Volunteer in Quito

Welcome to Quito - the capitol of Ecuador! Quito is one of South America’s top destinations - you’ll see why when you’re there! Quito is an incredible historic city located high in the Andes Mountains, near the equator.

As a volunteer, you’ll have the life-changing opportunity to care for children living in orphanages and make a real impact on their lives. During your free time, you can explore Quito and eat at delicious cafes, visit the local cathedrals, and go souvenir shopping at the artisan markets - and don’t forget the

weekly group activities!

OSSO has partnered with orphanages in Quito since 1999. If you’re looking for a meaningful volunteer abroad experience with a well-established nonprofit - Quito is for you!

A smiling volunteer hold the reigns to an alpaca and a llama

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What's it like to volunteer in Cuenca?

AT A GLANCE:

Number of Orphanages: 2 large orphanages

Age Range of Children: 0-17

Unique to Quito: The Quito program may occasionally include overnight volunteer shifts to take care of the younger infants. It may surprise you but this is often a favorite experience amongst our volunteers!

THE BASICS:

As an OSSO volunteer, your main service is to help meet the emotional needs of children and youth living in orphanages. These children have their basic needs met by the orphanage (food, shelter, clothing, etc.), however, what they most often lack in is love. This is where YOU come in!

OSSO volunteers help fill in the role that orphaned children are often missing - parents, older siblings, mentors, and friends. As a volunteer, your job is to help each child receive the individual love and attention they need to truly thrive. While this might seem like a big task, the volunteer service itself is typically very simple! The smallest actions often have the greatest impact on a child’s life - such as a smile, a hug, or even just remembering their name.

UNIQUE TO QUITO:

The Quito volunteer program has historically included overnight volunteer shifts to supervise the babies as they sleep or help feed them if they wake up in the night. Overnight shifts are not guaranteed but may be included in your volunteer service if the Volunteer Directors see a great need for it. Volunteers are always given extra time to sleep before and after an overnight shift!

While the idea of volunteering at night might not initially sound appealing, our past volunteers have loved the overnight shifts and it has been a core part of our Quito program for many years!

A TYPICAL DAY

Your average day volunteering in Cuenca might include:

- Bottle-feeding a young baby

- Taking care of babies and toddlers while they explore the playroom

- Playing soccer with the older kids outside in the courtyard

- Bringing a fun craft for everyone to do after school

- Comforting a toddler who is crying

- Helping a child with his homework

- Singing songs with the kids

and more!

A volunteer and a person in a wheelchair sharing a joyful moment.

What is there to do in Quito?

Every Wednesday, you’ll have the entire day off for an OSSO-organized group activity. We take care of planning all weekly activities - meaning you can just sit back, relax, and soak up every experience!

Quito and the neighboring region is rich with incredible destinations - you won’t need to go far for amazing sightseeing! You’re bound to fall in love with the people, places, and culture of Ecuador during your weekly travels.

Some of the weekly adventures you go on may include: