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.