UBELONG education project in Quito

I would highly recommend UBELONG to anyone looking to volunteer abroad. What originally attracted me to the organization was the affordability of their programs. However, not only was my project affordable, but the UBELONG staff was also awesome at helping me get ready to go, supporting me during my program, and debriefing with me when I returned to the U.S.

In Quito, I was a volunteer with UBECI, a local organization that works with impoverished children in the public markets around the city. UBECI's goal is to help the children they work with to enter into the public school system and maintain their grades in order to be able to stay in school. I thought that the UBECI staff was great to work with, and I really liked being able to play with and teach children every day.

I also lived with a host family while I was there. It seems like UBELONG does a good deal of research of the local organizations that they partner with, especially in terms of the accomodations of the volunteers. I was extrememly comfortbale living in Quito, and getting to know my host family was a great experience.