Get AMPED Abroad: Construction Volunteer in Ecuador
Location
Ecuador: Puerto Lopez
Description
Because Ecuador's recent history has not been wracked with civil war strife as other Latin American nations, does not mean that the country has escaped many of the social misfortunes that can be found in these nations.
Over 2 million of the country's 12 million citizens live in overcrowded, substandard housing conditions. Their homes often have rooftops and walls made of tin, zinc, cardboard and/or plastic, anything they think will safeguard them from the elements.
Poverty caused by high unemployment is the root cause behind such deplorable living environments. Poor Ecuadoreans are forced to build homes on the outskirts near unhealthy surroundings and where basic services are non-existent which in turn imposes a burden on the country's healthcare system as a result of the consumption of contaminated drinking water and improper sewage systems.
AMPED's construction projects strive to address Ecuador's housing and community development needs and to create livable situations for the people that inhabit them.
AMPED volunteers participating in Ecuador's construction program may be expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:
* Digging, and mixing sand and cement;
* Heavy lifting rocks, sand, and bricks;
* Repairing fences, roofs, and cabins;
* Constructing water pipes, toilets, and houses; and
* Making cosmetic improvements - painting, renovating, and gardening work.
Highlights
Authentic cultural immersion experience as participants reside with a local host family in addition to having daily interaction with the locals in the community and at their project site.
Participants volunteering in Quito and Puerto Lopez receive 2 hours of FREE Spanish Monday-Friday for the duration of their stay, up to 120 hours.