Program Reviews

I had an absolutely incredible experience at El Terreno during my 6-week stay. I am so happy that I chose El Terreno as my final destination when I was looking for humanitarian work in Latin America. I loved the community, and the project was really well set up. I felt supported along the way and have learned so much about the community and about myself, both professionally and personally. Not only did I feel challenged, but I can say I’ve definitely developed some very important skills and got to see the impact the team and I made along the way. Joshua’s project is very interesting and inspiring. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who’s looking for meaningful work and some adventure along the way!

My ten months at El Terreno has been another deeply enriching and eye-opening experience in my life: one I can definitely call a whole 'chapter'. What stood out most to me was El Terreno’s commitment to working with the local community, rather than for it. It never felt externally driven or detached from the realities on the ground: "what you see, is what you get, and you have to work with that". I had a chance to engage with the local culture, reflect on different dimensions of development work, and grow both professionally and personally. While there are always areas to improve within organisations - particularly around project continuity and intercultural collaboration - I leave with a strong sense of appreciation and insight. El Terreno not only provided me with a valuable internship for my graduation semester, but it also - thanks to the community, Joshua, Karina, the animals, and all the wonderful people I met - turned my time in Ecuador into something much more: a place that felt like home.

I enjoyed my experience in Ecuador. My first big trip “alone”. People there were really nice, locals and other El Terreno members as well. The work was a good challenge for me. I hope that people will like the house when it will be done. The place is safe, the accommodations were better than I expected. The food was good, but I found it a bit repetitive. There are a lot of activities to do around. If I had the choice, I would have stayed longer. Thanks for Joshua, Karina and all the others for this unforgettable experience ! ¡Gracias y hasta luego!

I loved the days up at the school, getting to know the kids, chatting, playing, working on the garden together. I loved the days we spent walking around the land, identifying and mapping the ojos de agua. I loved all of the mingas. I loved being invited along to attend the meetings (even if I didn’t understand everything!). I loved being invited to join the disfile for carnaval with one of the families.

I loved how much I learnt! From Sebastian, not only about various farming techniques, native plants and trees, how the water supply works etc but also about cultura andina, traditional methods, beliefs, medicines and how integral it is to the communities. I learned so much from Joshua and Karina about life in Ecuador in general - politics, culture, places! From the communities about life in the Andes.

Seeing real progress. Although not complete, we planted in the garden and only had some parts left to finish. With the reforestation project, we mapped, observed whilst Sebastian coordinated where and when with the community and then planted in the minga!

I loved the structure of the project. Daily check ins were great to get energised, feel appreciation, check in with each other and to stay up to date about what everyone else was up to.

Delicious communal lunch was very much appreciated for the great food and social aspect also.

Quilico is perfect. Comfortable, beautiful surroundings, sociable. Great recommendations for local walks - the Komoot link was great! List of things to do on days off. Joshua also shared lots of info of things happening around Guaranda.

Volunteering with El Terreno and the Atandahua community was one of the most meaningful and beautiful experiences I’ve ever had. From the very beginning, I felt completely at home. The warmth, kindness and strength of the people there made it so easy to feel connected, like I belonged.

The children at the nursery are full of life, curiosity, and potential—and spending time with them was a true joy. What made this experience so special wasn’t just the work, but the relationships, the cultural connection and the sense of purpose I felt every single day.

Reconnecting with my roots in such a personal and heartfelt way is something I’ll always be grateful for. To anyone considering volunteering here: do it. You’ll be embraced by a community that stays with you long after you leave.

After my 8 weeks there, I left El Terreno with so much more knowledge, optimism, and confidence than I had arrived with. I was involved in a water and reforestation project, and got to work on all aspects of the project, from being out in the field planting trees to working with local engineers and experts on a research project. I got to learn so much from my mentors, Joshua, the local farmers and other interns, that I do feel like this a very one- of-a-kind experience. Joshua and the staff foster a very welcoming atmosphere, and if there is something you are interested in, they will do their best to help you explore it. I also appreciate how focused El Terreno is on ethical community involvement. You have the opportunity to work directly alongside locals, and you can really see how the work you're doing benefits the community.

I loved getting involved with the community. I loved the days up at the school, getting to know the kids, chatting, playing, working on the garden together. I loved the days we spent walking around the land, identifying and mapping the ojos de agua. I loved all of the mingas. I loved being invited along to attend the meetings (even if I didn’t understand everything!). I loved being invited to join the disfile for carnaval with one of the families.

I loved how much I learnt! From Sebastian, not only about various farming techniques, native plants and trees, how the water supply works etc but also about cultura andina, traditional methods, beliefs, medicines and how integral it is to the communities. I learned so much from Joshua and Karina about life in Ecuador in general - politics, culture, places! From the communities about life in the Andes.

Seeing real progress. Although not complete, we planted in the garden and only had some parts left to finish. With the reforestation project, we mapped, observed whilst Sebastian coordinated where and when with the community and then planted in the minga!

I loved the structure of the project. Daily check ins were great to get energised, feel appreciation, check in with each other and to stay up to date about what everyone else was up to.

Delicious communal lunch was very much appreciated for the great food and social aspect also.

Quilico is perfect. Comfortable, beautiful surroundings, sociable. Great recommendations for local walks - the Komoot link was great! List of things to do on days off. Joshua also shared lots of info of things happening around Guaranda.

Volunteering at El Terreno in Atandahua was a really great and meaningful experience. I joined a reforesting project, helping to give and plant trees to local communities. I learned a lot about how trees help bring back natural springs, and also improved my social and language skills. The volunteer team felt like a family, and the local people were super kind. El Terreno is a place where anyone can find a project that fits them, even without any experience. I really recommend it to anyone who wants to help and learn in a friendly and safe place.

When it comes to service projects, I’ve got high standards because I’ve worked professionally as a volunteer manager for the past 15 years. El Terreno exceeded my expectations. El Terreno doesn’t impose their ideals on the community, they build relationships with the local people and truly collaborate. As interns, we were folded into that process. We were given a lot of responsibility and worked hard, but had plenty of support. Being a family of three, with our 12 year old son, we were not the typical interns. Thanks to Joshua’s thoughtful attention and innovation, we were always engaged in meaningful work. I’ve worked on other volunteer projects that didn’t feel very inspiring or impactful. Not this one. It was unforgettable.

My internship at El Terreno lasted 1 month. This month I was part of the Water a d Reforestation project. It was great to help the community and immerse myself in this life completely different from the one I usually do in Italy. Joshua is an example of dedication to work and community and it was an inspiration to see him work for this project. During my internship I met fantastic people from all over the world, I left alone a little fearful but it only took me a few hours to feel at home. I think it's an experience that everyone should have at least once.