If you are looking for volunteer work or a charity challenge in Latin America, here are some ideas:

Volunteer placements...

2 Way Development places skilled volunteers on community projects from three months to two years.

Casa Guatemala is a children's village that relies on foreign volunteers.

Mondo Challenge is not-for-profit organisation that organises teaching positions in Ecuador with an eight-week minimum stay for career-breakers, gap year students and retirees.

Global Vision International runs conservation and teaching projects in various countries. Volunteers can participate from two weeks to three months.

Charity challenges...

Scope has a Bike Mexico challenge in April 2007. This is an eight-day cycle ride covering 600km from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. It also has a trek through the forests of Venezuela's Canaima National Park in February 2008.

Whizz-Kidz has a trek along the Inca trail in Peru in April 2007. And Diabetes UK has a ten-day cycle challenge across Cuba in November 2007.