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Financing

Volunteers are expected to arrange and finance their own airfares and transfer costs to San Jose de Payamino. We can help you organize your trip to Ecuador if you contact us well in advance. We can help with transfers from the airport, book hotel in Quito, Spanish classes in Quito and transport to Loreto and the project through our partners. 

Volunteer Program Fee

There is no application fee, but volunteers pay a program fee according to the number of weeks they will stay at certain reserve. The program fee includes accommodation at the reserve, three meals a day, the coordination, organization and support during the volunteer program. The program fee includes accommodation and three meals a day as well as support before and during the stay.

The program fee is currently US$250 per month. This cover accommodation, food, transport between the community and Loreto and administration costs.

Work schedual

Volunteers will be expected to work 8 hours per day from Monday to Friday whilst staying in the community. The cleaning and basic maintenance of the accommodation and volunteers areas is also done by volunteers. Time will be set aside for this each day to cover all the functions.

Health Insurance

Volunteers must have their own international health insurance and need to sign a waiver to release San Jose de Payamino from responsibility from any illness or injury incurred in Ecuador.

Project availability and commitment

The project is available year round. There are no set arrival / departure dates for the project. When you apply and pay you just need to inform us about your proposed participation dates.. Although we accept volunteers for short periods of time (2 week minimum) we encourage volunteers to make a commitment for 4 weeks in order to gain more thorough insight knowledge about the project and the Kichwa culture.

Accommodation

Volunteers live in the San Jose de Payamino community, where they are accommodated in a volunteer house close to the community center. The volunteer houses has 6 X 2 bed dorms, toilet and kitchen facilities. Bathing and laundry is taken care for in the river.

Food

Volunteers will be provided with three meals per day and free drinking water. The meals consist of Kichwa farm products such as manioc, plantain, yam, chili and meat supplemented with rice, pasta and vegetables. Another stable part of the diet is the chicha (fermented drink). Vegetarians can be accommodated.

Language, skills and age requirements

As the working language is Spanish, we requiere that volunteers have basic Spanish skills. Villagers are bilingual with Kichwa as their first language and Spanish as the second and some of the younger people understand bits of English. Villagers mostly speak Kichwa among each other and are very keen on teaching Kichwa to volunteers interested. If you don’t have any previous Spanish skills we can help you setup a quick language course in Ecuador.

Volonteers have to above 18 years old. Volunteer under 18 years old have to be accompanied by their parents. Elder volunteers should note that they will be living in tropical conditions with basic facilities.

There are no specific skills required to participate in the program. Those who have a passion to assist others, flexible and positive attitude as well as capability to live under basic conditions can join the project.

Diseases and health

Check with your local doctor at least 3 months before departure on what vaccinations are recommended.

If you are on specific tablets or permanent treatments it is advisable to bring sufficient supplies for the duration of your stay as you may not be able to encounter specialized medicines in Loreto.

It’s a good idea to bring basic first aid equipment. Even if you do not use it, you might be able to help others who are less equipped.

In general most travelers will experience stomach problems to some degree when travelling in a foreign country. Although conditions are simple in San Jose de Payamino the hygiene is good and there are few cases of diarrhea in the community.

The nearest town with normal commodities, internet, international calls, hotels, restaurants and hospital etc is Loreto which is located 25 km from San Jose de Payamino. The trip to Loreto takes roughly an hour with a 4WD.

Dangerous animals

The surrounding rainforest in San Jose de Payamino contain some of the world’s highest level of species richness. Most of flora and fauna is harmless. Although both pumas and jaguars have been recorded close to the village. However, none of these big cats are known to be man-eaters.

Some insects (especially ants) can be an annoyance but are rarely dangerous. The best rule is never to touch insects (or other animals) unless villagers tell you that it is safe. Although tarantulas are big and scary looking they aren’t harmful if left alone. A good rule is always to check your boots before putting them on.

If you are staying a couple of weeks in San Jose de Payamino you are likely to encounter snakes. Although only a few are dangerous, we always recommend that volunteers take the general precautions of watching where you step and put your hands. Always wear rubber boots when walking in the forest and use a flashlight when walking at night.

Money

When you have paid the volunteer fee you will be provided all meals and water in the community. However there is a small shop in the community, where you can by basic products. Therefore you might want to bring some additional cash (also to the trips). In general when travelling it is best to bring small bills 5-20 USD bills as few will be able to provide change for larger bills. You will be able to find several reliable ATM machines in Coca for the most normal credit cards.

Communication

There is no signal for telephones in the community, except on top of the Armadillo Hill (2 hours walk from the center. The nearest place to make calls is in Loreto, where you also can find internet providers.