Social Entrepreneurship & Value Chains Internship in Ecuador

I spent eight unforgettable weeks living with the Yumbo family in the Sacha Waysa community near Cotundo, Ecuador. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with open arms and gradually became part of the family. By the end of my stay, we also really became friends. The Yumbo family is part of the sacha waysa community, which is a community that works tirelessly to preserve its culture while sharing it with the world through ecotourism. During my time there, I focused on helping to attract more visitors interested in experiencing the kichua culture and daily life. I really enjoyed contributing to this project, it was meaningful to help support their efforts to sustain both their traditions and their livelihoods. Alongside this work, the Amazon Learning team organized weekly activities that allowed me and the other interns to explore different community-run projects. One of the most memorable experiences was visiting a group of midwives who assist women in giving natural births. They had an entire garden filled with medicinal plants, each with its own purpose and history. Learning about these plants and the traditional knowledge behind them was fascinating. Living and working with the Yumbo family gave me a rare opportunity to fully immerse myself in a different way of life. I gained a deep appreciation for their connection to nature, their strong sense of community, and their dedication to preserving their heritage. Being able to both learn from them and contribute where help was needed created the perfect balance between cultural immersion and meaningful participation.

During my internship, I conducted a study for the GIZ to determine social impacts and barriers for chakra farmers. I am very proud of my final product for the GIZ — getting to do the interviews and having such a hands-on role in the whole project was amazing! The most impactful part was all of the above. The home stay was challenging because I often didn't feel like my family was very welcoming or wanted a volunteer in their household. I think I did learn resiliency from this relationship, as well as gain a better understanding of the struggles my host family was going through. The relationships I made were still ultimately very meaningful to me. I wish that I had taken more advantage of opportunities available and been more assertive, because I do feel like I lost some time my first few weeks. Looking back, I feel more liberated to pursue what I truly want from life and I am also putting less pressure on myself to find a single path to success — there are so many ways to be successful! I believe the program helped me determine what's important to me in my future career, such as having work that I am passionate about but also a work environment that I enjoy. I feel more passionate about food justice and public health for the future. I gained more confidence in my day-to-day life. I'm super grateful for this experience, the connections and friendships I made, and the growth I experienced as a result of pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. I would recommend Amazon Learning to anyone who wants to participate in a unique program with true cultural immersion.

During my internship, I did translation of documents, marketing, and web design. When I did check in with Mika they were always awesome — I didn't do it near enough as I was so busy, but it was great to get reconnected when I did. I loved my family and am still in contact with them to this day. What I'm most proud of is being grateful to have helped Winak with their website and Guayusa manual. The most impactful part was my host family. The drunk community members were really difficult at first, but I learned so much about how to handle it and remain safe. Looking back, I developed Spanish and critical thinking skills. I am now thinking of how to create a business to employ Kichwa women for an artisan social enterprise of my own. Beyond that, it literally changed how I live, what I eat, how I think. I am so grateful for my host family that supported me and cared for me so well. I developed a love for Spanish, indigenous people, and social enterprise. I would recommend anyone to Amazon Learning in a heartbeat. Love Ecuador and can not wait to come back.