Media Centre for Volunteer work with children in Ecuador

Orlaith Delaney

I spent ten glorious weeks in Ecuador for which, though they flew past, I would need a book to even begin to encapsulate, but here goes...

GVI were very efficient to deal with and everyone from the organisation I met in Ecuador; Rowena, Washington, Dom and Doreen, went out of their way to settle me in and make me feel welcome.

The children in the community were fabulous to work with. They were so welcoming on my first day that I forgot how little Spanish I had and when I didn’t understand something, they would help me by miming. The nine weeks I had working with them were just not enough. They are so unspoilt and just giving them a pencil will put a huge smile on their faces. By the time I left, I felt I had gotten to know the children in my class really well and had gained their trust.

The project in Ecuador is still quite new so gaining the community’s trust is very important. Over the weeks, I could see the parents beginning to acknowledge the volunteers more and more, which was so rewarding. On Dia de la Madre, all of the children who had gotten jumpers from us for their birthday were wearing them at the fiesta at the school and on another day the teachers made a speech telling the children to be grateful for everything we had done for the school. Little things like that, and watching the shy children in the class coming up to you more and more for help, really made me feel we were making a difference.

My mother, who is a primary school teacher in Ireland, is taking my photos to show her pupils to show them how lucky they really are so my trip will hopefully broaden the horizons not only of the children I worked with but also some children in rural Ireland. Definitely a life-enriching experience.