ECUADOR / Kaya Responsible Travel
It’s a sad reality to see children, often as young as three years old, working upwards of ten hours a day in the markets, streets and countryside of Ecuador to support their financially struggling families. This intervention program takes a very proactive approach, traveling to the markets around greater Quito, approaching children and their parents to talk to them about the importance of education and early childhood development. Additionally, the staff and volunteers set up tents at the markets where they offer opportunities for thematic early childhood education, including recreation, health/hygiene, values, identity, and education. By meeting these children on their turf, the program has achieved great success in recruiting and maintaining attendees to the pre-school programs, along with an ultimate reduction in the childrens work hours and matriculation in public schools.
With appropriate support and teacher training, volunteers will assist the full time staff in developing lessons and teaching the weekly education themes. The program uses dynamic methods, including song, dance, art, and movement to create a healthy, educational environment for the children and to engage the whole family. The organization visits two markets a day at regular intervals, with both morning and afternoon sessions of about two and a half hours each. Volunteers travel to the work sites, assist in setting up the pop-up tent schools, and play/learn/interact with the children. Social workers are also brought in to counsel the families, as often these children come from backgrounds of physical, sexual or emotional abuse or live with family members who abuse substances. The organization also has intense summer programs with engaging arts, dance, music and sports activities for the underserved community in its surrounding area.
Contact the Kaya Team for more information. You can contact us on:
T.(0044) 161 870 6212
E. info@kayavolunteer.com
W. www.kayavolunteer.com
EXPIRED