Sustainable Agroforestry in Indigenous Amazonian Communities

  Ecuador

• Quito: 
Quito
• All Other Regions of Ecuador: 
Tena,  Puyo

Term: Fall 
Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks

Description: We are looking for personally driven and independent interns who have interest in community development and environmental sustainability based on our "Market driven restoration" model.

Depending on the interns interests and skills, projects may include research task on agroforestry, environmental sustainability, community engagement, agroforestry work, contact support, and funding support.

Spanish is required.

Qualifications: Please inquire for more information.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Please inquire for more information.

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18-25

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Ecuador Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Phone Interview
• Written Application

Fundacion Runa's Mission Statement: In order to diversify incomes strategies for indigenous Amazonian communities and create economic incentives for sustainable management of natural resources, Fundacion Runa and Runa LLC (jointly referred to as Runa) are building a fair trade supply chain to commercialize a culturally, ecologically, and nationally important plant called guayusa (pronounced why-you-suh). To accomplish this mission, Runa helps build the productivity and profitability of agroforestry systems for small farmers, implementing an innovative model we call "Market Driven Restoration. This model generates income for the conservation of threatened Amazonian ecosystems and the sustainable development of local indigenous communities through the sale of non-traditional rainforest products. Our blended model is comprised of a Rhode Island-based LLC company in the United States and a not-for-profit Foundation in Ecuador, currently being registered through the Ministry of Agriculture. Runa LLC and Fundacion Runa work collaboratively as a unified whole to accomplish the same core mission, connecting producers and consumers as directly as possible.

Year Founded: 2009