Preserve the Ancient Culture and Traditions in the Amazon
The Amazon rainforest contains great natural and cultural treasures. Now you can explore! You can feel the warmth and kindness of the Kichwa native families and know their lifestyle. As a fact, you will immerse yourself in an authentic cultural exchange and experience with them the teamwork from a different perspective. Moreover, you can support them in the development of the touristic community center that seeks to preserve the traditions while you will involve in their worldview and perception of time.
Volunteer Programs
Purpose
Working with members of the community in strengthening of the Community Resort is an experience out of this world. Our program focuses on helping the community to potentiate their natural wealth and cultural attractions, which will bring great benefits for local people because they can disseminate and promote their lifestyle, as well as their connection with nature. As a fact, people interested in the Amazon can understand the relationship of harmony and peace with the Pachamama (Mother Earth). In this way, we implement greater job opportunities and sources of income for the community, which prevent internal migration and the abandonment of their land and family.
Change
The participation of our volunteers has become a powerful tool for improving local infrastructure, caring of the endemic flora of the area and cultural integration, which contribute to the Amazonian communities. Moreover, it benefit to the volunteers who learn about indigenous culture, traditions, language and crafts. You will love to see how your ideas, suggestions and effort, favor a whole group of native families.
Action
Directly you will work with community leaders in areas related to community tourism, construction improvement of local infrastructure, identifying species of native plants and animals and trail maintenance. In addition, you can help in home gardens and participate in various activities related to local tourism, training and preparing community members in handling tourists, while you experience the adventure of living in the jungle.
Location
Pastaza , Ecuador
Pastaza is located four hours away from Quito City, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, this province is ideal for people that are looking for adventure and ethnicity, where everyone can feel the adrenaline of the jungle. This province is rich in culture, here you can find seven indigenous nationalities like Zapara, Andoa, Kichwa, Shuar, Achuar, Shiwiar and Waorani who try to preserve their ancient customs and to keep alive the traditional medicinal shamanic culture of the Amazon forest. The biodiversity of Pastaza is incredible, almost the 90% of the territory preserves primary forest for this reason many tourists come here to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and to have an encounter with exotic species.
Quick Facts
Official Language:
Spanish
Population:
15.8 millions
Capital:
Quito
Land Area:
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Currency:
US Dollar
Literacy Rate:
91.6%
Program Details
Program Details
Highlights
The program of cultural preservation and community tourism is one of the most important development alternatives for the community as well as for volunteers because it form deep bonds of multiculturalism with local families and increasing the quality of life by providing knowledge, resources and improvement of basic services. As a volunteer, you will learn about the local indigenous culture, traditions, language, lifestyle and customs that will motivate the community to value their identity. Learn more about the indigenous cultures of the Amazon! You can make the difference to stop internal migration of this town, as an effect of creating new opportunities for development.
A Day as a Volunteer
- 7:00 to 7:30 Traditional Amazonian breakfast
- 7:30 to 12:30 Volunteer work in agriculture with a native family
- 1:00 p.m. to 14:00 Traditional lunch
- 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Volunteer work in improving trails
- 17:00 to 18:00 Development of crafts
- 19:00 to 20:00 Dinner
Volunteer Activities
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Soil preparation
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Maintenance of botanical garden
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Maintenance of ecological trails
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Improving infrastructure
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Working with craftswomen
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Training for project members
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Support for gathering food and traditional fishing
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Rising anthropological data, for creating cultural information material
Accomodation
The project is located 45 minutes from Puyo city where is a volunteer house, in the style of traditional huts in the Amazon. The house is located within the project and an Amazonian native family who maintain traditional indigenous customs manages it. In fact, volunteers can live and assimilate the essence of their culture. This cottage sleeps up to six people in single beds; it has two floors and their respective nets. The roof was made by palm leaf and the infrastructure was made by wood. If there are more volunteers, the project provides two large tents with capacity for four people each. The property has no electricity and no running water; for that, reason volunteers work in water supply across the river when it is summer or capture rainwater through a large tank during the wintertime and thus use this natural resource for use of bathrooms and showers. Volunteers must adapt to live like the rest of the native family, using the bathroom that is located outside the cabin and taking the outdoor shower when water is elevated in the tank or otherwise in the river close to the project. There is no laundry service, so volunteers can wash their clothes in the river or take it to a laundry service in Puyo city.
Meals
Food is included during the participation of volunteers and it base on traditional dishes from the exotic Amazon using local products. The project has a traditional outdoor kitchen inside a hut. Cooking food takes place with firewood in ancestral style; women prepare food and use exotic products like the hearts of palm, guayusa and cassava. Mainly, diet bases on fish, chicken, eggs, vegetables, bananas, potatoes and herbal tea, which volunteers and families share at a communal table. Vegetarians can apply to the project, but we recommend buying your products and prepare your own meals diet with Amazon food. It is important to emphasize that for indigenous people the concept of vegetarian means only avoid eating red meat. In addition, we recommend boiling water and use water bottles for personal consumption.
What's Included
- Pre-arrival information and support
- Workshop to highlight aspects of the project
- Workshop orientation about safety, location and culture
- Coordination pick up service from the airport
- 24-hour emergency phone
- Long term experienced staff
- 24/7 in-country support
- Safe accommodations
- Accommodation and food
- Safe Projects
- Monitoring and regular check-ins during the volunteer program
- International phone call in EVF’s office
- Local phone calls from our office in Quito
- Certificate of Participation
What's Not Included
- International Airline tickets or fees related to travel
- Visa costs and expenses related to the necessary paper work
- Cost for Airport pick-up service
- Travel insurance
- Costs associated with vaccinations and personal medications
- Meals or food outside of the program
- Local transportation
- Expenses related with cultural and/or tourist activities
- Personal expenses / Items for personal
Dates & Costs
Length Of Participation
Stories
Durante nuestro apoyo en las zonas de intervención hemos creado lazos muy fuertes con cada uno de los miembros de los proyectos y las comunidades. Queremos compartir con ustedes algunas historias desde el campo de acción, que nos comparten algunas de las personas beneficiadas por nuestros programas de voluntariado y que hacen que trabajemos aún más fuerte por llevar soluciones de cambio.
“Walking means leaving footprints permeated with life.” That is how the conversation with Telmo, a 42 year old man of Shuar nationality, began in the middle of a narrow path in the Amazon jungle. The dew, the majestic exotic trees, the fallen leaves and warm smell of humidity accompanied our steps.
READ MORETestimonials
Volunteer Testimonials
Hola mi nombre es Griselda, y acabo de regresar de la Amazonía, con el proyecto de preservación cultural que ofrece la Fundación Ecuador Volunteer. Os quiero contar un poco cual ha sido mi experiencia empezando por la fundación que desde el primer momento me aconsejaron, me enseñaron y me explicaron detalladamente cada uno de los proyectos para que yo pueda escoger el que mejor se adaptase a mis necesidades. Una vez que me fui al proyecto, sin duda lo que más me gustó desde el minuto uno fue le sentirme parte de la comunidad indígena y vivir como ellos viven, compartir como trabajan, como se divierten, como cocinan, como charlan, en definitiva cualquier aspecto de su vida porque formas parte de ella. ¿Qué es lo que he aprendido de esta experiencia? Creo que lo que debo aquí señalar es una cura de humildad por que aprendes a vivir de una manera completamente diferente de lo que es tu día a día, entonces te abstraes por completo de lo que es tu vida normal para ir a otra realidad que es muy diferente pero ellos saben sacar lo mejor de sí mismos para compartirlo todo con el voluntario y dar lo mejor. Y sólo por esto que es de manera muy de resumida lo que puedo contarles, invito a todos a que probéis, a que vengáis a Ecuador, a que probéis las experiencias de voluntariado, la de preservación cultural como la mía o cualquier otra, y que luego hagáis un testimonial como este para que puedas compartirlo con otros voluntarios.
Mi voluntariado con Ecuador Volunteer ha sido, por el momento, la mejor experiencia de mi vida. Carolina y Francisco fueron los encargados de organizarlo todo a la perfección. Cuando llegué al proyecto en la Amazonía no me lo podía creer, el sitio era increíble. En medio de la selva amazónica, la familia que me acogió vive en casas de madera preciosas y la flora y la fauna que te rodean te dejan sin aliento. Además, la familia me acogió como si fuera una hija más. Me enseñaron sus tradiciones, me enseñaron a entender a las plantas, a los animales, sus leyendas…Todos los hijos tenían ganas de estar conmigo y yo aprendí muchísimo con ellos. La experiencia en Santa Ana me ha supuesto un cambio muy importante en vida. Entendí que las personas que vivimos en grandes urbes somos muy ignorantes en muchos aspectos y debemos ser conscientes de ello para así respetar más las diferentes tradiciones y costumbres. No paro de pensar en el momento de volver. ¡Se lo recomiendo a todo el mundo!
