Ecuador
Volunteer in Ecuador and experience this extraordinary country and the warmth and hospitality of its people.
Immerse yourself in the culture by living with a host family as a welcome family member. And, study Spanish in one-to-one classes before beginning your volunteer service
When you join one of our community service projects you are giving yourself the opportunity to make a difference by contributing to the social welfare of the underprivileged and the protection of the environment.
A peaceful, democratic nation of 12 million people, Ecuador is the ideal country to experience Latin American culture. It is a multi-ethnic and multicultural nation with over 14 indigenous groups living on the mainland, maintaining their own traditions and ways of life
Ecuador exhibits not only a unique blend of cultures but also has one of the continent's most varied and interesting landscapes and ecosystems. With the tropical beaches of the western lowlands, the volcanic peaks of the central Andes and the dense rainforests of the Amazon basin, Ecuador is a country of startling variety and contrast.
In spite of its substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Today over 70% of the Ecuadorian population lives below the poverty line. When you join one of our community service projects you are giving yourself the opportunity to make a difference by contributing to the social welfare of the underprivileged and the protection of the environment.
Projects
There are a range of projects available, including:
Assisting in a day-care centre for underprivileged children or infants.
Example project: FINE (Foundation for the Integration of Special Children) is a non-profit organisation working with special needs and underprivileged adults and children. The Centre involves students in a variety of vocational and developmental activities such as ceramics, cooking, survival skills, and small animal husbandry projects to prepare them to be financially independent and able to participate actively in Ecuadorian life and society. Volunteers serve as assistants to Special Education teachers at Fine's Centre for Integral Development in Pomasqui, a small town half an hour north of Quito. While working at FINE, volunteers will continue to live with the families that host them during the Spanish Course.
Working with street children.
Organisations that cater for the most disadvantaged in society are always in need of volunteer assistants. Placements are available in projects such as day-care centres for children of poor families, outreach programmes for working with street children, after school tutoring, with shelters for the homeless and for street children, and respite centres for the disabled. Volunteers must be patient, caring and able to cope with difficult or distressing situations.
Assisting with conservation projects in national parks and natural reserves.
Ecuador is one of the region's most environmentally diverse countries, but many natural habitats are being destroyed by deforestation and desertification. Conservation projects have been established to protect native wildlife and habitats such as rainforests and cloud-forests. Volunteers who are physically fit and enjoy the outdoors are needed to assist in many of these conservation projects.
A typical project: Santa Lucia Reserve is a community-based conservation organisation in the cloud-forests of northwestern Ecuador. Their aim is to conserve and protect the forest while developing sustainable income sources for the local families through eco-tourism and volunteer work. Work involves reforestation, trail building and repair, organic agriculture, and conservation education. Room and board are provided at Santa Lucia.
Working with disabled people
Please contact the EIL UK office for details of current availability
Education and teaching
Many charitable institutions in Ecuador work towards providing an education for the poorest in society who would not otherwise go to school. Knowledge of English provides a major advantage in terms of future opportunities, and this is an area where volunteers can be of great service. Placements are available in several educational institutions in and around Quito and in some rural areas.
A typical project: La Dolorosa Shelter near Quito is a non-profit organ
isation that provides education and a home for children whose families are unable to care for them. The shelter caters for children between the ages of 5 and 17. Volunteers teach English to the children, help them with their homework, and organise recreational activities. While serving at La Dolorosa, volunteers will continue to live with the families that host them during the Spanish Course.
Programme details
Orientation
Upon arrival of your flight in Quito, you will be met and welcomed at the airport by your host family. If arriving on a Saturday or Sunday, you will spend a day meeting family members and having a taste of Ecuadorian life.
On the following Monday your family will take you to the EIL Ecuador office where you will be greeted by the Director of our Spanish Centre, Elías Castillo who will also interview you to determine your Spanish level. You will also discuss your first impressions of host family life. And receive a cross-cultural orientation.
Practicalities such as health and security measures, transportation system, staff to contact in case of emergencies, procedures regarding classes, volunteer work, and the homestay will be covered too. You will also receive an orientation packet covering the points discussed and other useful information.
Later on during the first month you will have a more extensive orientation to volunteer work in Ecuador and have opportunities to visit some host projects in Quito to help you decide where you would most like to be placed and where your skills and experience can have the most impact.
Your Spanish course takes place during the first month of the programme for a total of 80 hours of individual one-to-one classes to enable you to gain a working knowledge of the language as quickly as possible.
Classes are from 08:30 to 12:30 Monday through Friday with a 30 minute coffee break and snack mid-morning. You will find that our encouraging and experienced teachers know how to adapt to your learning style (not everyone learns a language in the same way!) and to develop your confidence and skills in using the language.
Once a week, during your language course, you will travel with your teacher to visit places of interest in Quito where you can practice your Spanish in spontaneous situations. Some of these places may be museums, street markets, and Quito's spectacular colonial churches inlayed with Incan gold. Before the excursion you will prepare for this activity in class. An all day excursion is programmed during your course to one of many Andean sites such as the hot baths of Papallacta at the foot of Mt. Antisana , the Mindo Cloud Forest for trekking and rafting, or Mt. Cotopaxi , Ecuador´s most active volcano.
Following language training and orientation you'll join your host project to begin your volunteer service which can last from 2 – 10 months, depending on your schedule.
Our Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch with you and your host project periodically during your community service and you can call her at any time to report and talk about any concerns.
Other Activities
Talks on different aspects of Ecuadorian life and culture, special activities such as learning to dance to Ecuadorian and other Latin American rhythms, celebrating traditional holidays, preparing typical Ecuador food are offered twice each week.
During your Spanish programme you will live with an Ecuadorian host family - an excellent way to learn about Ecuadorian life and to practice the language. EIL Ecuador's host families have a reputation for being warm and fun-loving, making it easy for you to feel right at home.
Accommodation
In areas outside of Quito, accommodations will probably be with a host family that is arranged by our Local Coordinator but in rural areas such as a reserve in the cloud forest, you will stay and have meals at the volunteer quarters of the host project or at any other adequate arrangements made by the host project with costs covered by EIL Ecuador.
Requirements
Age: 18 +
Costs for 2012
| Duration | Cost |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks | US$ 2119 |
| 12 weeks | US$ 2835 |
| 24 weeks | US$ 4370 |
| 36 weeks | US$ 5815 |
| 44 weeks | US$ 6715 |
Please note, due to fluctuations in the exchange rate prices are given in US$. A price will be quoted in £ sterling on application.
For placements in Medical projects, please add USD $200.
What is included in the cost of the programme
- Pre-departure orientation.
- 80 hours of one-to -one Spanish class, class materials, scheduled extra curricular and class-related activities. (except on 8 week ecological programmes)
- Orientation to volunteer work in Ecuador, visits to community service projects.
- E-mail access during Spanish course.
- Placement in community service project.
- Ongoing support by local volunteer coordinator.
- Contribution to donation fund for projects where volunteers are assigned.
- Homestay with host family during Spanish course and during volunteer placement, with 3 meals a day unless other board and lodging arrangements are made (except ecological programmes add US$ 180 per month for lodging).
- Registration of visa and census if volunteer is in Ecuador for more than 6 months.
What is not included in the cost of the programme
- Transportation to and from Ecuador, passport, visa expenses if any.
- Health and Accident insurance.
- Personal expenses including international phone calls.
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