Ecuador community projects
| country: | Ecuador |
| departures: | 2008: 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 3 Nov, 15 Nov, 17 Nov, 1 Dec, 6 Dec, 15 Dec, 20 Dec |
| price: | From £1005 (4 weeks) - £1700 (16 weeks) excluding flights. We can offer advice on booking flights. 40 hours of one-to-one Spanish lessons £100, 2 day adventure activity £60. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Volunteers who join this programme are able to escape the fast and often saturated life of Quito, the capital, and immerse themselves in the Andean Indigenous culture in and around the beautiful market town of Otavalo, two hours from the capital in the Imbabura province in the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes.
Living in Otavalo, famous for its textile trade and surrounded by white-tipped volcanoes and lakes, allows Volunteers to learn or improve their Spanish, while travelling to nearby rural mountain areas for their project work. The tour organisation, along with leaders of the indigenous communities, are developing educational programmes.
These are developed to assist children and adults who otherwise would not have the opportunity of a formal education or who need educational reinforcement. Included in the fee is a US$100 donation per volunteer, who can decide for themselves where it should be spent.
Volunteers have the option to take their own class, or assist other Volunteers and the local teacher until they feel they could take their own class. Each class size can range from 5-15 children, depending on the collective ability or the attention needed by the children. Lessons range from basic literacy and numbers to educational reinforcement, help with homework and English, games, sports and other activities.
Forty hours of one on one Spanish classes (based on skill level) can be added at a small cost and are highly recommended for those Volunteers with no previous Spanish experience or those who want to brush up on their Spanish language!
At weekends, there are various excursions organised at a small cost, including the Cuicocha volcanic lake and the Lakes at Mojanda, a trip to Mitad del Mundo (the equator), a half day bike trek around Otavalo and a hike to the Peguche waterfall, along the Hatumyacu river.
Project Skills Required:
No formal teacher-training is required as each Volunteer will be supported by project managers, existing Volunteers, as well as a formal local teacher for the first few days. Volunteers should be enthusiastic, happy to work with children, be reasonably fit, prepared to travel daily in a pickup and to work in basic conditions.
Location:
Nestling high in the Andes, a few hours from Ecuador's capital city, volunteers stay in the town of Otavalo. This market town is famous for its handicraft market and indigenous Andean community and is a popular destination for visitors to the country. The town has many amenities including the Spanish school, internet, bars and restaurants. Volunteers work within communities about a one hour pickup ride up from Otavalo up in the mountains. The communities themselves are all about a one hour pickup ride up from Otavalo up into the mountains.
The drop-off point in the community of Urcusiqui is about a half hour pickup ride up from Otavalo up into the mountains; a short hike and bike ride or pickup is required to reach the other communities.
Field Conditions:
Living with local families in Otavalo in comfortable accommodation allows for an enriching cultural experience and the valuable opportunity to practice Spanish! You will have your own private room, hot water and three meals a day will be provided. The food is very typical of the area, and is varied, including meats, plenty of vegetables and fruits. Vegetarians are also well catered for.
Duration: Minimum 4 weeks (recommended 6 weeks if taking Spanish)
Group size: Up to six volunteers per community project
Living in Otavalo, famous for its textile trade and surrounded by white-tipped volcanoes and lakes, allows Volunteers to learn or improve their Spanish, while travelling to nearby rural mountain areas for their project work. The tour organisation, along with leaders of the indigenous communities, are developing educational programmes.
These are developed to assist children and adults who otherwise would not have the opportunity of a formal education or who need educational reinforcement. Included in the fee is a US$100 donation per volunteer, who can decide for themselves where it should be spent.
Volunteers have the option to take their own class, or assist other Volunteers and the local teacher until they feel they could take their own class. Each class size can range from 5-15 children, depending on the collective ability or the attention needed by the children. Lessons range from basic literacy and numbers to educational reinforcement, help with homework and English, games, sports and other activities.
Forty hours of one on one Spanish classes (based on skill level) can be added at a small cost and are highly recommended for those Volunteers with no previous Spanish experience or those who want to brush up on their Spanish language!
At weekends, there are various excursions organised at a small cost, including the Cuicocha volcanic lake and the Lakes at Mojanda, a trip to Mitad del Mundo (the equator), a half day bike trek around Otavalo and a hike to the Peguche waterfall, along the Hatumyacu river.
Project Skills Required:
No formal teacher-training is required as each Volunteer will be supported by project managers, existing Volunteers, as well as a formal local teacher for the first few days. Volunteers should be enthusiastic, happy to work with children, be reasonably fit, prepared to travel daily in a pickup and to work in basic conditions.
Location:
Nestling high in the Andes, a few hours from Ecuador's capital city, volunteers stay in the town of Otavalo. This market town is famous for its handicraft market and indigenous Andean community and is a popular destination for visitors to the country. The town has many amenities including the Spanish school, internet, bars and restaurants. Volunteers work within communities about a one hour pickup ride up from Otavalo up in the mountains. The communities themselves are all about a one hour pickup ride up from Otavalo up into the mountains.
The drop-off point in the community of Urcusiqui is about a half hour pickup ride up from Otavalo up into the mountains; a short hike and bike ride or pickup is required to reach the other communities.
Field Conditions:
Living with local families in Otavalo in comfortable accommodation allows for an enriching cultural experience and the valuable opportunity to practice Spanish! You will have your own private room, hot water and three meals a day will be provided. The food is very typical of the area, and is varied, including meats, plenty of vegetables and fruits. Vegetarians are also well catered for.
Duration: Minimum 4 weeks (recommended 6 weeks if taking Spanish)
Group size: Up to six volunteers per community project
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
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The Indigenous in Ecuador make up 40% of the population, many living off just $1 a day or less. This project works with the full support of indigenous leaders, to encourage and improve levels of education and literacy in three communities around Otavalo, a busy market town set in the Andes two hours north of the capital, Quito. Each community has a population of between 150-200, whose dwellings are scattered around the mountainside. Their first language is Kichwa (or Quichua) but they do speak Spanish as a second language.
One of the most immediate problems facing the Indigenous in these areas is the lack of money for education to buy even the basic school supplies and the distances each child has to travel (by foot) to reach the school. Many children have experienced little formal education. Due to lack of educational attention, plus financial constraints, illiteracy rates are high in the region for both adults and children. Volunteers will be teaching alongside the local teacher and on their own, we can group the children by age and grade, thus paying closer attention to the children. Coupled with paying for the school supplies, it is hoped that more children will attend and will receive the attention needed for their standard of education to improve. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |