Volunteer Abroad in Ecuador AMAZON Volunteering Education/Teaching Programs www.abroaderview.org

Volunteer Abroad in Amazon Ecuador: Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Abroad in Amazon Ecuador: The Ecuadorian Amazon region commonly known as "El Oriente" is formed by several sparsely populated provinces only about 5% of the countries population live in this vast area. This region covers more than two and a half million square miles, more than any other rainforest. The Amazon basin has more than one third of the earth's fresh water flows and hosts a huge biological diversity and many unique species. The Amazon is home to several indigenous ethnic groups and tribes who are still living traditionally, maintaining their distinct customs and traditions. The main cities located in this region include Puyo, Tena, Baeza, Banos, Zamora and Macas.

We offer teaching, animal welfare projects, indigenous community placements and healthcare opportunities throughout the Amazon regions.

With our volunteer program we allow you to discover the wonders of the Amazon rainforest, while doing meaningful community work.

This is a great opportunity to enhance your Spanish knowledge, live with the locals and realize one person can make a difference.

We offer the following programs in the Amazon Region:

Program Length : 2 - 12 weeks

Program Date: Flexible Start & End Date

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8 hour per day

Accommodations: Local homestay

Meals: Yes, 3 meals a day

Requirements: 18 years , Intermediate Spanish knowledge, an able body and caring spirit.

Animal Welfare:

Placements are available in wild-life refuge which receives animals that have been in captivity or have been sold illegally by animal traffickers. The main objective of this project is to rehabilitate the animals and reincorporate them back into their natural habitat. Volunteers will feed animals and clean and repair cages. In addition, they will help build new cages and improve existing facilities. Volunteers will ordinarily work about 8- 10 hours per day, depending on the projects they are involved in. Most refuge centers offer on-site shared volunteer accommodation, including meals. These accommodations typically have electricity and running water, and shared bathrooms. Proficiency in Spanish is highly recommended. *2 week minimum suggested.

Indigenous Community:

Live and work among the people of a multiethnic indigenous community with members of the Achuar, Kichwa, Shuar, and Zapara and Kichwa ethnicities. This community obtains their income from fishing, agriculture, hunting, and horticulture, combined with handicrafts, communitarian tourism, conservation and reforestation. Volunteers will be involved in a wide range of exciting activities including teaching English at the local school, working at the children's day care center, rain forest restoration projects, horticultural and fish farming projects and infrastructure construction projects including work on a Women's Center. This is a great opportunity to experience the life and culture of the local indigenous people. Volunteers live with a local host family in a shared room, all meals are provided by the host family. Proficiency is Spanish is required, as well as an adventurous spirit. *2 week minimum suggested.

Social Projects:

You can help children of scare economic resources who come from poor homes. In many cases they have been abandoned by their parents.

You can help them improve their living conditions, through support of the special center for children care. We offer volunteer placements in local day care centers and nurseries. Volunteers assist the local staff with the basic needs such as feeding, bathing and clothing, helping with homework, playing sports, as well arranges games and day trips with the kids. Teaching basic English, as well as manual labor (sweeping, painting, and gardening) may be involved. Intermediate Spanish is required, as well as a positive and flexible attitude.

Education/Vocational Projects:

These projects consist of helping children and young adults that live in indigenous communities and otherwise rural areas. Teaching English is an educational program designed to help children of poor families obtain their principal right to an education, which would otherwise be difficult to obtain. Also needed are teachers of music, art, ceramics, handcrafts, culinary and sports. We have placements available in local community schools assisting the local teacher. Intermediate Spanish is required, as well as a positive and flexible attitude

Healthcare Projects:

Volunteers are needed to work in community health centers, rural hospitals, maternity wards, centers of family planning, and other specific areas of medicine.

Needed are those professional or medical students specializing in cardiology, pediatrics, gynecology, dermatology, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and dental care.

Intermediate Spanish is required, as well as a positive and flexible attitude

Program Includes:

Accommodation with a local host family. All meals daily. Volunteers should arrive in Quito, where they will be met by our local Project Coordinators. They will provide program orientation briefing, city tour with lunch, and roundtrip bus tickets for your trip to the rural location. Volunteers travel independently to projects located outside of Quito. After arrival, the representative will introduce you to the host family and administrator of your volunteer program. Half day (4 hours) Spanish language lessons provided. The Project Coordinator in Quito is available 24/7 in case of emergency, health-related or otherwise. They can assist in arranging sightseeing excursion before, during or after the volunteer program.

Tel: 1-215-780-1845 / Toll Free: 1-866-423-3258 / Fax: 1-215-887-0915

volunteers@abroaderview.org - www.abroaderview.org