Street Children Volunteer Program Ecuador - Quito

For Volunteers in Animal Rescue Project

Upon arrival in Quito, volunteers are provided accommodation for a night at a hostel centrally located in Quito. After transfer to the project in Puyo, volunteers are accommodated onsite in shared cabanas.

The volunteer cabañas at the Animal Rescue Center offer dorm-style rooms that can accommodate up to 17 people. You'll have access to shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, along with a social area featuring a TV, DVD player, hammocks, and a selection of books. The accommodation is simple yet comfortable, creating a communal atmosphere among volunteers.

Meals are provided to the volunteers at the project site.

For Volunteers in Quito

Participants are provided dorm style accommodation in a centrally located hostel. Meals are not included in Quito programs.

Volunteers typically work for around 5-6 hours in a day. Depending on the workload every day, working hours can vary. Evenings are free for the volunteers and volunteers usually get together and go out for social gatherings, eat out or just relax at the hostel. Quito offers a number of activities and attractions for the discerning travelers. Quito is surrounded by Cotopaxi volcano and Pichincha, Antizana, Cayambe volcanoes that make the Andean contour. Full of churches and majestic architecture and exquisite fine dining experiences, walking tour in this beautiful city is not enough. 

For volunteers in Puyo, there are plenty of enjoyable activities to do after their service hours. They can relax in a hammock with a book, play board or card games, or take a short trip into Puyo, which is just 15 minutes away by car. For more adventurous options, Baños is about 1 hour and 20 minutes away by bus and is a popular tourist town known for its thermal baths, lively nightlife, canopy tours, mountain biking, waterfalls, rafting, and canyoning—all set near the active Tungurahua volcano. Volunteers can also visit the jungle town of Tena, around 2 hours away, for an unforgettable Amazon adventure or guided jungle tour.

Volunteers in Quito and Puyo need to cover for personal expenses, return drop to the airport. For participants in Quito, meals are not included in the fee so you need to cover for that.

We encourage volunteers to get in touch with former Volunteering Solutions Tanzania program participants and also other program participants joining our projects. You are recommended to join the Volunteering Solutions Facebook Page or Facebook Group and connect with other participants and our team.
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit,  Meet a Volunteer section on our website. 

We can only provide contact details for former volunteers who have consented to having their data shared. However, there is a Facebook group for past and current volunteers which you are welcome to join. There are also hundreds of reviews online from our former volunteers as well as social media posts on Instagram, TikTok and our You Tube Channel.

The best thing to do is join our Facebook group and put up a post detailing your start date, that way you can connect directly with other volunteers joining at the same time as you. 

Citizens of over 90 countries — including the UK, USA, Canada, EU nations, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Latin America — can enter Ecuador visa-free for up to 90 days.

The best airlines to fly to Quito, Ecuador (UIO) depend on where you are traveling from, but several carriers consistently offer reliable and convenient routes. From Europe, KLM is the top choice as it provides the only direct flight to Quito from Amsterdam, while Iberia and Air Europa offer good one-stop options via Madrid. Travelers from the UK typically connect through Europe or the United States, with KLM, Iberia, and Air Europa being the most seamless choices, alongside American Airlines, United, or Delta through major U.S. hubs. From the United States, the most dependable airlines with direct flights to Quito are American Airlines from Miami, United from Houston, Delta from Atlanta, and LATAM from Miami. Canadian travelers can reach Quito via U.S. connections with American or United. Within South America, LATAM, Avianca, and Copa Airlines provide strong regional networks that connect smoothly to Quito. Overall, KLM, Iberia, American, United, Delta, and LATAM stand out as the most recommended airlines for comfort, reliability, and ease of connection.

All volunteers need to arrive in Quito on the mentioned program arrival date, which is usually a Saturday.Volunteers are picked up from the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) by a representative. You will be transferred to the hostel accommodation in Quito on that day. The next day, those participants going to Puyo are given an induction and dropped off to the bus station for transfer to Puyo.Those participants who will be doing the program in Quito itself will be given induction and taken to the project the next day.

Quito and Puyo are generally safe destinations, but each comes with different considerations for travelers. Quito, as a large capital city, has more issues with petty crime such as pickpocketing and bag snatching, especially in busy tourist areas and on public transport, so visitors should stay alert, keep valuables out of sight, use registered or app-based taxis, and avoid walking alone at night in quieter neighborhoods. Puyo, on the edge of the Amazon, has a more relaxed small-town atmosphere with lower crime rates, and most risks there relate to outdoor activities rather than urban safety; basic precautions like securing belongings, being cautious at night, and following the advice of local guides during rainforest excursions help ensure a smooth visit. Overall, both places are safe for travelers who take sensible, common-sense precautions.

We recommend you to consult your physician or travel doctor before traveling to Ecuador. Yellow Fever Vaccine: Required only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic (e.g., Brazil, Colombia, Peru, parts of Africa).Not required when flying directly from Europe, North America, the UK, Australia, or most Asian countries.

The following vaccinations are recommended for travelers going to Ecuador.

• Yellow Fever
• Hepatitis A and B
• Typhoid
• Tetanus (Recommended for Puyo project volunteers)

The necessary requirements to participate in the Ecuador volunteer projects are as follows:-

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old at the time of joining the program, be in good health, and need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment, and should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.

Spanish is the official language in Ecuador and knowledge of Spanish language would be helpful for you to communicate with the project staff and children.For volunteers working in the project in Quito, it is recommended to have some knowledge of Spanish. If you do not have any knowledge of Spanish, we recommend you to consider volunteering in the animal rescue project in Puyo instead. That would be more suitable.

Volunteering Solutions offers programs in Quito and Puyo. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is a vibrant city nestled high in the Andes at over 2,800 meters above sea level. Known for its stunning colonial architecture, the city’s historic center is one of the largest and best-preserved in South America and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quito blends old-world charm with modern energy—narrow cobblestone streets, grand plazas, and ornate churches are complemented by contemporary neighborhoods, lively cafés, and breathtaking viewpoints like El Panecillo and TelefériQo. Surrounded by dramatic mountain landscapes, Quito offers a rich cultural experience and serves as a gateway to both the Andes highlands and the Amazon Basin.

Puyo is a welcoming rainforest city located on the edge of the Ecuadorian Amazon. With a warm, humid climate and lush green surroundings, it’s a hub for eco-adventures and indigenous cultural experiences. Travelers come to Puyo for jungle trekking, wildlife encounters, waterfall hikes, and visits to local Kichwa communities. The city itself has a relaxed atmosphere, with markets, riverside parks, and viewpoints offering scenic looks over the vast Amazon canopy. Puyo acts as an ideal starting point for exploring deeper into the rainforest while still providing the conveniences of a small urban center.

You can book your slot by filling the online application form and pay the application fee. You can pay your program fee later and also, in installments, however,  the complete payment should be made 45 days prior the start of the program.  If you are volunteering in a group, you can also fill a group application form. The initial application fee is refunded in the unlikely event that we’re not able to offer you a place on the program, and you have the flexibility to request a change of start date up until the 45 day payment deadline (this is subject to availability for other dates). 

As we have limited spots available in our programs and we follow the first come first serve basis, it is recommended that potential volunteers book their programs well in advance to get confirmed placements. You can book your slot by filling the application form online and pay the application fee. You can pay your program fee later and also, in installments, however,  the complete payment should be made 45 days prior the start of the program.  If you are volunteering in a group, you can also fill a group application form.

Yes! On our application form you can detail the name of the friend(s) or partner you are applying with. You will be placed in the same project and accommodation and in the same dorm (subject to restrictions regarding male and female dorms). There is also the option of a private room upgrade in the volunteer house, subject to availability and the relevant upgrade fee. Please enquire with our team regarding prices and availability. 

We will refund your application fee if the program isn’t available after you have applied. 

After you complete your application, your personalised ‘My Account’ will be active.You will need to upload your CV/Resume along with your photo in the same. Our backend team and the placement site takes around 10-12 days to review your application. After we review your CV and documents, your booking is confirmed and booking confirmation is updated in your ‘My Account’. Approval of your application depends on your qualification and eligibility criteria for each project as well as availability in the program.

If you are planning to come for multiple programs in your trip, you will have to pay the application fees just once. Your application fee is valid for a year's time (from the date of application). You will not have to pay the application fees again if you come within the mentioned time frame.For our returning volunteers, $50 discount is provided for the application fee for their next Vol Sol program. 

For individual volunteers:

You will arrive on the same start date as other volunteers joining at the same time and will be part of a cohort for your program. This means you’ll share the same orientation day, accommodation, and overall experience; a great way to meet new people and make friends from around the world. The best time to join if you want to meet lots of other volunteers is July and August as these are the most popular months.

For groups:
If you already have a group, we also accept applications from university and college groups, high school groups, corporate teams, families, and groups of friends. Your group can fill in our Group Application Form, providing details such as the number of participants, preferred duration, budget, and destination.We take special care in providing your group with a placement that best suits your goals, and we can customise your itinerary to ensure you get exactly the experience you’re looking for. For groups of five or more, we can even design special group programs that combine meaningful volunteer work with cultural immersion and travel opportunities.All our programs, whether individual or group, are designed to be safe, affordable, and rewarding, offering every volunteer a memorable and impactful experience.

Yes, we will provide you with the Certificate after successful completion of your program. The certificate is provided on request.