Vereinigung Junger Freiwilliger

INTEGRA ECUADOR

PROJECT: COMUNIDADES ANDINAS

Profile:

. Function: Help to education in schools.
. Status: Volunteer.
. Place: Indigenous Communities, provinces of Pichincha and Cayambe, Ecuador.
. Term of assignment: 3 months minimum - maximum 1 year.
. Start of assignment: September 2009.
. Costs: To contribute an only donation of $200 to the Foundation.
. Language: Spanish

BASICS:

Centralization and associated urbanization is considered to be a
general trend in certain towns and cities in Ecuador. The reason
for this phenomenon is the search for better educational
opportunities as well as better job opportunities in the cities,
caused by substandard education in their rural, marginalized
communities, placed in sectors apart from the society. As a
result of this, many young people are forced to cover long
distances each day or to settle in the city to go to the schools &
universities.

This process leads to the loss of indigenous culture and its
values: the strong unity with the community, the relations with
nature, rituals and tradition; on the other hand, a concentration
in the cities causes the overpopulation, where community
emigrants start to live the harsh reality of that such as:
criminality, insecurity, anonymity, environmental pollution,
separation from nature and the individualism.

At the same time, instead of a symbiosis of different cultures and ways of live, it is observed an increasing separation of
society. Where one the most important factors that explain this phenomenon is the different access to education.

We know that, Education is the base of freedom and autonomous decision - making. Education not only covers
knowledge, but also the appreciation for the culture and the individual personality. And that it is the basic condition for
autonomous development.

But as we said before, communities are limited by basic conditions in the primary schools because of different factors:
lack of teachers, material and facilities, and also, in general, the education is not the most suitable to the realities and
necessities of the communities.

Throughout the volunteer support we want to reduce these educational limitations in the communities. A helping hand is
a very important support to teachers that work alone in schools with more than 30 pupils. At the same time, there is an
important & reciprocal intercultural exchange between international volunteers and the community, both enrich one to
another, and to know other cultures promote the understanding of different ways of life, as well as the appreciation of
the values of each culture.

PROJECT AIMS:

. To help communities with educational and social deficiencies.
. To give an alternative to the traditional education in that communities.
. To improve the communities quality of life.

WHERE THE PROJECTS ARE CARRIED OUT:

The different communities are small villages that are
located in rural regions in the Andean mountains. The
communities are located from 2400 to 3500 metres
high approximately, that’s why the locations are very
cold. As being isolated from the densely – populated
areas, the surroundings keep a unique & beautiful
nature.

The communities don’t have basic services as internet
or land line (but they have mobile phones), and in
some of them they don’t have drinking water. The
distance to the major towns is usually from 30 to 45
minutes by car depending on the community.
Volunteers do the volunteering work in these
indigenous communities, taking part in the communitarian life.

WORK:

Volunteer main activity is to give an active support to the
schools, becoming an additional teacher for children from
6 to 12 years old.

Work in the schools depends as much on the individual
profile, ability, knowledge and preferences of the
volunteer as it does on the needs of the school. The main
necessity is English language & also another subjects or
activities that can be creative, sports, ecological, etc. We
expect volunteer initiative.

Classes usually are from 8h00 to 13h00. In the afternoon,
volunteer have free time to take part in projects, to
participate actively in the community or whatever they prefer to do.

During all the period of volunteering work, integration into the community is a very important process to the community
in the same way as to the volunteer.

In some communities, we are starting to support the schools beginning for young people from 12 years old to High
School, and we will need, as well, the volunteers support.

LENGTH OF TIME:

3 – 12 months.

School classes start in the month of September and finish in
June. The best is to have volunteer help during all academic
year.

FOOD & ACCOMODATION:

Volunteers live in communities in accommodations that the community chooses for them, namely: families or in the
school facilities (mainly in these ones). Community would help them with basic food in accordance with the community
situation. Main food: potato, rice, barley, corn, broad & black beans and meat.

LANGUAGE

Spanish is the main language in the communities. Some communities are bilingual but they speak an indigenous
language, Quechua, apart from Spanish. So that’s why it is necessary that volunteers speak Spanish to communicate and
to teach pupils in school. Apart from Spanish, volunteers must know English to teach it in the school (very basic
knowledge is necessary).

If you have a basic knowledge of Spanish, and you would like to take a Spanish course we can help you to arrange
it.

logo
REQUIREMENTS:

All people that would like to do volunteering work must meet the following requirements:

. To be over 18 years old.
. A good level of Spanish and English speaking.
. To be in good physical & mental conditions.
. To volunteer for at least 3 months.
. To have a medical insurance for Ecuador.
. To have all the legal documents in order (passport, visa)
. To meet the requirements of the Volunteer profile.
. To contribute an only donation of $200 to the Foundation.