The program takes place in different locations in Ecuador and most of the orphanages are managed and run by catholic nuns. The children end 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.

The children in the orphanages are from less than 1 year up to about 14 years old.

Volunteers are needed to help with the daily tasks in the different centers such as keeping an eye on the children, play with the children, help with homework, help with laundry, help with meals for the children .For example cooking and serving food , feeding smaller children, play games, dance, sing etc. Exactly what the volunteers do depends on a number of factors like if the children have school holyday or not, from project to project in general, what the volunteer can and feel comfortable to do, the age of the children etc.

In general the staff in the projects needs the volunteers as they in many cases are to few in the projects to actually spend enough time playing with the children but also it is fun for the children to see another adult from another country that maybe has some new games to teach them or just to be with as the children need love and affection.

Program Requirements

Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the beginning of the program. Volunteers need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Basic to intermediate Spanish recommended.

Project Location

The project is located in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

Airport Receive/ Transfer: Volunteers are picked up from the Quito International Airport by the local coordinator or representative. Those volunteers who are arriving overland or are already in Ecuador  will be picked up from the bus station or at a meeting point decided beforehand.

Orientation: A half day orientation will be provided by the local staff. Areas like culture, greetings, locations, transportation, safety and volunteer placements are given during the orientation. Volunteers are given a local tour of Quito city on the first day.

Lodging: Accommodation is provided with a local Ecuadorian host family. All volunteers are provided with separate rooms in most cases. However, in a some cases you would be sharing the room with a fellow volunteer. All host families are carefully selected and approved by the local staff and have past experience of hosting international volunteers. All accommodations have running water and electricity available.

Food:The host family provides two meals per day (lunch and dinner). Lunch and dinner will be rice, a bowl of soup, fried meat (chicken, beef. pork or fish) and a lot of vegetables. Ecuadorian food is light and healthy and is not very spicy and hot.

Insurance:All participants are covered for full comprehensive Travel and Medical insurance for their time of stay in our project. To view a copy of the Insurance Coverage provided, please click here

In – Country travel assistance: Volunteers are assisted by the local staff and coordinators for any kind of assistance they need for their travel arrangements.

In-country support: 24 hours support provided by our local staff. You will be provided with the contact details of the local coordinator and staff who will be contactable 24 hrs once you are in country.

Pre-departure information: After we receive full and final payment all participants are provided by a pre-departure information booklet which will have all vital information about your program. The Pre Departure Information Booklet provides the complete details of the country, project locations, Visas, Immunizations, Things to Pack list, Accommodations, Contact Information etc.

Start Dates
Volunteers can begin their project placement on any Monday of the month throughout the year.

Program Costs
Volunteering Solutions strives hard to keep costs low and offer you the lowest prices with professional services to volunteer abroad. Compare our prices and services to other organizations and you would be surprised to see the difference.