Volunteering programs
Since August 2021, our volunteer programs have achieved significant progress in conservation efforts:
- More than 200 volunteers have joined us since we began.
- Working alongside 8 local communities on the coast of Oaxaca, we actively participate throughout the year — depending on seasonal cycles — in 11 different types of conservation and community development activities, ranging from direct wildlife protection and ecosystem restoration to environmental education and social work, always supporting and accompanying community-led initiatives.
Thank you to all of you who believe in our work. All of these results would be impossible without the support of all of our volunteers.
Last updated on 06/2026
mexeco – global ecotourism project
In collaboration with UPM Madrid, TEC and UTN from Costa Rica, UADY and UMAR from Mexico, DUTH from Greece, and Viajes Tumaini from Spain, MEXECO is a project that works across different fields to promote community development and sustainable ecotourism.
In the educational field, it offers the free online course “Community Ecotourism: Approaches, Experiences and Tools for Change.” In addition, it has a networking hub that brings together projects, organizations dedicated to community development and ecotourism, universities, researchers, students, NGOs, and travelers, fostering knowledge exchange and the creation of collaborative networks.
Furthermore, MEXECO develops rural training workshops aimed at rural communities in Mexico and Costa Rica, designing participatory and interactive dynamics that enable communities to reflect, with guidance and support, on their priorities, needs, and development opportunities.
Barreras del medio rural y alternativas sostenibles para la conservación de la tortuga marina en la Comunidad de Escobilla, estado de Oaxaca, Mexico.
- Published in: Archivo Digital UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid)
- Author: Beatriz Carmena
Evolution of Ecotourism in Coastal Indigenous Communities: Comparison of the Case Studies of La Ventanilla and La Escobilla in Oaxaca, Mexico
- Published in: Sustainability | mdpi.com
- Author/s: Clara Cordón 1; Beatriz Carmena 2; Martín C. Giménez 1; José L. García 1; Carlos Calderon-Guerrero 1
Technical support for community conservation enterprises (ECC) in tourism along the Chacahua Lagoons – Huatulco Bays corridor.
Part of our team participated in supporting and strengthening five community conservation enterprises (ECC) in tourism along the Chacahua Lagoons – Huatulco Bays corridor, assisting with the implementation of their business plans and enhancing their financial, market, and business capacities.
These local groups were:
- Las Ninfas ecoturística
- Servicios Ecoturísticos La Ventanilla
- Ecoturismo Manialtepec
- Aventura y ecoturismo Lagunas de Chacahua
- Campamento tortuguero Bahías de Chacahua
Status: FINISHED (12/2023 – 09/2024)
ENVIRONMENTAL BRIGADES
Starting environmental workshops in Escobilla and Ventanilla, we gave a next step creating the environmental brigades!
Pollination project supported us to strengthen the groups to protect their environment with a mini grant during the 2021-22 period.
We’ve focused the project that they supported on humming birds and their conservation in Oaxaca with them.
Creating an Environmental Brigade in Mexico (thepollinationproject.org)
Nowadays, we develop environmental workshops, beach clean-ups with children and youngsters in Escobilla, Ventanilla and San José Manialtepec communities.
Last updated on 09/2024
PARTNERSHIP WITH IT TAKES A VILLAGE HUMANITARIAN AID PROJECT
It takes a village is a 3-year Humanitarian Aid volunteering programme designed for teams focusing on empowering vulnerable communities and cultivating solidarity by working together with rural village residents on issues such as: water, education, housing, environment, youth and women empowerment.
With tasks and goals that support the village infrastructure to have a higher quality and more sustainable daily living in Vietnam and Tanzania.
Strengthening local conservation work of sea turtles of Escobilla indigenous community cooperative during COVID crisis
Together with Kowabunga Ecoproject, we coordinated the project this project. The main activities were:
- Studying and implementing alternatives for financing the protection of sea turtles through ecotourism,
- Purchasing materials to repair the facilities after Hurricane Agatha,
- Repairing the road to the turtle camp
- Purchasing other materials such as wheels for the quad, the main tool during night patrols.
- Buying materials for the environmental education workshops.
- This project also helped financially to design the volunteer program and initiate its pilot phase, which started together with the Escobilla Ecotourism Center.
Link: Van Tienhoven Foundation
Status: FINISHED (08/2021 – 08/2022)
Whale Monitoring in Puerto Escondido
In collaboration with the Oaxacan Fund for Nature Conservation, we have led fixed-point monitoring activities from the Las Tortugas viewpoint in Puerto Escondido, observing and recording whale sightings, behaviors, and incidents during two consecutive whale-watching seasons from December to March (2024–25 and 2025–26), while also planning the upcoming 2025–26 season.
Estatus: in progress (12/2024 – 03/2027)