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Ecuador is on the defensive in almost all respects; its rainforests are under significant threat, the future of its diverse wildlife is uncertain and 45% of its population live under the poverty line. Hospital Baca Ortiz is the only public children's hospital in Quito and works with young children who have cancer. For anyone who doesn’t believe that they can make a difference, the statistics are stark; 70% of children with cancer make a full recovery if they have access to modern medicine, but only 20% do. On this project previous medical experience is not necessary, but flexibility and compassion are. Both will be used in assisting the nurses with delivering treatment, playing with the children and helping to communicate with the parents.
Project details:
Fundacion Sol y Vida was founded by a group of Europeans living in Ecuador. The focus of the foundation is to help children who have cancer and need to receive medical treatment at a hospital in Quito. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 70% of children with cancer have a chance of full recovery - if they have access to modern medicine. However, worldwide only 20% of children with cancer have access to the resources they need. The remaining 80% are left with very little hope, and this is the reality in Ecuador. The widespread poverty in Ecuador exacerbates the situation. The aim of Fundacion Sol y Vida is to help improve the situation of these children and to save as many lives as possible.
Why the project needs volunteers:
The projects run on few resources and finances, and so any assistance that can be provided is much appreciated. There is a lot of work that can not be done, and volunteers will help in making that happen.
What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
If you have experience or training on medical jobs, that will be helpful, but not necessary. What we need is your creativity, your flexibility, your willingness to help and, of course, your time. A love for children is essential, as is patience and empathy to both the children's situation and the restrictions placed on the project's team, by way of limited resources. As the locals do not speak that much English, you'll get more from your experience by learning some Spanish before you start your project.
A CV is required to be approved for this project.
Your role as a volunteer:
Assist the staff in the hospital, give information to the parents of the children, take care of or play with the children, train the staff of the hospital if you have specialized knowledge to do so, stay in contact with the foundation and the hospital
Where the project is based:
Accommodation is a comfortable homestay with a local family in Quito.
Being in the capital city, you will have access to any facilities and resources you may need during your placement, The city is well serviced with public transport. You can expect to travel approx 1 hr across the city from your homestay to your project.
You will need to arrive at Quito International Airport (Airport code UIO) on the specified arrival date.
During the past year, Sol y Vida was able to help numerous children to win their battle with cancer. This has been possible thanks to the support of different organizations and groups. The more than fifty children currently cared by Sol y Vida come from various parts of the country to the public children's hospital, Baca Ortiz, in Quito. Ecuador has only two public children's hospitals that specialize in severe cases (one in Quito and one in Guayaquil). This means that many of the children that come to Quito for treatment have travelled a long way, from all over the highland area, the northern coastal area and the Amazon area. Some families have to travel for hours by canoe or on horseback to the nearest road, and then spend several more hours on a bus.
Sol y Vida finances a large portion of the costs for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, MRI and CT scans. Depending on the financial situation of the families, children's parents help cover some of the costs. During the past year, Sol y Vida spend USD$43,000 on medicine and medical examinations.
Activites from 2007
On June 16th, Sol y Vida organized a flea market which was held at the German School in Cumbayá. The school's students took part in this activity, holding a cake and coffee stand which alone made USD$150, in total, USD$335 was raised.
On December 19th, a joint Christmas party for children suffering from leukaemia and those with tumours was held at a military sports facility in Quito. The event included games and food as well as lots of presents for the kids. Another successful fundraiser was the sale of Christmas cards featuring artwork by the students of the German School, mostly through sales at German Christmas markets and individual sellers in Switzerland.
In 2007, we had a number of volunteers from various countries who spent their mornings playing and doing crafts with the children who had to wait for treatment at Baca Ortiz. Once a week, they were supported by students of the German school.
Update from Harriet Gliddon - April 2008
For three days a week, I worked downstairs in the hospital where the children wait for their consultations. It is very common for people to start queuing in the early hours of the morning and to travel huge distances to get there. Unsurprisingly, parents are usually exhausted, which, added to their worries for their children, makes them very grateful to anyone who can amuse their children, or even just supply a smile and some support. As well as encouraging the children to read, play, draw and so on, I also tried to improve awareness of Sol y Vida and how they can help, as few parents knew were aware of their work and the help available.
Date: 2008-06-24
For those volunteers looking for a project that works directly with the community this is the one for you. The Sol y Vita Foundation has a working relationship with the Hospital Baca Ortiz to assist children up to 15 years of age who are oncology patients and are emergency cancer cases with solid tumours. The hospital is located in Quito, Ecuador. The work of the volunteer is based at the Ninos Hospital Baca Ortiz and your volunteering job will depend on your previous work background or experience. There are two general areas that the volunteer assists, the day clinics located on the ground level of the hospital and also the oncology ward level 5. Unless otherwise specialised generally the role of the volunteer is to simply engage the children and their siblings to participate in games, arts crafts and puzzles. This seemingly simple role is one of importance as these activities are a welcomed distraction for these children, their siblings and parents who are experiencing some tough times. To their credit, the children dont complain of their plight and more often are tough little soldiers who role with the punches and who are eager to get well. Well before you leave home make sure ALL of your vaccinations are up to date including HepB. In getting started in the job you should know that sanitation procedures are of importance such as; hand washing; the use of antibacterial hand gel; do's and don'ts procedures. The hospital's Voluteers Coordinator is able to provide information on sanitation procedures. Sol y Vita Foundation and the hospital Volunteers Corrdinator offers an induction program about the foundation and what is expected of a volunteer regarding role. Sol y Vita supplies a white lab coat and antibacterial hand gel for the volunteer whilst doing the job and keeps close communications with the volunteers. The location of the Sol y Vita Foundation is adjacent to the hospital. Ecuador has its share of problems but also has spectacular places to visit with no shortage of mountains, volcanoes, thermalic pools and some of the best traditional food and fruits in South America. So when you have some spare time from volunteering get out there with friends and have some fun. I found the project not always easy but the children and their devoted parents, other volunteers and the dedication of the voluntary workers at the Sol y Vita Foundation made it a very rewarding experience.
Date: 2008-06-24
My work - For three days a week, I worked downstairs in the hospital where the children wait for their consultations. It is very common for people to start queuing in the early hours of the morning and to travel huge distances to get there. Unsurprisingly, parents are usually exhausted, which, added to their worries for their children, makes them very grateful to anyone who can amuse their children, or even just supply a smile and some support. As well as encouraging the children to read, play, draw and so on, I also tried to improve awareness of Sol y Vida and how they can help, as few parents knew were aware of their work and the help available. There were often so many people there that at times it was a little stressful, but everyone wants to help (especially older siblings!) so if it is a little overwhelming at first, don't worry! During the other two days, I was upstairs in the chemotherapy ward, where children received their medication. This was often very distressing as the pain involved for the children is immense. However, seeing them try to be strong for their parents and vice versa is truly heart-warming. Also, here you build up stronger relationships with the children as you see them on a regular basis. Again, providing smiles and laughter is so important in this situation that any time you spend here is appreciated. I would sincerely recommend this project to anyone, regardless of whether or not you are interested in a medicine-related career. It really opened my eyes to a lot of things I took for granted and helped me to understand the values of people in this beautiful country.
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night accommodation is included in this payment; if you require more than one night please inform the team.
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 60.00
For thousands of years before the Incas arrived from Peru to expand their empire, advanced indigenous cultures made Ecuador their home. They fought hard to hold on but from the 1400s the Inca’s succeeded in developing its civilisation into neighbouring territories. The Incas were not immune from shifts in power and, during the same year the Spanish set foot on Ecuadorian soil (1526), the Inca Empire was divided for the first time when Inca ruler Huayna Capac went against tradition by leaving his empire to two sons rather than one. After years of fighting, Atahualpa defeated Huascar to become ruler of the empire. His position was short lived and the Inca Empire was all but confined to a place in history when in the 1530s the Spanish laid down the foundations to rule the country. Under Spanish rule, Indians and Mestizos (people of mixed indigenous and European descent) suffered forced labour and several uprisings ensued. Liberator Simón Bolívar helped secure independence for Ecuador, which was fully achieved by 1830.
Against a backdrop of violent rivalry between liberal and conservative factions, an unstable political climate dominated the 19th century and was marked by a quick succession of rulers. The 20th century brought mixed fortunes. The country’s development was hampered by the collapse of the coco market in the 1920s and the Great Depression of the 1930s but it achieved stable civilian rule and increased banana exports from 1948 to 1960. Recession and social unrest led to an anti-communist military government taking power in the early 1960s and it wasn’t until 1979 that democratic constitutional measures were put into play. Indigenous groups now have a voice and influence on politics but the country has a lot of economic ground to cover and high levels of unemployment. On an environmental level, Ecuador is rich in biodiversity but has one of the highest deforestation rates in South America.
The diversity of Ecuador does not fit neatly into four seasons. As a general note, it has a dry winter from June to September and a wet summer from December to April. For hiking in the highlands, the best time is during the cool winter. For exploring the jungle (the Oriente), there isn’t a temperate period as it’s often thick with humidity, while the sierra can get chilly and coastal areas are warm year round.
The Galápagos Islands experience hot, rainy weather from January to April and its waters are comfortably warm during this time, making it ideal for snorkelling. During the rest of the year the water is on the chilly side at around 20°C (68°F) or lower. The surfing season is typically December to February.
The biggest celebration days are Christmas, Semana Santa (Easter week), Inti Raymi (June 24), and Independence Day (May 24). Expect an influx of visitors during these periods and from June to August when the vacation season is in full swing.
There’s no better way to see the snow-capped Andes than to fly. The flight from Quito to Cuenco alone takes in the sight of volcano after volcano. With great views aside, flying in Ecuador is affordable and also convenient; you can get to where you want to go in usually no more than half an hour’s flying time. The country’s main airlines like Tame offer daily services to the main towns and cities, usually departing from Quito or Guayaquil. It’s also the best way to get to the Oriente, with other modes of transport unable to access the area. Flights to the Galápagos Islands, however, can be pricey and flying time from Ecuador is around 3 hours. Depending on your destination but particularly for flights to the Galápagos Islands and the Oriente, there is a system in place whereby foreigners are required to pay more than double what Ecuadorians pay. It’s also worth noting that seats are not reserved and are given on a first come, first served basis. Reconfirming a flight 24 hours before is imperative as it’s not unknown for airlines to refute your reservation if it hasn’t been confirmed ahead of departure.
Buses are a cheaper option and although most long distance journeys take a day or less, it can feel longer due to the road conditions. Buses usually leave from central terminals and it’s best to buy a ticket at least a few hours in advance to reserve a seat. Local buses are often very cheap but also very crowded. Taxis are a good option for short journeys or day tips out of cities if hired for the day and can be cheaper than car rental. Taximeters are in existence but not always switched on so it’s best to agree on a price before the journey begins.
www.tame.com.ec
National airline Tame.
Being part of an i-to-i project is a totally unique experience. You’ll join a global network of volunteers working side-by-side with local people and experience things that you’ve never dreamed of.
Be Part of this or any project and help us reach our goal of 400yrs combined volunteer help this and many other projects around the world.
We work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
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