Volunteer Abroad in Ecuador - 25 Social and Conservation Programs

Quito and Galapagos are almost like different countries! The people are incredibly friendly in both places, and in the Galapagos, I was not at all worried about theft or walking alone at night. We learned a lot about their struggles with invasive species, worked really hard in the fields and helping with their efforts to keep turtles in a safe environment but had a chance to explore the island every afternoon.

This was a great project for myself and my 14 year old daughter, who wants to become a veterinarian. The educational/experience value for her was tremendous. She really grew up a lot in 4 weeks.

The best leisure activity was the day-long trip around the Island of St Cristobal. We never needed to leave the island - 90% of the species in the Galapagos are there, including Blue-footed boobies and tortoises and many other birds. To see penguins and the lava tubes you would go to the islands but your choices are very long boat rides or flying, so we took day tours and snorkeled and saw everything I would want to see.

I would recommend volunteering with A Broader View because they offer a broad range of volunteering opportunities, not just all over Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands but all over the world. The US and Ecuador staff are all very knowledgeable and accommodating. They were very willing to work with us in constructing a program that worked for us given our tight timeframe (daughter, niece and me). Most of all we felt taken care of which is important when you are so far away from home in a foreign environment.
The children at the program were adorable and eager to work with us. We brought many English books translated into Spanish which they could not wait to get their hands on. Their enthusiasm was priceless.
Pack light versatile clothing and should include waterproof shoes and wind/rain jacket. Bring items you need like sunscreen, insect repellant, toiletries, anything else you may need from the states. The brands we are use to are not available in Ecuador and can be expensive. Bring a small laundry detergent so you can hand wash clothes. Clothing gets damp this time of year (August), so this will keep everything fresh.
This was a very nice experience to travel with my daughter and nice to volunteer abroad in Ecuador, I would recommend other families to do the same.

I was part of a host-family and shared an apartment with another ABV volunteer. All this was a bonus since I had my own space to write, yet when it came to family time, we were only one floor away from the warmth of a fabulous family. My host family took pride and leaving time aside to be with everyone together. Also, the host-family was very passionate with all the food they made. If you want to learn about the culture, food and traditions, please have a host-family in mind. The best part of this trip was helping all the children. I was inspired to see all the children so eager to learn and to see how passionate they were to hear what everyone had to say. Some children have to walk far, but they were there on time and eager to learn, I already miss them. The local Coordinator was very welcoming from day one. Coming to a new country can be very overwhelming, but any question or concern I had was answered. The support provided in-country was safe and very easy to use. Being around a big city like Quito takes a lot of patience and help.

I had researched several volunteer organizations before I decided on A Broader View. As I have run an international volunteer organization, I know what a good organization looks like. So, I was a "tough customer".

One of the beauties of A Broader View is that I was able to leave when I wanted; I wasn't tied to particular program dates. This was a distinct advantage for me. They also helped me get an extremely reasonable flight to Quito and very inexpensive travel insurance.

My volunteer jobs were wonderful. The first 6 weeks, I worked with 2-year-olds at a day care center in one of the poorest sections of the city. I am not going to tell you it was an easy transition. The poverty I had to pass every day, the conditions I saw, the real suffering of some of the children and families were all extremely difficult to assimilate. The differences between Euro-American and Ecuadorian cultures are not small. Yet, the children... oh, the children. They captured my heart. I'll never forget the day about 2 weeks after I started, and they were going down for their naps (the time I always left each day). I said goodbye to them as usual, and for the first time, 9 little hands waived from their beds and several voices were saying goodbye ("chao"). One little voice, said, "Chao, Burbuja!" They couldn't yet remember "Barbara", so they called me the closest thing they were familiar with, "bubble". From then on, I was putty in their hands...

I just want to reiterate that I cannot say enough about A Broader View. It is, at least in my experience, one of the best-run volunteer organizations I have ever come into contact with (and remember, I have worked in a few and run an international office of another). I don't believe I could have chosen a better organization or had a better experience.

Thank you to all of you at A Broader View.

A Broader View Volunteers helped me step outside of my comfort zone in every way, and I had the experience of a lifetime while I was working with this program. I used A Broader View Volunteers for my first international travel experience, and I have absolutely no regrets about using this program. I had an amazing volunteer experience, my hosts in both Quito and the Galapagos Islands felt like family to me, and I made some of the best friends I have ever had while working with this program. Traveling with A Broader View taught me a lot about international travel, and they also helped me to become immersed in Ecuadorian culture. I would definitely recommend A Broader View to anyone looking for a good international volunteer program.

I am so grateful for my experience in Ecuador. It was incredible, I have had the best 10 weeks. I am leaving with memories that I will never forget, friends from all around the world, and a second family to come home to one day. I cannot thank A Broader View enough!
The support in country was amazing. I lived with the in country coordinator, and she was the nicest woman I have ever met. She helped me every step of the way, with both the details of my program placement and the transition to living in another country.

This experience was a wonderful opportunity to greatly improve my spanish and also learn a lot about another culture. It definitely takes you out of your confort zone, but is well worth it. I will carry this experience with me for the rest of my life. I lived with a host family and with a few other volunteers. The house was very nice and all of the meals were home cooked and catered to dietary needs. I am a vegetarian and they were very good about making sure there was something for me to eat without making me feel like a burden. My favorite memory is swimming in a waterfall in the jungle. It was chilly, but I went with other volunteer and some other travelers we met that day. I never would have been able to meet those people or be in that place if I did not travel here with ABV. If you do not know any spanish at all it is possible to come. However, if you have time before coming it is a good idea to take some sort of basic lessons or use an application. It really enriches the experience if you are better able to communicate with everyone. The immersion will really help with learning spanish no matter what level you have at arrival. The local coordinator was amazing and provided complete support. The coordinator really goes above what is expected. She helped us figure out the best form of transportation to various weekend destinations. She even came with us on one weekend trip. She also makes sure to ask often how the project is going and will talk to the director of the program if there is a problem.

I truly had a great experience while in Ecuador. I love everything about the family, the culture, the country, and the city, and I am very sad to leave. I hope I can return some day to volunteer and/or live here, because it has been a great experience. It’s great to see how your efforts volunteering can make such a difference in others’ lives, and how far your support can extend. 

Accommodation was great. Each volunteer has their own room, the apartment has internet and wifi access, and the meals and security were great. I never felt unsafe for one minute while in Ecuador. The food is all natural and fresh and the fruit is incredible. I am definitely going to miss the fruit and the daily soups at lunch the most!
. The family is some of the most caring, kind, and genuine people I have ever met. They truly make you feel that their home is yours, and they are willing to do everything possible to make you happy and comfortable. It has been a blessing getting to know this wonderful family and I am sad to leave them. I hope to return some day! Laura and family were always willing to do whatever needed to be done to make sure the project runs smoothly and happily.

Even though I had checked the weather, I wasn’t prepared for the climate. It gets really cold at night. I would have bought more long sleeve shirts and less short sleeve shirts, because it gets to almost freezing temperatures at night.