Program Reviews

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.

Was very good experience in my life. i enyoded a lot. the people is very friendly and the children as well.i loved my host family ! very nice. i spent christmas with them :-P

I volunteered with Ecuador Volunteer a few years back, working in two different daycare centres for poor kids. We played with the kids, helped them with schoolwork and helped the daycare-centre staff with daily activities like eating lunch, teaching the kids to brush their teeth properly, etc. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Not only did I feel I could contribute to the kids wellbeing, they also gave me back lots of love. I was welcomed in Ecuador with open arms, the Ecuador Volunteer staff showed me around the city, introduced me to the social life, made me aware of the dangers and necessary precautions of living there, and remained helpful throughout my stay. I went back to Ecuador one year ago and was very pleased to see that the organisation was still very active and indeed growing, with lots of new and exciting programs. The continuity and enthusiasm of the staff and their being locals gives the programm the necessary consistency to guarantee high quality and impact. Personally, I find the development towards more projects dealing with construction and cleaning work very positive too, as these are projects with guaranteed impact.

Fue la experiencia mas increíble de mi vida. El soporte la organización que brinda la fundación es excelente. Los programas y lugares que conoces son mágicos. Felicito a la organización por su labor y el apoyo que brindan a las diferentes fundaciones. El interés y entusiasmo que ponen para ayudar a que este mundo sea un lugar mucho mejor el respeto a la vida animal y a las sociedades indígenas es increíble. Gracias!!!!

For a long time I had wanted to volunteer. When I finally took a semester off from my studies, I decided to search for volunteering opportunities. It was by coincidence I came by Ecuador Volunteer Foundation. I found their organization to be very interesting because of their programs with animals in the Amazon of Ecuador. I was so excited!

I maintaned contact with Ecuador Volunteer before I arrived the country. At the airport I was welcomed, and I got to stay with the beautiful family of Francisco, who is the founder and president of the Ecuador Volunteer foundation. They were so friendly, and very helpful with everything. I must admit that I grew very fond of them!

After about a week in Quito, I headed for the project site in the Amazon. I had decided to volunteer for an Animal Rescue Center there for three months. The center was located about 2 hours by bus from the town Tena, and then a 15 minutes canoe ride in the river. It is such a beautiful place, and the volunteer house - although it might look primitive - was right by the riverside. After some weeks, I was lucky to get the top room with a beautiful view of the river. It's so nice to sleep to the sound of the river, and wake up to squirrel monkies jumping on the roof and in the trees!

In the project, I worked ten hours, five days a week. I'll have to admit that it was very hard physical work at times, and also long hours. The daily activities consisted of feeding animals, washing and maintaining their cages and the center, and also providing guided tours throughout the center for tourists who arrived. The animals that were presented during the tour were those which would most possibly stay there for the rest of their lives, due to various causes. The center's main goal however, was to rescue animals who were ill, and get them well again in order to release them. These animals were not a part of the tour. This is what I liked most about the project, as I am very fond of animals and their well-being.

One of the highlights were watching the animals day after day, getting to know their different personalities - espacially the monkies! Furthermore, I gained many new friends there, and I will never forget the amazing moments that we have shared. In sum, the overall experience was and still is of great value to me. I learned a lot about myself, and others that has helped me broaden my perspective and understanding of life and others. I truly encourage everyone to volunteer!

Volunteering has been the best experience in my life so far. I got to fulfill one of my childhood dreams. For the longest time I didn´t imagined I would have the opportunity of living in the jungle, helping endengered species being the mom of a 1 month old monkey. But it really happened!

Working as volunteer made me realize the importance of ones life and what we decide to do with it. It brought me so much closer to my true self and to people otherwise I would have never met. Now they are one of my closest and dearest friends.

When you work, eat, play, chat and even sleep with the same people that share the same ideals as you do. Bonding happens really fast, they become your family and you truly care about each other. One year later we still miss each other, and of course the animals, the jungle and all the great pepole we met in Ecuador.

I will not lie living as a volunteer is hard physical and emoitonal work. You get up at 6 am in the morning and sometimes you don't stop until 9 or 10 pm. As great as it is to work side by side with other volunteers at times you can drive each other crazy.

Also finding out that you did your best but couldn't help and animal can be heart breaking but it also gives you the strenght to keep working to help others.

What I remember the most is those special songs, phrases we had as a group. How amazed I was being so close to the animals and how after a while they got used to me. And suddenly I also was used to having a charango and her baby stealing my soup or my food. But never stopped to amaze me the beauty and simplicity of it all.

I think the hardest part is coming back to your normal life. I miss the jungle, the animals, my friends so much that I wish I can still be back there. The thought that makes me happy is I'm sure I will do it again.

It all started when finally made up my mind to volunteer. Obviously I had no idea how to do it so I researched online and found Ecuador Volunteer.

One of my main concerns was what if something happens to me who is going to know, how will I get out of the jungle, how will I reach my family. So besides having the kind of program I wanted (animal rescue center) and affordable prices Ecuador Volunteer also offered me security and a guide thorugh this whole new experience.

I was received at the airport by Francisco, who was on top of everything. Francisco and his family really made me feel safe and welcome in Ecuador. Before we were send out into the jungle we were prepared for what we were going to face there and when the program was over we were once again welcomed by him and his family in Quito.

I belive that this made my stay so much better, and I'm so glad I met them. They are such amazing people and great friends. Thank you for everything and I hope we see each other soon.