Ecuador Program Director 2018

I served as a Program Director with Manna Project International from August 2018 to December 2018 at their Ecuador site. As a Program Director, I had the opportunity to lead several community programs including Kid's and Adult English and an English class for aspiring English teachers. I also worked at Manna's local community center and with several community partners, including a shelter for teenage mothers, a program for adults with disabilities, and a local university. One thing that I really loved about my experience with Manna is that I could tailor my experience based on my interests. I am very interested in education so that was the focus of most of my programs. However, other program directors did more health and economic development-based programs. I also helped with organizational roles within the non-profit, including running their social media pages and writing grants. These roles are great resume builders! I think that being a program director is a great post-grad experience- you get to experience another culture (and not just as a tourist- Manna really inserts you into their local community), learn/practice your Spanish, and have many invaluable professional development experiences. Also, the Manna staff was very supportive during my experience as a Program Director. Sometimes it can be difficult living and working in a foreign country, but the support I received from Manna helped me navigate these challenges. I really think the large support network you receive separates Manna from other similar programs.