Social work indigenous people - South America

ISINLIVI PROJECT

This project is located in the village of Isinlivi, by bus about 4 hours from Quito and 2 hours from Latacunga. The village is located at 2900 m and the climate is moderate. The nights are fresh. This school needs volunteers to help and assist the teachers who are often teaching big classes by themselves. Besides this there is nobody in the village who speaks English or knows anything about computers. The hostel is making a restart and there is still a lot of work to be done to arrange it nicely, and we would also like to do self-guided hikes in the area to promote tourism in the village.

Project Description

This project in Isinlivi consists of working at the local primary school or the local high school and helping out in Hostel Llullu Llama. In Isinlivi live about 200 people and at the local primary school there are about 118 children from communities around Isinlivi and the village itself. At the high school there are about 144 children and they come from far away to attend school. Classes are given in the morning from 7:25-12:30 so these hours will be spent at the local school. You will assist the local teachers with for example English classes, computer tasks, informatics, Mathematics, Geography, and other subjects you might be good at yourself. In the afternoon you will need time to prepare next day’s classes and you can help out at Hostel Llullu Llama. At the hostel you can help with cooking, you can make descriptions for hikes, help in the garden, help with painting, making signpost, and all other things that might occur.

Volunteer Work Activities:

• Teaching English, Mathematics, computer skills, etc. in the elementary school or high school.
• Helping at the Hostel Llullu Llama with cooking, gardening, building trails, guiding, etc.

Services Close to the Project

Volunteers can make local calls in the village, and they can make international calls in Sigchos. Volunteers can be called in the hostel as well. There is internet in the hostel and in Sigchos. There are no restaurants in the village. There is a health centre in Isinlivi, an Italian doctor that comes one week a month, a doctor in Sigchos (half an hour drive) and an Italian hospital in Zumbahua. There is also a state hospital in Latacunga (2 hours drive). The hostel has private transport in case of emergency.

Accommodation

The hostel where volunteers will stay is located 2 blocks away from the elementary school and a ten minute walk from the high school. You will receive three meals a day in the hostel and there are vegetarian options. You will share a room in the hostel with other volunteers.

What does the Volunteer need to bring?

• batteries/ matches
• raincoat
• hiking boots
• shampoo, sunblock, first aid kit
• ecofriendly soap (wash clothes)
• sandals
• warm jumper/ fleece
• long sleeves shirts, and t-shirts in colors like brown, green, blue, or beige
• warm sweaters for evenings
• lots of socks
• camera-binoculars
• earplugs if a light sleeper
• books
• sweets, chocolates, any other home comforts
• books for teaching English (people who are interested in)

Work Schedule

Volunteers will work from 7:30 to 12:30 in the elementary school, or from 7:30 to 13:20 in the high school and will spend the afternoon in hostel.

Duration

There is a minimum duration of 1 month in the project. There is no maximum amount of time that one can spend in the project.

Free Time

Volunteers can go on hikes in the area, visit the local markets on Sunday or Monday, and there are possibilities to join tours if there are direct clients. They can also spend their free time playing soccer or volleyball, and they can visit the view point. They also have the opportunity to visit a few attractions close to that area such as the cloud forest, Paramo, and Toachi Canyon.

Requirements

There are no specific requirements to participate in this project and experience is not necessary, but volunteers do have to show a lot of initiative and enthusiasm to work with children.
An intermediate level of Spanish is required. If the volunteer is not at this level, Ecuador Volunteer could help him/her to find the best program to improve their abilities in Spanish before starting the project.