Kaya Volunteering for Educational Projects in Ecuador

  Ecuador

• All Other Regions of Ecuador: 
Guayaquil

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: Every Monday

Description: Kaya provides many English teaching placements but we also provide alternative education programs such as working with blind, deaf and children with Down syndrome. Education for these minority groups is poor and they are in great need of outside help. Be ready for minimal teaching aids and know now that you will be the main teaching resource. It is a great opportunity for the children to learn from a native speaker and hear the correct pronunciation, and all you need is a good level of English to participate in many of the placements.

Rural Indigenous Education in Ecuador

Give disadvantaged adults and children a better chance at well-paying work and good educational opportunities, by teaching in a number of programs designed to supplement the poor quality of education in the region.

Located in the southern section of the Andes, in an area with the highest concentration of indigenous population, Azogues is the marketplace and center of services for a large surrounding population. There are opportunities for volunteers in community centers, bilingual education schools (Quechua and Spanish), special education schools, and protected areas for the conservation of historical monuments.

In this community, education is implemented at a slow pace. It is within this array of social assistance programs that volunteers work. The region has remains of the Inca invasion that took place in the 15th century and other historical and natural points of interest, so it is a natural spot for tourism. The region receives many visitors because of the local attractions, friendly people and the welcoming way of life. Helping the local residents to get a better education and teaching them ways to responsibly sustain a tourism industry are two key goals to this program.

Youth Education Program in Ecuador

Support a fantastic center that provides safe haven, schooling and counseling to at-risk children. A co-ed center for children of all ages, it acts as a secure home until the age of 18. The center lives on donations and the administration is in the hands of a group of volunteers. The center has room for 125, but due to insufficient funds, only a fraction of that number live there now. It is state funded and is open to children in the surrounding areas.

Vocational Education for Children in Ecuador

Provide guidance and mentoring to children who are living in extreme poverty, who have been abandoned by their families, or both. This project provides education, vocational training, nutritional/dietary information and health care to the children, including regular medical check-ups and vaccinations.

Highlights: Nowhere else on earth will you find so much natural diversity - and all the fun that accompanies it - in such a small country. In one day's drive you can journey from the Amazon Basin across glaciated Andean volcanoes, down through tropical cloud forest and arrive at a seaside village on the Pacific coast, where the water is warm.

Traditionally the impoverished have resided in rural areas but with rapid urbanization over the last 25 years, the urban population in poverty has risen from 1.5 million to around 3.5 million. Some of the characteristics of poverty in urban and rural areas are low educational achievement, informal sector employment, and rented, instead of owned, housing.

Mount Chimborazo:
Mount Chimborazo is an inactive volcano and is the highest peak in Ecuador at 20,565 ft. It is also the farthest point on the planet from the Earth's core. It is a day's climb to the summit from base camp and the awesome towering ice-capped peak is a major incentive to reach the summit.

Paragliding in the Andes:
View the spectacular views of the Ecuadorian Andes through the thrilling experience of paragliding. Carry out a tandem flight and no experience is required. The best places to paraglide are Crucita beach, Pichincha Mountains and the cliffs above Canoa.

Andean Biking:
Ecuador is a premier mountain biking destination with its diversity of biking terrain and scenery. From Quito there are a number of rides ranging from snow-capped Andean volcanoes, cloud forests and jungle upon hundreds of miles of traffic-free trails.

There are great projects doing great work but with more funds and staff so much more could be done. You can offer so many things to Ecuadorians. Volunteers can engage in numerous activities with the men, women and children.

Qualifications: Experience and passion for working in the community and interacting with the people are needed. Participants must also possess enthusiasm and a willingness to learn about the environment and the place's culture.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: A Kaya volunteer shows enthusiasm, spirit and life to stimulate and bring something new to the residents; love, patience and a listening ear for the people; and a good motivator with a positive and optimistic attitude.

Age Range: Must be more than 18 years old

This Program is open to 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

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Kaya Responsible Travel's Mission Statement: Kaya's mission is to promote sustainable social, environmental and economic development, empower communities and cultivate educated, compassionate global citizens through responsible travel.

Year Founded: 2008