Work In an Orphanage Project in Ecuador

Project At A Glance Location: Quito Start Point: Quito End Point: Quito International Airport Duration: 2-12 Weeks Hours: 20-30 Hours per week Food: Local meals 3 times a day Room: Host family or hostel Date: First and Third Monday of each month

Project Summary

Growing poverty, lack of education and limited governmental support exacerbate the present problem of street children and orphans in Ecuador. There are numerous orphans in areas all around Ecuador – including major cities such as Quito. Many organizations have established a number of orphanages throughout Ecuador - realizing the help and support required to address this problem. The majority of orphanages in Ecuador strive to offer shelter/homes, education and a caring atmosphere for these multiplying orphans.

IFRE is in great need of Ecuador orphanage project volunteers who are willing to share their time, efforts and personal skills and (most importantly) love for the good and betterment of these children. Depending on individual skills and interests, volunteers may act as mentors and companions, helping children with their homework and teaching English, but your love and support are the most important elements for these disadvantaged children. Many volunteers joining orphanage Ecuador program as life changing and rewarding. This is the perfect project if you want to serve humanity or share your love, passion and time with children deprived of their parents’ love and care.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

Beginner to intermediate knowledge of Spanish is preferred, but not required. If you cannot speak Spanish, we suggest you enroll in our Spanish language course to make your stay more rewarding – both for you and for the children you are helping. There are no specific qualifications needed to join IFRE's volunteer orphanage project in Ecuador. However, volunteers are expected to be flexible and patient, as well as possess a passion and love for orphans.

Volunteer Responsibilities

In IFRE's Orphanage Project in Ecuador, volunteers will assist orphaned children in various ways – teaching English and/or Spanish, organizing games, assisting the orphanages' staff in feeding and caring for these orphans or simply being a positive companion. Volunteers also help in the developing creative programs such as art, music, dance and even recreational activities such as various sports. Additional assistance is needed for planning of day trips, education on issues of personal hygiene, cooking and meal preparation as well as helping with various administrative duties.

Room/Food/Supervision

IFRE manages living accommodations and food in Ecuador. Our project volunteers stay with carefully selected host families. All volunteers receive three (3) meals a day. Prepared meals are typical of the Ecuadorian diet. Occasionally, if volunteers are away from their host families during lunch, they may be required to pack their own 'to go' lunches, with food the host family provides. Your host family is responsible for preparing three meals for you each day. If traditional Ecuadorian fare doesn’t appeal to you, you are welcome to buy your own food and prepare it yourself. The simple rule is to please not use the family’s food for your own use. If you have other needs for food outside of these meals, you are able to purchase snacks and meals at local restaurants and grocery stores. You will be sharing the house, kitchen and bathrooms with the family members. You will have the ability to do your laundry in the house or the host family may offer to do it for you.

Host family residences are simple and clean. Generally, our Ecuadorian host families are respected members of their communities and they live in well-off neighborhoods. Most of our host families are experienced with hosting international volunteers. Rooms may be shared with another same gender volunteer. Bathrooms are shared with the family. Toilets are ‘Western style’, yet often there is not always hot running water. Throughout the volunteer project, our local staff stays in contact with volunteers with either face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. With longer placements, we visit our volunteers every 2 weeks (when possible) and volunteers are always welcome at the local office. If project placement is local, we request that volunteers stop by the office once a week to keep us posted on how they are doing with their home stay and project. If project placement is very far, then our local staff members maintain communication by either email and/or phone.