The animals in AMPED’s animal care project were born to be wild! Join a team of trained biologists and staff dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and returning captured animals to their natural habitat. Volunteers are needed to assist the staff with feeding the animals, and cleaning and repairing cages, as well as constructing new cages so as to recreate a natural environment for the birds and animals.

In addition to the above mentioned tasks, AMPED volunteers may expect to have the following duties:

• Gathering food from the forest for animals in captivity;

• Re-introducing specific foods to their diet;

• Engaging in basic routine consults with biologists concerning the animals’ progress; and

• Under trained supervision, teaching the animals how to eat and survive in the wild.

AMPED’s childcare projects in Ecuador involve working with children across a wide spectrum of ages and circumstances, including but not limited to orphans, street children, and infants in infant care centers.

At best, the children are from very low income households. The parents of these households need assistance with caring for their children as they work to support their families. In many of the cases, the children have had to endure more extreme hardships. Some have been separated from their mothers due to incarceration. In other cases, they have been outright abandoned.

When volunteers arrive, the children are wide-eyed and eager to get to know all about their new visitor. For many, having volunteers around gives them a form of escape from their everyday life. By sharing their experiences, volunteers give these underprivileged children a connection to the world beyond the one they know.

As a result, there are many opportunities for volunteers to have an impact on a child’s life. Depending on skills and interests, typical volunteer responsibilities include:

• Providing daily care – getting the children dressed for school, helping them to brush their teeth, and feeding them;

• Organizing constructive educational activities and games;

• Helping the children with their homework;

• Reading stories, and teaching them songs and dance;

• Spending quality time with the children; and

• Assisting the staff with maintenance and up-keep of the facilities.

As one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world, Ecuador is the ultimate playground when it comes to conservation.

AMPED’s conservation projects consist of many private and public reserves, national parks and NGOs based in the Andes, Pacific Coast, Amazonia, and the Galapagos Islands. Whether it is tree nursery, reforestation, conservation education, or organic agriculture they cover every facet of environmental sustainability.

Because of the various areas of concentration, volunteers’ responsibilities will vary as follows:

• Reforestation

• Conservation Education

• Organic Agriculture

• Tree nursery

Because Ecuador’s recent history has not been wracked with civil war strife as other Latin American nations, does not mean that the country has escaped many of the social misfortunes that can be found in these nations.

Over 2 million of the country’s 12 million citizens live in overcrowded, substandard housing conditions. Their homes often have rooftops and walls made of tin, zinc, cardboard and/or plastic, anything they think will safeguard them from the elements.

Poverty caused by high unemployment is the root cause behind such deplorable living environments. Poor Ecuadoreans are forced to build homes on the outskirts near unhealthy surroundings and where basic services are non-existent which in turn imposes a burden on the country’s healthcare system as a result of the consumption of contaminated drinking water and improper sewage systems.

AMPED’s construction projects strive to address Ecuador’s housing and community development needs and to create livable situations for the people that inhabit them.

AMPED volunteers participating in Ecuador’s construction program may be expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:

• Digging, and mixing sand and cement;

• Heavy lifting – rocks, sand, and bricks;

• Repairing fences, roofs, and cabins;

• Constructing water pipes, toilets, and houses; and

• Making cosmetic improvements - painting, renovating, and gardening work.

Poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water can lead to an infinite number of maladies some even life-threatening. Hospitals and clinics in Ecuador are for the most part concentrated in larger towns and healthcare facilities in general are overrun with patients in need of medical attention.

AMPED’s healthcare/medical placements in Ecuador offer excellent opportunities for pre-med and medical students, and licensed healthcare professionals to gain exposure to what it is like to care for patients in developing countries.

Limited financial resources and insufficient staff, coupled with cultural perceptions allow project participants a unique opportunity to witness the effect these factors can have on an already challenged healthcare system and service delivery.

Areas of concentration include: emergency services, general medicine, maternal health, pediatrics, and public health.

Depending on skills and experience, volunteers may be assigned the following responsibilities:

• Assisting with the day-to- day management and operations of healthcare center;

• Conducting patient intake – e.g. height, weight, blood pressure etc;

• Observing and assisting doctors and nurses; and

• Providing assistance with checkups and/or helping in the nursery.

While considerable advances have been made concerning the treatment and awareness of HIV/AIDS, developing nations, like Ecuador, are just beginning to come to terms with this debilitating, life-threatening illness and its impact on the community and public resources. As of 1999, estimates indicated there were 20,000 people in Ecuador living with HIV/AIDS.

Prevailing wisdom says prevention is the key to stopping this deadly disease and its spread. For the community, that means increasing education and awareness about safe lifestyle choices and practices. For those already infected, it is a matter of accessing proper, affordable healthcare and dealing with the shameful social stigma and other psychological effects of the disease as a positive HIV/AIDS diagnosis is often met with isolation and depression.

AMPED’s HIV/AIDS project takes a holistic approach and confronts all the issues surrounding the virus and disease. Depending on their knowledge and skills, volunteers may contribute in the following ways:

• Developing public health education/prevention programs and awareness campaigns;

• Assisting with medical and psychological treatment and the administering ant-retroviral therapy;

• Providing counseling and support to those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families; and

• Comforting hospice and other HIV/AIDS patients.

A quality education is the first step toward securing a future filled with better opportunities. For children in Ecuador, learning English can make all the difference in the world for them and their families.

The children at our elementary school project are bubbling with enthusiasm. Nothing compares to the gleam in their eyes when they have their first “Ah ha!” moment as a result of learning something new.

Working with the little ones requires a great deal of energy. So volunteers need to make sure they are on their toes.

Participants that do not speak Spanish, will most likely have to get creative and draw on those handy non-verbal communication skills. No worries about how silly. Everyone knows the best teachers are always those that are willing to go out on a limb no matter how embarrassing the stakes. The more animated and fun the teacher, the more interesting and fun learning is.

Depending on experience and classroom management skills, and comfort level, AMPED teaching volunteers may expect the following responsibilities with regard to their volunteer placement:

• Teaching basic English vocabulary – e.g. colors, numbers, clothing, rooms of the house, parts of the body etc.;

• Practicing basic conversational English – e.g. Hello; How are you?; How old are you? Etc.;

• Teaching the children basic health and hygiene; and

• Assisting teachers with developing lesson plans and pronunciation exercises.

Our veterinary projects really take animal care up a notch. By allowing participants to combine a veterinary placement with an animal care placement in a zoo, animal rehabilitation center, or animal clinic, AMPED participants are exposed to the science and medical side of studying and caring for animals.

While working side-by-side with trained staff, volunteers may be assigned the following duties according to their knowledge and skill level:

• Filling and keeping animal records;

• Tracking, handling, and maintaining medicine inventory;

• Administering vaccinations and treatments for pet diseases;

• Assisting with surgical operations;

• Conducting lab work and post-mortems, and meat inspections; and

• Treating farm animals.