Our
Volunteer Programmes are possible thanks
to the participation of many exciting organizations concerned
especially with health. We cooperate with hospitals, clinics and
centers devoted to disabled, mentally retarded and Down Syndrome
affected children of very low or no economic resources. Although
we are a small organization, having no secretaries or support
staff, we are happy for the substantial work we have done over
the years thanks to the heart of our volunteers from all over
the world!

Premed Students, Catie Swendiman from California and Michelle Rhoney from Oregon, at the Volunteering Ecuador Headquarters
We have to emphasize that our organisation does not offer any placement to volunteer as professionals; this is a specially true in the health sector.
Young
girls students of pharmacy at the University
of Manchester, Katherine Blackledge and Laurita Masrland volunteering at a public hospital devoted to poor
and ill little ones in Quito.
Dr.
Teodore Chen MD and Susane Koller both from Switzerland working
with preventive medicine at a community centre in a poor neighbourhood
in Quito. Dr. Chen, a former Director of the Department of Nuclear
Medicine of a Hospital in Germany, and his assistant, did an enormous
volunteer work benefiting the health of hundreds of poor little
ones in Quito. Further more, Dr. Chen also donated computers for
disabled children. Susane also worked as a sports coach at a primary
school with 1,000 students. Our ever lasting gratitude!
An outstandingly heartfelt gesture, from those volunteers who
would like to do more than his/her volunteer work, is to contribute
funds for the health care of sick children, usually those abandoned
at the gates of hospitals. These funds are normally collected
in the volunteers' home country thanks to his/her fundraising
efforts and contacts.
These
contributions are devoted to medical treatment, surgeries (especially
open heart operations) and/or for the provision of medicines and
necessary equipment and prosthetics. This is only possible for
those children who are gravely ill or handicapped, whose parents
have no economic resources at all. With more reason when an ill
child is an abandoned one.
The
salient aspect is that the Volunteering Ecuador (VE) does not
receive money as donations, not even to hand it over. The VE provides
the involved volunteer with information regarding the diagnosis,
prescriptions, and medical exams and alike. The volunteer meets
the child and his/her family (if she/he has one), talks to the
physicians and decides whether to assist economically or not.
If his/her conclusion is positive, the volunteer contributes either
by covering totally or partially the medical costs involved, or
by themselves acquiring medicines, equipment, etc. and delivering
them directly to the hands of the most appropriate person at the
hospital or elsewhere.
These
funds are never used for covering doctors' fees or honoraries.
Usually in these cases, sometimes specifically upon the request
of VE, medical doctors do not charge. Finally, the VE produces
a certification of these donations and sends copies of all documents
involved to the volunteer as well as to the donors overseas, expressing
the VE everlasting thanks and recognition.
We
have had some remarkable experiences of this sort thanks to the
additional effort of some of our volunteers.
Michael Bernhard from Germany, a fine physiotherapist,
provided assistance to about 200 handicapped children at various
public centres of physiotherapy along the country. He also produced
conferences and practical training on related techniques to a
number of parents and colleagues. Moreover, Michael collected
form his relatives and friends at his town in Germany enough funds
for two open heart surgeries in addition of medicines for various
sick children and acquiring minor equipment for an infantile street
vendors centre. Our heart is with him.
Manuelita Inauen, from Switzerland, working at a day care in San Miguel,
a village in the outskirts of Quito. She was also appointed God
Mother of the child Oliver Carrion. Part of her registration fee
was devoted to an open-heart surgery. Her relatives and friends
at Geneva contributed with gifts for the children at the hospital.
Our thanks.
Pascal Baillod, from Switzerland, a young
bio-engineer, a PhD Candidate volunteered at an 1200 students
primary school; taught basic sciences. Pascal and his parents
and friends contributed funds for the open-heart surgery of the
child Javier Perez, a pupil at this school. Pascal also coordinated
actions on behalf of the VE at the children's hospital. Our everlasting
thanks.