transportation
- 24/7 safety and support system
- Pre-departure and training, online or in-person
What’s not included: flights, travel protection, gear.
More About Fees & FundingOur transparent, all-inclusive pricing and flexible financial aid and fundraising options maximize value for your family.
Participant Voices
Frequently Asked Questions
This project is good for youth looking for a deep community immersion experience. Volunteers will practice Spanish every day as they interact with their host family, peers, and other community members. This project is great for active youth who enjoy sports and the connection that sports can build with their peers.
This project is the only AMIGOS experience built around sports as a driver of connection and leadership. Volunteers join local volleyball teams, train regularly, and compete in a project‑wide tournament that unites youth from across communities. Alongside the games, you’ll live with a Dominican host family and collaborate with Local Youth Leaders on meaningful service projects — blending teamwork on the court with impact in the community.
AMIGOS first launched programs in the Dominican Republic in 1977, partnering with the Ministry of Health on immunization campaigns in Santo Domingo. In the 2000s, we expanded south, collaborating with organizations like World Vision and Plan International to bring programs to San Juan, Azua, Neiba, and Barahona.
After pausing during the pandemic, 2025 marked a new chapter as AMIGOS relaunched in Azua and Barahona. In 2026, we built on this legacy with two successful projects — continuing our long‑standing partnership with Plan International in Barahona and expanding into new communities in Pedernales. Together, we’re celebrating decades of youth leadership, cultural exchange, and community impact.
Yes! Receive college credit for joining this project! Learn more here.
You can earn 100 service hours on this program.
You’ll experience both group and family living. At the start and end of the project, volunteers stay together with staff in dorm‑style lodging. For most of the program, you’ll live with a Dominican host family — usually with one partner or independently — in groups of 2–3 per community. All host communities are within about four hours by public transport from the staff hub in Barahona, ensuring support is always close by. AMIGOS staff provide support through weekly visits and check-ins.
You will eat like a local! Enjoy authentic Dominican cuisine with staples like plantains, yucca, rice, beans, chicken, eggs, fresh vegetables, and sancocho — a traditional stew. Vegetarian options are available.
Barahona and Pedernales offer a hot, humid tropical climate with daytime highs often in the mid‑90s°F and cooler nights in the mid‑70s°F. The terrain is diverse — from coastal beaches and fertile valleys to rugged mountains in the Sierra de Bahoruco — creating both lush, humid zones and drier subtropical areas.
¿Qué lo qué? — What’s up? / How are you? A very common informal Dominican greeting.
Vaina — Thing / stuff / situation. A very versatile word that can refer to almost anything. Context is important!
Un chin — A little bit. For example, “Espera un chin” means “Wait a little bit.”
Pila — A lot / plenty. “Hay pila de gente” means “There are lots of people.”
Coro — Hangout / social gathering. “Vamos a hacer coro” means “Let’s hang out.”
Guagua — Bus. In the Dominican Republic, “guagua” is commonly used for a bus or public transportation vehicle.
Concho — Shared taxi. A common form of public transportation that follows a specific route.
Zafacón — Trash can / garbage bin. You’ll hear this word frequently when talking about keeping places clean.
Colmado — Small neighborhood grocery store / convenience store
AMIGOS uses an Asset‑Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, which means projects are shaped by the priorities of each community. Volunteers work alongside local youth and leaders to design and carry out initiatives that matter most to them.
Past projects have included:
Community beautification (painting, tree planting, clean‑ups)
Building shaded bus stops with seating
Creating welcome signage for communities
Developing playgrounds for children
Because projects are community‑driven, the process can take time. Volunteers are involved in every stage. This hands‑on model offers a real look at how international development works, while giving you the chance to make a lasting impact.
Ideal for active volunteers who enjoy sports and community immersion, the Dominican Republic: Barahona project uses volleyball as a way to build connection, teamwork, and leadership. Volunteers live with host families, collaborate with Local Youth Leaders on service projects, lead activities with kids, and experience Dominican culture in the Barahona region.
- Meet the health criteria for AMIGOS participation
- Receive required immunizations
- Be age 15–19 on the project start date
- Passport valid 6 months after project start date
