Volunteer or intern in Ecuador's largest city to improve your Spanish, gain rewarding and practical experience, and immerse yourself in the local culture and environment.  Participants work in and around the community of Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador.  Set near the the Pacific Ocean on the Guayas River, Guayaquil has plenty to see and do.  Try a local ceviche dish and a wide variety of seafood cuisine at one of the many bars and restaurants in the surrounding areas. Stroll the Malecón (river walk), shop in the Mercado de Artesanía, dance the merengue and climb the steps in Las Peñas to see the lighthouse and a magnificent view of the city. 

Choose from a variety of placements, from practical and professional internships, to volunteerism aimed at assisting in community development.  Learn about Latin American and Ecuadorian culture by exploring the city and brushing up on your Spanish skills.  All participants receive Spanish language training during their program and previous language skills are not required to participate.  Whether enjoying the breath-taking vistas of the Andes Mountains, the serenity of the Guayas River, or the rhythm of Latin music, Ecuador is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Students will be housed with local families in Guayaquil in a single or shared room (with the same gender). Homestay families will provide most meals. Linens are provided. Each home is equipped with running water, electricity and indoor plumbing.

Volunteer placements are customized for the applicant and based on their interests and previous experience. The following are fields in which previous volunteers have been placed:

Placements are available in Social work, Senior Citizen Assistance, Orphanages, Elementary Education, Special Education, Health Education, Dance Education, Sports Education, Business, Marketing, Event Management, International Business, Recycling, Conservation Farm Work, Forestry Development, Urban Development, Architecture, Psychology, Arts and Crafts.

*Additional placements may be available

Banco Central: Sponsored by the Central Bank of Ecuador this foundation is set up to provide for the many children living on the streets of Guayaquil.

FUNDAR: Puyo is located on the Amazon plain 4 hours bus ride from Quito. The foundation is devoted to preserving local game and plants and keeping the indigenous culture alive.

Bosque Protegido Cerro Blanco: Sponsored by a cement company, this foundation’s objective is to preserve the local botanical species.

Casa del Hombre Doliente: This centre is devoted to elderly citizens where they get medical care, physical rehabilitation, counseling and legal aid.

Chamber of Commerce: The local Chamber of Commerce has a membership of approximately 10,000 members and marks the pulse of the business activities in a city of 2.6 M people. It is very active in sponsoring events of national and international reach in different areas, including management, government and leadership.

CORPEI: This project is designed to promote exports and investments of productive sectors, by offering high-quality technical services and enhancing the image and competitive development of Ecuador.

CRECER: This foundation invites the street children to come for half a day periods to get education, vocational training for those aged 14 and over, as well as a balanced diet and medical care.

Maruri Communications Group: It started as an advertising agency some 25 years ago and has grown to become a communications group with several divisions:

• Advertising
• Sports marketing
• Direct Marketing
• TV Commercial Production
• Public Relations

Escuela Nuevos Caminos: Not-for-profit co-ed school for special education. 45 children attend at the present time. The children are aged between 6 and 17. Escuela republica de panama: This is a public school located in an area for working people, which means below average in socio-economic status.

Fundacion Dominga Bocca: This is a small orphanage for girls. Funded by the alumni of a traditional Catholic school for girls Guayaquil, this orphanage provides basic physical, spiritual, and emotional care of young girls.

Fundacion Justo y Necesario: This is a charity designed to provide education and vocational training for abandoned children and those living in extreme poverty.

Fundacion Madre Teresa: Vocational training for adults with metal disabilities. Activities include basket weaving, ceramics, leather bracelets and recycling paper.

Fundacion Maria Droste: This foundation offers occupational training for women who have been abused or prostitutes who want to change their lifestyles.

Hogar Ines Chambers: Co-Ed centre for children of all ages, provides school for children K-6 and provides supported living until the age of 18. Volunteers can engage in numerous activities with the children including teaching English, daily care, sports and gym education, social work, gardening and building maintenance.

Ministerio de Bienestar Social: Baños is a highly picturesque town located at 3500 feet of altitude, on the eastern slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes. Known as the door to the Amazon, it faces the same problems other towns do with the elderly and the handicapped.

Hogar infanto-Juvenil for Boys: Home for boys, housing 35 at the current time. All of the children have intellectual handicaps. Past volunteers have offered reading programs, assisted in English courses, and assisted in daily chores and needs. There is also a need for help with speech therapy and assisting them with simple life adaptation.

Hogar Infanto-Juvenil for Girls: This orphanage provides basic physical, spiritual, and emotional care of young girls who have been physically and mentally abused or abandoned.

Malecón 2000: The Malecón 2000 Foundation is a non-politic, not for profit foundation, constituted and directed by representative members from the productive sectors of Guayaquil and the principal authorities of the city. It is an innovative incorporation famous for its architectural design and implementation of the Malecón River Walk in Guayaquil which is thought to be the most complete and modern center of urban recreation in the country.

Malecón del Salado: This is associated with the Malecón 2000 foundation. It is located on the estuary (salt water) and the idea is to start training elementary school children on the importance of recycling, waste management and global warming.

Proyecto Salado: Santay is an island that can be seen from the Riverside boardwalk and has been neglected for a long time. The city, through the foundation, wants to turn it into an ecological paradise where there will be no human population, except for those in charge, housed with a sanctuary for local bird and animal species.

FUVIRESE: The Fundacion Fuvirese is a non-profit organization in the Baños region of Central Ecuador. The foundation was established to help those of the area with physical and mental disabilities. Many of the people whom the foundation helps struggle with dyslexia and other forms of learning disabilities. Physiotherapy for physical rehabilitation and special education patients is also provided at this center.

In el Tambo: Located in the area with the highest concentration of indigenous population, Azogues is the marketplace and centre of services for a large surrounding population. Located in the southern section of the Andes, it has remains of the Inca invasion that took place in the 15th century. There are opportunities for interns and volunteers in community centers, bilingual education schools (Quechua and Spanish), special education schools and protected areas for the conservation of historical monuments.

Community Development Center, Day Care Center Elementary School: It is a poor area with limited educational facilities. In Manglaralto, there is a Day Care Center that is in need of volunteers and an elementary school (K-6) that has two teachers where additional help is needed.

Children International: This is an international non-profit foundation that provides assistance for over 20,000 children in the peripheries of Guayaquil. Their programs include construction of classrooms, libraries, communal water wells and home improvement.

Available throughout the year

• 2 weeks: $1,375
• 1 month: $1,975
• 2 months: $2,675

*cost may change at any time due to currency exchange

*Longer Placements Available

• Volunteer/Internship Placement
• Housing
• Most Meals
• Travel Insurance
• Support Services
• Airport Pickup
• Spanish Language Training

• Fill out the IEP Application and review information on the Apply page.
• Complete the IEP Pre-Placement Form
• Pay a $200 deposit to International Education Programs.

Send the above materials to:

International Education Programs
Jacksonville University
2800 University Blvd North
Gooding 105
Jacksonville, Florida 32211

To see what our alternative spring break participants do, visit the IEP Online Community.