Youth Empowerment and Microenterprises in Ecuador

Learning through knowledge of other cultures is invaluable, the recognition that the land we live in is in crisis is inevitable and the small steps we can take to seek a better future are right in front of us.

The culture of the Ecuadorian Coast gives an endless number of new places, far from each other but with a clear theme to think about and is; What are we doing to save our land and ourselves? What can we change in our daily lives? How are we protecting the animals and species that inhabit the planet, such as sea turtles or whales?

This experience was beautiful not because of the landscapes you can find, but because of the questions you can ask yourself and the answers you find in the middle of a farm or in front of the immense sea, seeing the beauty of a giant whale near the boat you are in or exploring the islands where the whales and sea lions are, as well as trying different kinds of food, without the need to use foods based on animal protein.

We can all do something small to change the course of our resources and take care of our planet.

The province of Manabi where la Costa Program mainly takes place has been hit by El Nino natural phenomenon in 2008, which affected the communities greatly. El Nino produced massive rainfalls and this led to landslides due to the deforestation that had being going on for decades. Many community-based environmental organizations formed and reforestation initiatives arose. In 2016 the province also suffered from an earthquake and since then there were different movements to support natural construction with bamboo, for being earthquake resistance and sustainable, as well as typical from the area. This context makes this region a great place to learn about climate change, and how communities overcome natural disasters.
At this project volunteers stay in a permaculture farm, and visit 2 other farms. With all of these experiences, volunteers get exposed to permaculture, organic agriculture, sustainable cattle ranching, natural construction and so on.
In this program volunteers interact and work hand in hand with several youth led organizations that are working towards various environmental initiatives, such as beach clean ups, turtle conservation, the study of the tropical dry forest, etc.
We also get to do a lot of fun stuff like chocolate making, handicrafts, salsa dancing and nice hikes
We ended this trip with a renewed sense of possibility…possibility to live an alternative lifestyle that is in harmony with nature, and therefore can assure our own survival through generations.

Creating connections with international volunteers, living in eco-friendly hostels, cleaning beaches, improving leadership, visiting natural reserves, admiring Ecuador's biodiversity were any of the activities that as an AMIGOS volunteer I consider I've lived during this experience. I was one of the 15 volunteers that participated in the AMIGOS' program called La Costa here in Ecuador; what I could say about this program is that terms such as climate change and environmental conservancy were present during our trip of three weeks across the Ecuadorian coast. We lived amazing experiences visiting places surrounded by nature. We helped in the conservancy of beaches, water sources, and mangroves. I'm extremely sure that the rest of the volunteers improved their Spanish skills as I did with my English skills as a native Spanish speaker. Also, the experience was about created connections between local communities and people from this beautiful country filled with magic places and natural beauty that inspires love in everyone who visits it.

I absolutely loved this program. My Spanish improved dramatically and I had an experience unlike anything I've ever done. Living with Ecuadorians (some of whom were my age), I got to learn a ton about Ecuadorian politics, culture, and language. We lived/helped on two different farms over the course of the trip, so I got to live within really special communities. The second farm was run by 3 amazing indigenous women who participated in our discussions and taught us about their history/traditions/language (Kichwa classes were SO cool). I did this in 2021, so the program was very COVID-conscious, and all of the volunteers (American and Ecuadorian kids) lived together in a pod with a few staff members. Because we were all together, when we weren't working on the farm or climbing mountains, we got to have really deep and enlightening conversations about societal/political issues, in the US, in Ecuador, and globally - with people weighing in with perspectives from all over the US and Ecuador! Overall, this was an amazing way for me to expand my own perspective by experiencing a culture/language in a respectful, culturally-sensitive way.

I did Amigos as a high school student in 1986 & 1987. My teenage son went to Chimborazo in the summer of 2018. I can speak to being both a volunteer as well as a parent, and I can confidently say that Amigos is a life changing experience. I like to say that my son came home with his eyes wide open. He was fully immersed in a new culture. He lead town hall meetings (in Spanish!!). He formed relationships with his host family that he continues to maintain. He became more independent, more confident and more engaged. No cell phones for 7-weeks, he came home well read and well rested. His love of reading returned as he
swapped novels with other volunteers over the summer.

I am so excited to have this shared experience with my son. There is nothing else like it!

I was a volunteer on the 2016 Chimborazo, Ecuador project. It was the first year that AMIGOS had operated in Chimborazo, and regardless, I had an amazing experience.
Throughout the entire summer, I felt safe and supported by my project staff, who worked hard to ensure that us participants had positive experiences. Not only did I have a supportive team of project staff, but I also had an incredible host family who was willing to help me through any issues that may arise. I lived with them in a small community at about 12,500 feet, where a typical day consisted of working with my host family in the garden, playing games with local children and youth, walking to the local store or $0.10 ice cream, and working to plan a new community store.
Since my participation, I have become active with AMIGOS as a trainer because my experience was that impactful. I developed leadership skills, gained independence, improved my Spanish, and learned about myself. I would highly recommend an AMIGOS program to any high school or college student eager to learn more about a new culture and get out of their comfort zones. It is important to note, however, that AMIGOS is probably not a good match for young people looking for a touristy trip, as AMIGOS focuses much more on cultural immersion than anything else.

I recently came back from AMIGOS this August. I was completely impacted by this program, in a good way. I have never felt so safe and at peace then I was with this program. I had this most amazing experience and would do it a thousand times more if I had the chance to. It really does help you find yourself and really makes you value your life back home. I think everyone should try this out, I guarantee you wouldn't regret it.

As volunteers, we'd wake up around 8 am and walk to a different house each day for breakfast lunch and dinner. The whole community knew that we were present and were very welcoming. The kids were extremely enthusiastic to play and work with us. Difficulties we had were just communicating with the president of the town to gather the materials we needed for the community project, but it worked out in the end. We had a rocky living situation in the beginning but that was also fixed after the first week. Overall, it was a great experience. The community was very welcoming, the town and scenery were beautiful and we had healthy meals throughout the whole trip.