Independent volunteer foundation in Salasaca, Ecuador, since 1997
OUR PROJECT
Thank you for your application. The foundation would be glad to have you at SUMAK KAWSAY YACHAY! (Beautiful life with education!). The project has had many volunteers over the years who have contributed in different ways to the development of the proyect.
The foundation started in 1997 at the time of Katitawa school opened to the kids. The project has been adapted to the possibilities and new needs of Salasaca for the last years. The purpose of this volunteer program is a mutual learning: the volunteers and people from Salasaca. The mission is to educate Salasaca’s kids and adults.
TASKS
Nowadays, the activities (click for more information), that the foundation is carrying out, are explained below:
- Teaching English in a building of the city center, which is called “Robert Jeffords school”. English classes are from Monday to Thursday and the schedule is from 3 pm to 7 pm. Students are divided by hour: from 3 pm to 4 pm there are kids that are from 6 to 11 years old, from 4 pm to 5 pm there are kids that are from 11 to 15 years old, from 5 pm to 6 pm there are teenagers and from 6 pm to 7 pm there are adults. The quantity of students that come to the English lessons changes every day, but it is expected from 5 to 20 students every hour. English classes are dynamic, students pay attention and they show interest in learning. This task includes preparing the English classes and cleaning the classroom.
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- Working in Pachamama’s garden. In the house, there are two large gardens where we garden in the mornings. This tasks is supervised by Francisca, who helps volunteers and teaches volunteers. Specific tasks are hinder weed, plant and harvest. Plants that are sown depending on the taste of volunteers and they usually are: zucchinis, peppers, potatoes, corn, onions, carrots, pees, chochos, broccolis and chards. These vegetables are used by the volunteers living at Pachamama. Therefore, it is great if volunteers bring seeds to plant and to have a wide variety of plants in the garden.
- Every week, there is one morning when Pachamama is cleaned. That is to say that volunteers clean in depth communal areas like kitchen, living room, communal bathrooms, terraces and their bedrooms. If you use the kitchen, you have to clean it right away. Moreover, it is asked that volunteers clean their bedrooms and remove their sheets before leaving.
- Volunteers help in constructions site when there are social work or community work in progress. It is an intermittent task. If you are keen on carrying it out, ask us beforehand. Recently, volunteers have been working in the construction of a house for a widow women with three kids and one grandson.
- Volunteers, that stay for at least one month, are welcomed to do classes in their mother tongues. Salasaca’s people are quite interested in learning French and German. It is an optional activity, in which the foundation will take care of logistics and organization.
- Helping updating the foundation’s social media. It consists in taking pictures and post in Instagram and Facebook.
The foundation offers a position as coordinator of volunteers helping Micaela and Francisca. This position is addressed to long term volunteers, which means at least 6 months in SKY. Ask us to know more details about the position.
We have a potential project in progress: summer camp for kids in the morning at Katitawa school. It will be about teaching different subjects like English and playing with them. It will include lunch. It will take place in July and August and it will be only possible if the foundation reclaim Katitawa school from Manguiwa authorities. They took Katitawa school 4 years ago.
Volunteers enjoy a great experience of interaction with and immersion in an indigenous community. (Click for more information). Volunteers participate in the festivities and celebrations like baptisms and weddings and they are welcomed to witness traditions like weave fajas, spin or cook typical dishes like colada morada, guinea pig with potatoes and llapingachos. If you are lucky and there is an important event, you will have the opportunity of wearing the traditional Salasaca’s clothes.
Furthermore, you are here to volunteer and that means taking initiative and helping in any way you can. Initiatives are always welcome! Discuss your idea in advance by email or Skype, or during your stay at Pachamama. As volunteers eat all together, it is a great opportunity to exchange any ideas.
ACCOMODATION
There is no required minimum time to stay. Some volunteers stay for one week while others stay for a year. We want you to enjoy you time here. At the moment you are ready to leave, the foundation will support your decision.
Volunteers live all together at Hosteria Pachamama. There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a big living room, a kitchen and wonderful views of Chimborazo volcano.
COST
It is mandatory to pay a $30 fee per week. The foundation is not being funded by the government or any other private organization. Therefore, without the volunteers fee and donations, the foundation activities will cease. This fee is used to pay food, wifi, gas, electricity, rent, water and hot water. The foundation gives sheets, blankets and three meals a day. Volunteers are in charge of cooking and cleaning the kitchen. In the house, there are rules and prohibitions that ensure the good and calm cohabitation.
You are free to travel or stay at Pachamama in the weekends, as you want. Volunteers usually have fun together in Salasaca's festivals, celebrations or trips. You can always ask us where to go, what to visit or how to get there.
