Ecuador Volunteer Foundation

This experience was good on all points. We really appreciated the welcome by the staff. It was our first time as volunteer and we'll never forget how enriching it is. We really enjoyed the time spent with the children and the exchange, the most important thing. A child is always a child, wherever in the world, and it's so good to contribute to their evolution and to see a smile on their face. The activities time is nice because it allowed to transmit our knowledge. Also, the free time with the staff is a good way to exchange aout our culture, our life and our project. We felt very at ease with everyone and we'll never forget all these moments. Thank you to Ecuador Volunteer and specially to Francisco for giving us this opportunity.

As part of the Ecuador volunteer program I got to live with a family in the jungle for about three weeks. I would absolutely call this more of a cultural exchange than volunteering but it was amazing. The family lives very traditionally and working with them every day was inceçredibly fun, rewarding, and educational.

This was such an amazing experience! It has been almost a year since I've been there yet I still think about the kids and the team. I enjoyed the playtime with the kids; being in the playground keeping the kids safe while ensuring they are having fun, taking them inside to serve them food, and bringing them to the next room for their nap. I really wish I could give more to them. I was glad to find out that because of this organization, the childcare was able to build a retention wall, it would be nice though if we were able to fundraise more and get a small portion that was left uncovered. Still, this was a great accomplishment to have something as large as that built. The staff is so caring and amazing, always going out of their way to show us around and taking us to places to eat. The home families were amazing! I had gotten sick and they took care of me, asked me questions all the time, and were very pleasant. I loved the experience and can't wait to go back.

Ecuador Volunteer is an organization that has many volunteering projects all around Ecuador. The projects adjust to the things you like and the things you wish to accomplish by helping other people.

I chose Santa Ana/Yaku Runa. It is an indigenous community in the Amazon jungle where you have many opportunities to develop a lot of different projects.

At the moment they are building eco-sustainable cabins to bring tourism to the community, allowing them to share their culture with other people and have an income to support their children's education and have a better life quality.

SANTA ANA

Every day is a different day in Santa Ana. You have a lot of freedom to decide what you want to do and where you want to help. You can join the people in the community with what they are doing or talk to them and start somewhere else where you can be more useful. You can also help the families in their everyday by bringing wood for the cooking, helping them in the "chakra" (farm), doing homework with the kids, helping around the house, among other things. They have many daily activities you can join after working on the project, you could go fishing at the river or swim in it with the kids, you can learn how to make traditional crafts or just talk to the local people (it's a great opportunity to practice spanish!).

The people in Santa Ana are very warm and welcoming with foreigners, they understand the cultural contrast and respect it, as they will expect the same. The are very sharing with everything they have (which is very little) and they always make you feel at home.

I've been there 3 times now. The first time I was there for 9 months! I had a wonderful time and learnt a lot. I helped them with everything I could and had a great time in Santa Ana.

For the time I was in the country Ecuador Volunteer always helped me. They gave me information about the country, the community, the people and other projects. They supported and encouraged me all the time with the work that I was doing. They were there for me and for every other volunteer. They are very kind and always make you feel welcome.

I would recommend volunteering in Ecuador with Ecuador Volunteer because they will make things easier. They will help you with your paperwork, with your stay, with your projects and many other things and you will always feel part of a big family with them.

Galapagos: The project of nature conservation, was an unforgettable experience. The house is in a unique place, environmental work are planting native trees, removing non-native vegetation, ... all in a heavenly place.
In the Andes, worked in Mindo, a biodiversity hotspot, where I applied my knowledge of international studies to improve the management plan.