Community Water Management Internship in Ecuador

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship at El Terreno and feel accomplished in all the work we completed. I loved being able to work directly with the community and build meaningful connections with locals. I think the El Terreno internship program is unique in this way, because you are able to fully assess problems and opportunities in the community to ensure your project is actually beneficial. I also loved the freedom to develop the project plan throughout my time in Atandahua. There was so much support behind me in all my tasks as well as setting up meetings with people in so many expertise. I also got to meet so many interesting people from all over the world with similar goals. The lunches were also amazing and I am definitely missing them now. I am so grateful for my time at El Terreno and I would definitely recommend this program if you are interested in meaningful community development.

I learned so much while being here. The internship didn't even feel like work but more like an aadventure while also gaining experience and ECTS (Uni Credits) on the side. The team is amazing and the atmosphere while working was always very relaxed while still getting a lot done with being surrounded by the great view and friendly people.

El Terreno es un proyecto maravilloso, creado por una persona maravillosa. El objectivo es ayudar a la comunidad sin hacerles el trabajo : acompanar, explicar, gestionar... Hacer lo que ellos no podrian hacer y darles las herramientas para mejorar su calidad de vida. Fue un placer trabajar alli con la gente. Joshua tiene un gran corazon y necesita a otras personas como él para sopartar ese gran proyecto. Gracias por todo lo que hacéis ! Espero que continuara todo ese trabajo. Os deseo todo lo mejor

Lo pasé genial en la fundación El Terreno. Pude participar en varios proyectos diferentes. También tuve la oportunidad de vivir experiencias con la gente de la comunidad. Conocí a gente maravillosa con la que fue fantástico compartir estos momentos, ¡y las comidas de Karina y Nelly siempre estan deliciosas!

In 2025, I had the opportunity to participate in a three-months internship program at El Terreno, Atandahua, Ecuador. My project was focused on the improvement of the drinking water situation in Atandahua and the neighboring communities. Before starting the project, I had a short interview with Joshua, CEO and founder of El Terreno, to figure out what my motivations and expectations of the project are, what kind of character I am, and if I’m a good match for the team. Arriving at the airport in Quito, there was an organized pick-up for the transfer from Quito airport to Atandahua. Arriving on the same day as two other volunteers, I had the opportunity to get to know them a little bit on the four-and-a-half-hour-long drive. Travelling from Quito airport to Atandahua would have been possible by bus aswell, but for that, a better understanding of the public transport system in Ecuador would have been necessary. Now, with the experience I made in Ecuador, I could easily achieve that. Back then, it was a lot easier with the organized pick-up. Having arrived in Atandahua, we were very warmly welcomed at “El Terreno”, where I could very comfortably move into my new home for the next three months. And indeed, it became a home. The bed in a shared dorm with three bunk beds (six beds in total plus one individual bed, but only at max four of them occupied at a time) were comfortable. The kitchen space was big enough to comfortably cook on the six gas stoves provided, even with several people cooking their food in parallel at a time. The organization of the food storage inside and outside of the fridge is strict, but very well done, even though one fridge proved to be a bit small if there’s a lot of people. During my stay this issue was solved by installing a second fridge. From the beginning, Joshua and his family were lovely people, and it felt really good staying with them. Joshuas wife Karina provided one warm meal per day for lunch time, which was super delicious, and I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to taste original Ecuadorian food. “Quilico”, the house where the volunteers live together, is a very comfortable home, with a woodfire oven, gas stoves in the kitchen, and hot water showers. A big common area invites everyone to spend time together, but at the same time it is possible to retract from social life and have a bit of private time in the shared dorm rooms. The cleaning regime of “Quilico” is very well organized and Joshua has a strict eye on the tasks that need to be fulfilled by everyone to make a comfortable living together possible. The project work is very well organized, oriented at the design methodology approach. An introduction to design methodology is provided by Joshua. Mentors give an insight into the setting, the community and the problems and objectives of the project during the first four weeks. This is the basis for understanding the aim of the project properly. The next phase (additional four weeks) is the planning of actions aimed at providing solutions for the problems identified in the first phase. The last phase (another four weeks) is the execution of the plan to put the possible solutions into reality and testing their strengths and limitations. The social life at El Terreno is beautiful, with the opportunity to meet people from all around the world with the same intentions of doing something valuable for the community. There is sufficient free time to get to know each other, play games, cook and eat together and even have a party or watch a movie on the beamer. Once a week there is a pub quiz (“trivia”) in changing locations in Guaranda which is always fun to participate in. There, local people from Guaranda and the surrounding communities meet the foreigners of El Terreno and other organizations to answer trivial yet sometimes pretty tricky questions in a relaxed atmosphere with food and beers. The perfect opportunity to get to know the locals. I always loved trivia! 😊 As beautiful as my stay at El Terreno was, there is one point that should have been communicated better during the execution of the project, which is the continuation of the project after me having left El Terreno. Unfortunately, the projects prototype didn’t fulfill the expectations to a hundred percent which were put into it in the first place. My understanding was to figure out the issues and improve the prototype to finally achieve an optimized and reliably functional product. After I had left El Terreno, the prototype was exchanged against an off-the-shelf solution, which I intentionally had avoided due to major drawbacks in terms of long term costs and sustainability. Knowing this, my work and effort at El Terreno felt somehow wasted and I feel I could have achieved more focusing on other aspects of the project which my skills and expertise would have been more useful in the long run. With that said, I want to add that I definitely have all respect for the decision of El Terreno not to continue with the prototype because I am leaving after three months going back to Europe, but El Terreno has to make sure the equipment provided is working properly and must defend it against the community’s interests. The off-the-shelf solution was definitely a quick and more reliable solution for the water quality issues, yet with - from my point of view - major drawbacks in sustainability. Still, I enjoyed my time at El Terreno a lot and I’m happy coming back to the beautiful place on the outskirts of the Chimborazo volcano soon.

I think that the work of Joshua, Sebastian, Cristian and all the other important people (maintenance, cooking, Neiser) is a great chance for the region to improve in so many ways. I felt part of the team from day one, and tried my best to make a difference. I think there's much to say about the programs, the house, the surrounding nature and the local people. But the most important thing to me was that this organisation brings out the best in the people they work with. Maybe it's a vibe, maybe it's structure, and maybe it's just the patience I experienced there every day. Adding to the greater good in society and improving the lives of so many, El Terreno simply rocks.

It was such a humbling but important experience. I learned a whole new approach to life, and am so thankful for all the opportunities to immerse Joshua and his team have created. I enjoyed the parallel nature of work and culture, how integrated the local people are into any project.

After my 8 weeks there, I left El Terreno with so much more knowledge, optimism, and confidence than I had arrived with. I was involved in a water and reforestation project, and got to work on all aspects of the project, from being out in the field planting trees to working with local engineers and experts on a research project. I got to learn so much from my mentors, Joshua, the local farmers and other interns, that I do feel like this a very one- of-a-kind experience. Joshua and the staff foster a very welcoming atmosphere, and if there is something you are interested in, they will do their best to help you explore it. I also appreciate how focused El Terreno is on ethical community involvement. You have the opportunity to work directly alongside locals, and you can really see how the work you're doing benefits the community.

My internship at El Terreno lasted 1 month. This month I was part of the Water a d Reforestation project. It was great to help the community and immerse myself in this life completely different from the one I usually do in Italy. Joshua is an example of dedication to work and community and it was an inspiration to see him work for this project. During my internship I met fantastic people from all over the world, I left alone a little fearful but it only took me a few hours to feel at home. I think it's an experience that everyone should have at least once.

Interning with El Terreno was an incredible experience! Every aspect, from project organization to social activities and daily life, was meticulously planned and executed perfectly. Joshua, the founder, is truly one of the most inspiring individuals you could meet. He settled in the area, built everything from the ground up, is doing his best to improve the lives of not just the Atandahua community, but the surrounding areas as well—all while raising a family and personally checking in on every intern to ensure everything runs smoothly. I often describe it as an experience of many "firsts": my first time in Latin America, my first time working in a fully Spanish-speaking environment, my first community-based project, and my first time tackling a project completely outside my expertise. And everything went exceptionally well. Life in Quilico was also fantastic, offering all the comforts we needed— a spacious kitchen, comfortable beds, excellent Wi-Fi, hot showers, and great company with fellow interns. Without a doubt, this is an experience I would recommend to anyone looking to volunteer in Latin America.

I had the privilege of interning at El Terreno for 6 weeks, where I worked on a water project and was able to learn so much and make a difference in the community. I worked with a great team, did a lot of hiking to water sources, talked to community members, learned a lot from our mentors Sebastian and Cristian, researched solutions to improve water quality, and was even able to collect water samples and conduct experiments at the local university. Joshua was very helpful in providing support and giving me the freedom to decide the direction of my internship. Working on the water project gave me the experience I needed to secure an internship for a global engineering company, and I am forever grateful to Joshua and El Terreno for helping me achieve my goals.

After my first attempt at volunteering in Peru didn't work out, I found this opportunity which felt like a close fit and had great reviews. Leaving my family for 4 weeks sounded like long time, but it takes a while to make an impact. I'm so glad that I decided to go to Atandahua and help with their community water projects. Joshua was very supportive in helping me construct a plan for my internship and setting me up with top notch professionals to help me accomplish meaningful results along the way. I stayed in a family homestay and was guided by Cristian, an engineer whose family grew up around the area. I learned so much about the water, projects, farming, and culture. Having not been out of the US for an extended period of time, there was an adjustment, but the people in the local community are so warm, hard-working, and friendly, I felt like I was in a family community away from home. I ended up helping map out the water system and meters in the town, helping with a gray water project, planting native trees, and helping make organic fertilizer. I was also able to help out with the school children in English classes which helped solidify my Spanish. In the end, I was able help the community to have a much better understanding of their water system and I laid the groundwork for others who are coming in during the following months to continue to make an impact. I hope to come back, maybe with students, to continue to help out these great people to have better access to water, a right which we all should be able to have.

I spent two months at El Terreno working on a water project. The mission was very interesting and truly interdisciplinary. I got the chance to engage in many different activities (interviews, community meetings, site visites, classes with the local school…), work with a multidisciplinary team, discover a complete new environment, and contribute into the well-being of the community. I would definitely recommend this internship to anyone willing to help local people, or to apply their skills into concrete projects. On top of that, I met incredible people, saw amazing landscapes and made memories that I’ll never forget.

Working on the water project has really given me valuable experience. Having recently graduated from university, I wanted to gain experience in the field and really put my skills into practice and I feel like this internship fulfilled that. There was a mixture of physical work including site visits as well as some desktop work, and this balance of work really worked for me. There is opportunity to work and talk to members of the local community and really get involved in the project. Also, the internship mentors taught me so much during my time there and are genuinely amazing mentors. Joshua is also a great leader who you can can seek help regarding a work/internship issues but also your personal well-being too, which I really appreciated. Finally, I stayed with a local host family who were so accommodating and great hosts to live with. It was an experience I will never forget and will value forever.