ELEP: Ecuador Volunteer Work - Ecuador Volunteer Orphanages, Street Children, Child Day Care

  Ecuador

• Quito: 
Quito
• Galapagos Islands: 
Galapagos Islands
• All Other Regions of Ecuador: 
Guayaquil,  Cuenca,  Ibarra,  Ambato,  Latacunga,  Otavalo,  Puerto Lopez

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: All year-round

Description: Orphanage

Working in an orphanage is probably one of the toughest and most rewarding things that you can do. As a care volunteer working with children in orphanages in Ecuador, you will be involved in the day-to-day running of an orphanage and would be helping the kids to learn life-skills that parents would normally teach. The orphanages take care of the children in the best way they can by giving them food, education and a roof over their heads.

The program takes place in different locations across Ecuador and most of the orphanages are managed and run by catholic nuns. Each orphanage houses between 40 or more abandoned and unwanted children. Children are from less than 1 year up to about 14 years old. The children thrive on the attention and love our volunteers can share with them. Living with just the basic necessities, and few toys, these children also only have a limited staff to care for them. ELEP is in great need of volunteers who are willing to share their time, efforts, personal skills and (most importantly) love for the good and betterment of these children.

Street Children

One of the major social problems Ecuador has is irresponsible parenting. Many children are born to families that lack the minimum conditions to provide for their well-being. For this reason, many children have to go to the streets to sell, beg, and somehow make extra money for the family income. In other cases, children are mistreated and they run away from their homes or are abandoned by their parents and in order to survive, children have to work in the streets.

The purpose of this project is to help these children that are forced to live in the dangerous streets every day and that have no conscious of their rights as children.

The children of Ecuador and their families need the support of volunteers as many are living in extreme poverty. By working with the children and their families the aim of the project is to alleviate this poverty and help them to make a better future for themselves.

Day Care Center / Care Homes

Living and volunteering in Ecuador, you could help enrich the lives of Ecuadorian needy people by sharing your skills, your worth and your time. This project is aimed at giving children from low income backgrounds, poor homes and different difficulties (children victims of domestic violence, abandoned, mistreated and children have to work in the streets, etc.) a chance to experience a better standard of living. As a volunteer you will become directly involved in the daily lives of these children, becoming an integral part of the solution and help improve the quality of life of these children. Volunteering in a care centre, you will be working with children of different ages.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Depending on your own skills and interests, you are free to help the children with daily care, feeding, playing, education and helping with their homework, read stories, teach songs, clothing, change diapers, help them with their wash, and take them for outings, assisting the local staff with repairs and upkeep the facilities, spend quality time with the children, etc.

Highlights:
- Cheap and affordable volunteer opportunities
- Emphasis on quality program and not on quantity
- Inside perspective on Ecuador
- The opportunity to meet a lot of local residents and become friends for their whole life
- The opportunity to share and spend quality time with underprivileged and needed people

Qualifications:
No specific qualifications are required to join our children welfare. However, interested individuals should have a passion and eagerness to help underprivileged children. Volunteers should have a basic understanding of the Spanish language in order to effectively work within these children centers

Cost in US$: Very affordable

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Ecuador Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 3 or more

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

ELEP - Experiential Learning Ecuadorian Programs's Mission Statement: Our mission is to promote international understanding through educational and cultural exchange between Ecuador (Latin-American) and the rest of the world, to help people to gain hands-on practical experience, acquire knowledge and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world, accomplishing these goals through our Volunteer, Internship and Spanish Study Programs. Therefore, ELEP's commitment is to contribute to intercultural and learning experience opportunities and development of the people, companies, organizations and communities through our programs

Year Founded: 1999