Projects

We run our own programs and we also co-operate with other institutions devoted to social work in Quito and Cuenca City. Volunteers can work in the following areas. It is not possible to allocate specific projects before arrival in Quito as it is important to see the projects before choosing one you feel secure in, although you may state a preference before coming.

Below we list the areas that you can choose to work in and a brief description of your main responsibilities. However, bearing in mind that your personal skills are important, what is paramount is your devotion to the poor based on your common sense and heart.

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.

-Assisting in health care at public hospitals (Please see “Health Projects” section).

-Assisting in social work, human services
You will deal with poor children only, who need care in a variety of ways; you will provide basic assistance in feeding, playing with, dressing, washing the children etc. in one of a range of institutions.

-Assisting with ceramics, bakery, woodwork, and metallurgy.
Volunteers with specific skills can work in retention centres for youngsters training the detainees in workshops. We particularly look for volunteers with vocational skills.

-Assisting with street children outreach.
In this role you would work in centres created to provide a place for street kids to relax, do homework, play games, take food, and to socialise. You would be involved in assisting in these activities. These children spend much of their day on the streets in Quito selling sweets, cigarettes, lottery tickets, etc and welcome a friendly face in a safe environment.

-Assisting in orphanages or in home/day care centres.
This role involves general day-care and teaching of the children. Day-care involves feeding, playing, dressing and washing the children.
(We would encourage this position for long-term volunteers as the kids get highly attached to the volunteers and feel a sense of abandonment again when they leave.)

-Assisting in special centres for Down syndrome and disabled children.
Volunteers working in clinics help care for the children in a number of ways. Specific to this work is to make them feel secure and happy while re-affirming the therapies provided for them by the centre. These children are always in need of new stimulating activities.

-Assisting in retention centres for youth.
We need here a number of types of volunteers: teachers of vocational skills, psychological assistance, English teaching and coaching sports. You must bear in mind the this is one of our more difficult projects and requires a certain level of experience.

-Teaching English, sciences, computing, sports, music and arts in general
Whether certified or not, you can teach the above subjects in English at basic levels in a variety of locations. (Please remember that schools in Quito are closed from mid July to early October.)

Most of the projects are located in the old town of Quito, which is a colonial part of the city; other projects are at the outskirts of the city, that is, at its northern and southern part of Quito where the poor neighborhoods are mostly allocated.

In Cuenca, projects are also located in the colonial part of this city. It is a city also of colonial type with immense beauty declared by the United Nations as Patrimony of Humanity like Quito and Galapagos Islands.

Projects located in this beautiful city offers youths aged 8 to 18 years, workshops in a number of different art works and helps the children to commercialise these products. Under specific programmes we also co-operate in this city with two grammar / primary schools for poor children.