Rural Women Empowerment and Agriculture Program in the Andes
If you like to learn about culture, agriculture, ancestral traditions and self-sustainable production of indigenous communities in the Andes, this program gives you the opportunity to live it intensely with the association of community women. The project is located in Cariacu and La Chimba communities. Thus, you will know in detail the current operation of farms and daily you will share with people the fight to obtain 100% organic and healthier products.
Volunteer Programs
Purpose
Offering support for women of the communities in their agricultural enterprises is more than simple help in the reality, it is a huge change that influence on all people in the community. For this reason, volunteers should work hand in hand in each of the fields, combining traditional farming practices with new techniques of organic farming, producing healthier food while establishing an ecological balance to protect soil fertility and thus you should promote a solidarity network of women to create sustainable agro business, which works as a base of families.
Change
The participation of our volunteers has become a powerful tool for the empowerment of women in the rural zones of Ecuador, the restoration of their farmlands allow to the local families to improve the quality of life of their members.
When you work with rural women you can understand how they make essential contributions to the rural economy, gender inequality still exists when it comes to political and productive decision making in these areas, due to machismo and the patriarchal culture. For this reason our volunteers will be working to build positive influence for change, looking for new strategies for them to have access to resources that will enable these women to become self sufficient entrepreneurs in agriculture, promoting optimal agricultural practices, for example the production of and use of composting and other organic fertilizers. These practices and resources will improve the land; contribute to economic growth, assure the future availability of food and a sustainable development of the community.
Action
Volunteers will enjoy a beautiful experience in the Andean valleys surrounded by majestic mountains and glaciers where participants will learn to cultivate their own vegetables, help in soil irrigation, prepare manure, work on crop rotation to improve the land, collect seeds and build nursery. All these activities will be part of your program so you can transmit your knowledge to other peasant families in the area.
Location
Cayambe , Ecuador
Cayambe is a canton in the northeast of the province of Pichincha, in northern Ecuador, the countryside area of Cayambe is surrounded by flower plantations, farms and many indigenous communities as Cariacu and La Chimba located at 3000 meters (9900 feet) at the foot of the glaciated Cayambe Volcano about 2 hours north of Quito and borders the high alpine grasslands. These communities are a towns of around 400 families located in a fertile valley of Cayambe, named after Ecuador’s nearby third highest mountain; the area contains three urban counties and five rural ones. The population lives by farming and raising dairy cows, with fields surrounded by mud walls planted with agave.
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
Making volunteering in an indigenous community in the Andes, allows you to learn about the cultural aspects of the native people of this town. Closely working with entrepreneurs women who are trying to raise their families through the recovery of their lands , all surrounded by beautiful scenery in the middle of mountains and glaciers. In other words, it is the best way to change the lives of local families, creating empowerment of rural women and helping them improve their self-esteem. We invite you to be part of this process of transformation and to discover the charms of the Andes by building new opportunities for indigenous areas.
A Day as a Volunteer
- 7:00 to 7:30 Traditional breakfast
- 7:30 to 12:30 Volunteer work in agriculture
- 1:00 p.m. to 14:00 Traditional lunch
- 14:00 to 16:00 Local enterprise Support
- 16:00 to 18:00 Cultural Activities
- 19:00 to 20:00 Dinner
Volunteer Activities
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Support in maintaining family gardens
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Work on monitoring and care of farm animals
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Soil preparation
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Working in organic farming techniques
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Preparation of compost
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Support for rural women in productive enterprises
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Construction of infrastructure for animals
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Improvement of nurseries
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Support in the daily chores of local families
Accomodation
The housing system in the indigenous community opens doors to live an amazing experience where you can share with an Indigenous family tradition, customs and styles of life typical of the Andes. Volunteers stay in separate rooms located a few meters from the house of the host family where live the local coordinator and an indigenous leader who are charismatic, kindness and full of energy. The hosting infrastructure for volunteers is made of concrete and has 5 comfortable shared rooms with total capacity for 18 people, bunk beds come equipped with pillows, sheets, blankets and bedspreads. Each room has a private bathroom and cleaning is in charge of volunteers. There is no laundry with machines, so volunteers can wash your clothes by hand in the washing stone located few meters from the rooms.
Meals
The program includes three meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner, so while you participate as a volunteer, you will not be worried about food. The food in the rural areas of the Ecuadorian Andes is based on products of the area. Volunteers will discover new flavors and traditional dishes that are part of the essence of their culture because food is different, the use of herbal tea, empanadas, coladas, soups, corn, vegetables, potatoes, eggs, bananas, beans, chicken taste different and have a lot of energy and nutrients. So, do not be surprised with hearty breakfast with local products that generally are not used to, but certainly is the best way to discover something different.
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
