Sustainability Internship in the Amazon Rainforest

No! The more Spanish you speak, the more you will be able to give to and benefit the community. For this reason, we encourage anyone who doesn't speak Spanish comfortably to take lessons in the community to improve their language skills. However, there is still a lot that you can do without Spanish.

Every day in the Amazon is different! You will be responsible for creating and growing sustainability. You will spend about 2-4 hours daily on trail maintenance, workshops, and environmental needs assessments. For the rest of the time, you will handle organizational tasks, cook team meals, support other programs (including youth mentorship, gender equality, and public health), and join relationship-building and team meetings.

All interns live in a dedicated MPI house in the community. It is a 10-minute walk away from Manna's centro. The house has 4 spacious bedrooms generally shared by 2-3 people. It has 1.5 bathrooms shared among the volunteers and interns. An outdoor shower is also available. There is a fully equipped kitchen to cook meals, with staples provided by Manna. There is a large communal area and a rooftop to read and relax.

Ecuador is currently listed by the US State Department as a level 2 country (same as Europe), meaning that increased caution is recommended. However, in the local community of Shandia and Tena, safety is rarely a concern. In general, the crime rate in Napo Province is much lower than in the rest of Ecuador, and visitors often notice how safe these communities are. Shandia specifically is a community built on trust and relationships.

Generally, we have an intern/volunteer team of about 5-10 people alongside a local staff team of 2-3. Neighbors from the community surround us. Our participants tend to make relationships, which last long beyond their service with Manna, within the international community and the local Kichwa communities.