The following are some answers to commonly asked questions about volunteering at the farm:
- Where is the farm located?
Bona Fide is based in the rural community of Balgue on Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua, a day's travel from the capital, Managua. Ferries and smaller boats (lanchas) leave from San Jorge on the mainland to Moyogalpa, the main port of Ometepe on a regular basis. From there several buses a day leave for the area. - What work can volunteers expect to do on the farm?
Volunteers work together on the farm from Monday-Friday from 7am - 12 noon with a break for breakfast. There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved with other farm work and projects in the afternoons and on weekends. The type of work depends on the season and the particular needs of the farm but may consist of planting trees, harvesting, working on the garden or in the nursery, building terraces, digging swales, weeding, organic fertilizing and pest control, building raised beds or watering plants. If you are volunteering during the rainy season you can expect to do plenty of tree planting and in the dry season plenty of watering. - Who can volunteer at the farm?
We welcome volunteers of all ages and from all backgrounds and walks of life. We only require that people are fit, healthy (capable of doing 5 hours of farm work per day) and are willing to learn. Knowledge and experience of particular areas such as gardening, agro-forestry, carpentry and fundraising would be a bonus. Also we would love to know if you have any specific skills we can harness!
We have opportunities for short term (minimum 1 week) and long term (minimum 1 month) volunteers. Project Bona Fide asks international volunteer participants to cover room and board plus an additional $3 a day for the Farm Fund, totaling $10 a day. Those staying for a month or more are asked to just cover room and board at a flat fee of $200 per month. We also have a limited number of internships - for more information please see our volunteer page. - What is the food and accommodation like?
Accommodation at the farm is rustic. During the dry season we have a number of platforms scattered around the farm for tents. We do have a few spare tents, mattresses and mosquito nets, however we recommend you bring your own if possible because our equipment is in a constant state of wear and may be in use. During the rainy season accommodation is more limited and although we try to give people their own space this is sometimes not possible. Volunteers have two meals per day cooked for them during the week and are expected to cook for themselves as a group in the evenings and weekends. Alternatively, ask us if you would like to stay with a local Nicaraguan family instead of on the farm. We have initiated a brand new home stay program in the local community. - What is the climate like?
Ometepe Island has two seasons: wet and dry. The wet season (invierno in Spanish) runs approximately from June-November/December and is humid, warm and as the name suggests, wet! The dry season from approximately December to May/June is dry and can be very hot. - What should I bring with me?
The following is not an exhaustive list but here are some things you might find useful: sunhat and sunscreen, towel /sarong and bathing suit, insect repellant (please bring enviro-friendly kind, NO DEET), shampoo/conditioner/soap (biodegradable only), comfortable clothing that you can work in (including long trousers to protect your legs), gardening gloves, long sleeves to minimize insect bites in the evenings, water bottle, rain jacket, rubber boots (available locally and cheaply if you want to keep dry in the rainy season!), sandals/flip flops and covered shoes, headlamp/flashlight (very, very useful!), sheet/sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad and mosquito netting (see above under 'accommodation'). Finally, if you have any extra room at all we would LOVE you to bring some supplies for the community centre: magazines in English (e.g. National Geographic or magazines for children and young people), English or Spanish books and stationery – pens, paints, glitter glue etc! We also love to receive seeds for the farm and can tell you what we need if you drop us a quick email.