Spring Volunteer Venture

Upcoming Trips:

March 31 - April 6, 2018

*

Spring Volunteer Venture Overview

Join us for an exciting opportunity to connect with communities and contribute to their projects in highland Ecuador. We will work with the La Joya School for children with special needs and with indigenous communities high in the mountains, making friends, learning from each other, and helping dreams become reality. No special skills are required, just a willingness to learn, help, and have fun.

Get your hands dirty, working alongside community members to paint their community center. Work with children and help improve the facilities at the La Joya School. Be ready to pitch in with whatever projects are happening in the local community.

Even when you are not having fun working with a community, you will have a chance to immerse yourself in the local culture and soak up breathtaking scenery. You may visit the famous Otavalo market, take a cooking class at Kawsaymi Cooking School, hike to natural wonders, and meet local craftspeople.

After days filled with work and exploring, relax and socialize with your fellow volunteers at a comfortable inn in Otavalo.

Cost: $1,300 double occupancy, $150 additional for single occupancy. The trip fee covers all the basic expenses (food, lodging, transportation, activities) from when you land at the Quito airport until we drop you off there. (We provide one airport pickup on the first evening, and one bus back to the airport, on the last night. If your plans require different pickups or drop-offs, you will need to cover those on your own). Airfare is not included, and you'll want to bring extra money for personal expenses.

Sample Itinerary for Spring Volunteer Venture:

Day 1

Arrive in the evening and settle in. We provide one bus to pick up the group from the airport and bring you to Otavalo.

Day 2

Have orientation and visit the world-famous Otavalo market.

Day 3

Work at La Joya School installing a new roof on one of the classrooms. Also take time to help the children eat and learn how to do household tasks using their educational furniture. In the afternoon, visit the Otavalango museum to learn more about local culture.

Day 4

Continue the project at La Joya School and work with students in their school garden. In the afternoon, participate in a cooking class and learn about the plants cultivated by local families.

Day 5

Beautify a community by helping to paint its newly-constructed community center. In the afternoon, learn about medicinal plants and enjoy a Pachamanka, a traditional dinner cooked in the earth.

Day 6

Take an excursion to El Juncal, an Afro-Ecuadorian community to experience a culture very different from those of the communities we have already worked with. Visit a fruit farm and learn about the arts, history, and business efforts of this community.

Day 7

Help community members clean the roadside drainage ditch that keeps access to their homes open. Have a celebratory dinner, then head back to the airport and fly out at night.

SVV FAQ

Spring Volunteer Venture Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need vaccinations to go on this trip?

The CDC recommends vaccinations against Hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus-diphtheria and measles. Yellow fever is recommended for other parts of Ecuador but not necessary in the mountains where we work. Vaccinations are up to your own discretion.

I've heard about the Zika virus. Should I be concerned for my health?

The Zika virus is carried by mosquitoes that generally live below 1200 meters, but Tandana works at much higher elevations--typically above 2000 meters. So the chances of encountering a Zika-carrying mosquito while with Tandana is quite low. Moreover, the main concern for Zika is the damage it can do to fetuses if the mother contracts the virus; for others, the clinical symptoms are mild. Nevertheless, if you plan to travel in lower elevations before or after your time with us, you might want to take precautions with an insect repellant approved by the EPA.

What are the accommodations like?

Tandana's gardening volunteer vacation participants are provided lodging at a wonderful facililty right in Otavalo, Ecuador:

Casa Latitud. Rooms all have private baths, comfortable beds, and outlets with the same electricity as the U.S. Wi-fi is available in the common area. Breakfast each day is a treat that offers fresh local fruits and juices, excellent coffee and a selection of hot breakfast items to start your day off right. The garden and patio area are an oasis with a view of 2 inactive volcanos. And the location is perfect for market shopping just 4 blocks away.

Will my electronic devices work in Ecuador?

Yes, Ecuador uses the same electrical currents and plugs as the United States does, so you don't need a special adapter.

What kind of clothing, etc. should I pack?

We will send you a "welcome" packet about a month before your departure, which includes a suggested packing list.

What if I don't speak Spanish?

It's not necessary to speak Spanish in order to do good work and have a good time on this trip. You'll learn the important basics during orientation, and Tandana staff will be able to translate for you.

Who leads the groups of volunteers? Who do I turn to when I need help?

All of Tandana's volunteer programs are led by a team of Program Coordinators who have first-hand knowledge of the region, speak both Spanish and English, have expertise in experiential education and group leadership, hold WFA (Wilderness First Aid) or other certifications that have prepared them to handle emergencies, and are caring and capable individuals. Our permanent local staff is always on hand to help with translation, activities, logistics, and anything else to make sure the volunteers' experience is the best it can possibly be. See here for bios of some Program Coordinators.

What if I can't find the answer to my question on the FAQ page?

Please email your question to us at info@tandanafoundation.org, and we'll answer it as quickly as we can.

About Ecuador

https://0201.nccdn.net/4_2/000/000/046/6ea/26835_1527626093_217_26835.jpg

https://0201.nccdn.net/4_2/000/000/038/2d3/26852_1527626094_144_26852.jpg

https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/0c2/c01/26928_1527626111_567_26928.jpg

https://0201.nccdn.net/4_2/000/000/050/773/26982_1527626111_419_26982.jpg

https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/138/904/15782_1527626112_548_15782.jpg

https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/11f/79c/15796_1527626113_402_15796.jpg

https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/134/cd1/15833_1527626114_174_15833.jpg

https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/0b2/3e2/27075_1527626128_22_27075.jpg

En Équateur, nous travaillons principalement dans les communautés de la paroisse de Quichinche, dans le canton de Otavalo, dans la Sierra équatorienne. Juste à l'extérieur du centre du marché de Otavalo, cette zone est à seulement 2 heures en bus de Quito, mais elle offre une tranquillité rurale et la connexion à la terre très différente de la vie dans la capitale.

Les volcans du père et de la mère, Imbabura et Cotacachi, se gardent sur les vallées et les collines où les Otaveleño indigènes et les familles métisses cultivent leur subsistance. Diversifiés dans leurs coutumes, les résidants sont unis par leur besoin de travailler ensemble pour améliorer leurs communautés. Ils cultivent le maïs, les pommes de terre, les haricots et d'autres cultures, tissent des textiles et des paniers, et commutent à Otavalo pour l'enseignement secondaire ou les travaux du secteur formel. Les Otavaleño sont l'un des groupes autochtones équatoriens qui ont le plus de succès à préserver leur identité culturelle et leurs traditions. Parlant à la fois Kichwa et espagnol, ils ont appris à négocier les structures de pouvoir de leur nation tout en conservant la fierté de leur patrimoine autochtone. Les gens de Quichinche travaillent dur et aiment aussi célébrer. En général, ils sont très accueillants pour les visiteurs et aiment partager la nourriture, plaisanter autour, et discuter de leur culture avec les invités. Le paysage qui entoure leur maison, en attendant, offre des lacs hauts, des chutes d'eau, et des pics volcaniques pour inspirer un sens de la grandeur de la nature. L'élévation de 274 mètres de la région et la proximité de l'Équateur se conjuguent pour lui donner des températures toujours confortables (de 10 à 26 C) tout au long de l'année.

Faites défiler la carte de l'histoire ci-dessous pour connaître les communautés avec lesquelles nous collaborons et voir leurs emplacements sur une carte.

Stories

Apr

Hard work and cooperation make us all winners: Lessons learned from teaching theatre in Otavalo

The Tandana Foundation has been great for me and great for the citizens and students of Otavalo Ecuador, too. This nonprofit organization is all about communication and service to others. This summer will be my eleventh trip to Otavalo, where I teach theater to indigenous rural junior high and high school students for four weeks. … Continue reading "Hard work and cooperation make us all winners: Lessons learned from teaching theatre in Otavalo"

More...

Mar

Travel with intention to Ecuador: What you may not know until you go

My husband and I set off on our first travel experience with The Tandana Foundation on Valentine’s Day in 2026. This was an adventure that we will never forget! We came to serve, but what we received in return was both unexpected and far greater than what we gave. Our hearts were expanded, and we … Continue reading "Travel with intention to Ecuador: What you may not know until you go"

More...

Feb

Feeling at home on my gardening volunteer trip to Ecuador

Eleven people from the Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program boarded various planes on January 31, 2026, with one shared mission: to experience, learn, and cultivate. After long hours of travel and building anticipation for the week ahead, everyone finally smelled the fresh and damp air of Otavalo, Ecuador. We were greeted with … Continue reading "Feeling at home on my gardening volunteer trip to Ecuador"

More...

Oct

7 years later, I’m still witnessing the impact of my volunteer trip to Ecuador

My name is Vanessa Escobar, and I participated in a volunteer trip to Ecuador in 2018 which was organized by The Tandana Foundation. While on the trip, I worked alongside a group of my peers and two professors from Colgate University, as well as the Tandana staff and community members we met onsite. Español Français … Continue reading "7 years later, I’m still witnessing the impact of my volunteer trip to Ecuador"

More...

Sep

All about the volunteer trips to Ecuador this year

As the last volunteer group wraps up, we wanted to check in with Omar Flores, The Tandana Foundation’s Program Manager in Ecuador, on what volunteer groups have been up to on trips in 2025. Español Français “This cycle of Tandana volunteer groups was special. We were able to work with communities toward a meaningful goal … Continue reading "All about the volunteer trips to Ecuador this year"

More...

Jul

Two Bills, one unique story of intercultural friendship

There is a tradition in the Dogon region of Mali by which babies are given names of an ancestor that has passed on or one that is still alive. Sometimes, this is done when a baby is born following the death of a close relative or important friend. This was the case in a very … Continue reading "Two Bills, one unique story of intercultural friendship"

More...

Jun

Tandana strives to build health center in Mali in honor of longtime friend

The Tandana Foundation recently lost a very special member of its family, Susan Napier. Español Français Napier was a member of Tandana’s Board of Trustees for 12 years, participated in the organization’s volunteer trips to Ecuador and Mali three times each, and was a passionate donor to a number of community projects. Many of the … Continue reading "Tandana strives to build health center in Mali in honor of longtime friend"

More...

Spring Volunteer Venture

Upcoming Trips:

March 31 - April 6, 2018

Register Online

*

Financial Assistance

Spring Volunteer Venture Overview

Sample Itinerary for Spring Volunteer Venture:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Spring Volunteer Venture Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need vaccinations to go on this trip?

I've heard about the Zika virus. Should I be concerned for my health?

What are the accommodations like?

Will my electronic devices work in Ecuador?

What kind of clothing, etc. should I pack?

What if I don't speak Spanish?

Who leads the groups of volunteers? Who do I turn to when I need help?

What if I can't find the answer to my question on the FAQ page?

Hard work and cooperation make us all winners: Lessons learned from teaching theatre in Otavalo

Travel with intention to Ecuador: What you may not know until you go

Feeling at home on my gardening volunteer trip to Ecuador

7 years later, I’m still witnessing the impact of my volunteer trip to Ecuador

All about the volunteer trips to Ecuador this year

Two Bills, one unique story of intercultural friendship

Tandana strives to build health center in Mali in honor of longtime friend