Communities in Ecuador teach trip participants about the power of the collective

Community members and youth volunteers worked together for the greater good

Every summer youth volunteer in countries like Ecuador, Kenya, Mexico, China and India where they have the unique opportunity to learn about how we thinking exists in other cultures. During these trips, youth assist with building schools, they learn about global issues and have the chance to meet their peers in developing countries. In addition to the international experience, youth come away with a changed perspective on community and helping others: a solid foundation for a Year of We to remember! 

Volunteers traveled to Ecuador this summer to help build a school. They were surrounded not only by the Andes Mountains and the snow-capped peak of Volcano Chimborazo – but were also heartily greeted by the excited Ecuadorian families and youth of the area. They were welcomed into the small indigenous community of Jatari Campesino, where the indigenous language spoken—Quichua—literally means ‘rise up peasants’. The community of Jatari Campesino shared their heritage, music, dance and food with the volunteers, who were deeply impacted by the community.  

It truly took we thinking to create the small town of Jatari Campesino that exists today. Every time the need arises for a building project, from constructing a chicken coop to a house or a school, the community comes together, with a member from every household lending a hand. This was an amazing phenomenon for our youth volunteers to witness and left a lasting impact. Volunteers learned the true meaning of community and how by thinking of others and acting together for the betterment of all we can create change in a really big way.

Heather Semotiuk, a youth participant who helped build the school in Jatari Campesino, wrote this about her experience. “Being able to be part of the school building projects in Jatari Campesino is something that I will always carry with me. The gratitude and satisfaction I felt… [It was a] life-changing and truly incredible experience”.

At the end of the summer the lives of both the children in Ecuador and our youth participants were forever changed. Yours could be too.

Incorporate an International Volunteer and Leadership trip into your Year of We!

Free The Children is the largest network of children helping children through education in the world, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.