What is the Rural Public Health Volunteering project in Ecuador all about?

If you are interested in community development, join our rural public health volunteering in Ecuador. We work with a variety of local organizations either focusing on preventative health for kids, providing community outreach programs and educational programs to the indigenous communities, or working on midwifery and holistic traditional plant-based medicines.

Preventative Health For Kids – Working with a local rural public school, this placement works with the children of a parish outside of Quito. The project runs community outreach and provides education on subjects such as hygiene, healthy habits, good nutrition amongst others. Access to healthcare and healthcare education is limited in some surrounding communities of Quito with people living on low incomes. The program is essential as it works with kids and teaches them from a young age.

Community Outreach and Education – The project runs community outreach and provides education on subjects such as avoiding teenage pregnancy, alcohol and drug addiction and nutrition. These are all common problems that exist in the communities of the indigenous population of this province. Access to healthcare and healthcare education is limited for these communities, and the people live on very low incomes. The program provides essential education to these communities while incorporating their traditional values and practices.

Why choose this Rural Public Health Volunteering project?

• Help in the running of preventative health workshops throughout the Quito parishes.
• Gain invaluable insight into the problems facing Ecuadorian healthcare and also understand how public health education initiatives are integrated.
• Support the local project team with the challenge facing them in helping to educate the youngest about important health issues.

Role of the Health Education Volunteer

Volunteers will work with the local project leader who is responsible for organizing and running the mobile clinic and the public health awareness sessions that are delivered to the local school or nearby Quito parishes. Nearly 30% of the population lives in largely poorer and rural communities, where access to health care is very limited. As a volunteer on this project, not only will you gain invaluable insight into the problems facing impoverished communities you will also understand how public health education initiatives are planned and implemented.
If you have a specific area of study that you wish to focus on please discuss this with a Kaya advisor, for example, nutrition. Options for awareness campaigns in HIV and sexual health education, nutrition, alcohol and drug awareness and general hygiene can exist. You may be asked to take vital information about patients to help with record keeping. If you have a form of exercise that will interest the local children you may be able to run sessions once you have agreed your approach with the local team.

What skills do I need to be a Health Education Volunteer in Ecuador?

Participants with a health interest, premed students, nutrition or other related fields are the perfect match for this placement. If you are interested in studying medicine or nursing in the future and are passionate about community development you may also be considered for this placement. Volunteers must be resilient, enjoy working with people and be able to cope with situations that are outside of their comfort zone. You will be working in poor communities and the language barrier can be difficult at times. All volunteers must speak Spanish (level B1 Intermediate User of CEFR) to get the most out of this placement and to contribute effectively to the outreach programme. Those of you who need to improve your Spanish there is the possibility of adding on the Medical Spanish Course at the beginning of your placement in Quito.

You will be asked to send your CV/resume and attend a Skype interview before being accepted onto this placement.

Travel during COVID times

The health and safety of our travelers and our local communities remain central to our plans for reopening countries and projects. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been adapting our programs and protocols to protect all those involved, and ask for everyone’s patience and collaboration as new rules are implemented in-country. For all projects, new standards of sanitation, procedures and social behaviors are in place, including new health and hygiene protocols and social distancing practices. You can read more here. Each location may be slightly different in the way they operate. We encourage you to inquire to your placement advisor to learn more about your specific project as you plan for your responsible return to travel!

While the COVID pandemic is still affecting travel, for this location, you will need to do a quarantine for the first 10 days. So choose your project length accordingly for pricing by adding in an extra week to your travel plans.

Read all about our project reopening response to COVID-19

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