Disabled children's centre, Quito - Ecuador

Product Details

ABEI provides a centre for approximately 25 disabled boys and girls aged from one to 10 years. Their disabilities include cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, autism and learning difficulties. You are needed to provide activites to stimulate them and also to help with their basic care.

ABEI is located in the central Mariscal area of Quito. The project was set up in 1989 to help the children who cannot attend normal schools in Quito. There is no state funding to support this type of project and it depends upon donations. Parents are asked to pay whatever they can afford but wages in Ecuador are low – less than £100 a month. Supermaxi, the largest supermarket donates all the necessary food for the children.

The project is located in a spacious building with a large playroom that can accommodate all the children at once. Equipment is limited and consists of a few toys such as a fan for blowing bubbles and a stereo. There is also a ‘sensory’ room, built by a previous volunteer. The space is good but a volunteer with artistic skills could usefully liven it up with bright wall murals.

Volunteer responsibilities

The day begins when it is cool, normally at 8:30am. There is a good break for lunch and parents then pick their children up at around 5pm. You would be asked to assist the three full time members of staff. Most of the work involves playing, painting, craft work and initiating activities to stimulate the children. There are also one or two domestic duties such as helping the children at meal times and keeping them clean. You would normally be asked to work with just two or three at any one time.

Volunteers with some experience of working with these type of children would be asked to initiate and carry out programmes of support and learning. If you were interested there would also be opportunities to assist professional Ecuadorian therapists who come in regularly to treat the children.

The staff and children are friendly and extremely welcoming. You would be made to feel part of a warm, dedicated ‘family’ from day one. It is a socially important project. Disabled children are given little respect in Ecuador and volunteers can make a significant difference to their humble lives.

This would be ideal for volunteers interested in medicine, physiotherapy or one of the caring professions. It could be combined with working on the CENIT project.

Accommodation and time off

Work would be five days a week, weekends are normally free. If you wanted an extended weekend you would need to discuss this with Susana Caiza, the project director. You would live with a local family or in the Outreach apartment with other volunteers. This is a short bus ride from ABEI.

Like all Outreach volunteers you would attend an intensive two-week Spanish course when you arrive in Quito. The children and staff do not speak English so a knowledge of the language is important. It would be easy to socialise with the volunteers based in Quito and you would be invited to join in with the occasional Outreach weekend trips.

You would be in a good location for exploring other parts of Ecuador. It is a small country with dramatic scenery, boasting snow-capped volcanoes, the Amazon rainforest, a gorgeous coastline and the Andes rising to over 5,000 metres. Public transport is good and organising expeditions can easily be done through the South Americas Explorers Club. All Outreach volunteers are registered members of this club.

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Our users say...
"I love this place but the children have so little. There are no toys that work. They probably have nothing at home. I feel my visits are really beneficial because I can dedicate my time to a few children. Without this they just wouldn’t receive any adult attention" - Elaine Shirt.

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