Orphanages
The program takes place in different locations in Ecuador and most of the orphanages are managed and run by catholic nuns. The children ends up in the orphanages for many different reasons and there are many sad stories involving drugs, abuse, alcohol, poverty and young girls that cant take care of a baby. The orphanages take care of the children in the best way they can by giving them food, education and a roof over their heads.
As the government don't give support the orphanages need to get contributions from private people of organizations to survive and the nuns do a tremendous job. They rely love the children and do whatever they can to give them a better chance in life.
As the adoption system in Ecuador only provides the corrupted with more money and don't give anything to the orphanages that takes care of the children its heard to find new families. If its not possible to replace the children with the parents they try to find relatives that can and want to take them in but it does not always work out.
The children are from less than 1 year up to about 14 years old but they don't all live in the orphanages as they sometimes helps other children in the area as well. Of those children some are from poor families in the neighborhood and they stay over the day to get lunch after school and help with their homework so the parents also can work. Other children they try to help if they can are children that lives in prison with their mother due to that the father might be gone and no other relative can take care of them so they have sometimes the chance to go to school and stay in the orphanage over the week days.
Depending on what needs to be done the volunteers might help with:
-Help the school-age children with their homework.
-Play games with children of all ages.
-Teach the children how to behave at mealtimes.
-Sing songs with the children.
-Help change diapers on the younger children.
-Help the younger children with their pre-school classes.
Getting there
Participants goes alone or with other participants but they will be taken to the bus station to make sure they get the right bus. On arrival the host family or somebody from the orphanage meets them at the bus station.
Travel time to the different cities are:
Esmeraldas - about 6 hours with night bus.
Cuenca - about 9 hours with night bus.
Ambato - about 3 hours.
Accommodation
Participants will live with a host family where they have a private room and a shared bathroom. They will have 3 meals and lunch can be ether with the family or at the orphanage. Depending on what family they stay with they will normally have 10 to 30 minuter walking or with bus to get to the orphanage.
Location
QuitoEsmeraldas
Cuenca
Ambato
Requirements
High beginner Spanish recommended.
Willingness to work with children.
Open-mindedness to living and working in a different culture.
