Peace Corps Ecuador

Dear Friends of Ecuador,

I am genuinely excited to connect with you as the new Country Director for Peace Corps Ecuador. As someone who embarked on this transformative journey as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama from 2003 to 2005, I can truly appreciate the incredible impact of service and connection. Completing my service filled me with a profound sense of accomplishment and clarity about my own purpose. I realized that, through service, I had accessed something greater than myself. The experience shaped my life, guiding me to where I am today, and I’m eager to support fellow Volunteers in their journeys. Our Volunteers in Ecuador are carrying this spirit forward, enacting meaningful change as they partner with local communities in areas like health, education, and youth development. They play a crucial role in empowering Ecuadorians to take charge of their own futures.

Ecua 130 had their swearing in ceremony in July, and we currently have 103 Volunteers in service.  We have three programs currently in the Peace Corps Ecuador portfolio: Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Community Health and Wellness, and Youth and Families Development. We are also thrilled to share with you that 3 Response Volunteers swear in on Thursday, October 24^th and will serve for 1 year.  By spring we should level out at a population of 140 Peace Corps Volunteers in Ecuador.

As we embrace this mission, I want to underscore the importance of your support as Friends and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Your experiences, insights, and connections are invaluable to our mission. You understand the significance of Goals 2 and 3, appreciating that the relationships forged between Volunteers and community members transform lives on both sides.

Our dedicated team at Peace Corps Ecuador is committed to ensuring the success of our Volunteers and strengthening the communities we serve. Together, we strive to promote inclusivity, equity, and sustainable development. Cultivating a trusting and open environment is a top priority for me, and I encourage each of you to share your experiences, ideas, and any concerns you may have. Your voice is vital in the continuous journey toward growth and success.

As we move forward, I invite you to join us in making a meaningful difference. With your support, we can create lasting change in Ecuador while nurturing the incredible spirit of service that binds us all together.

Warm regards,

Anni

Anni Galdames

(she, her)

Country Director, Ecuador

RPCV Panama 2003-2005

This is a guest post from Peace Corps Ecuador Country Director Michael Donald who has been in post for about a year now.

I’ve been in touch with Josh Busby and appreciate his interest in receiving an update on how Peace Corps Ecuador is currently engaged as we start 2018. I’ve been the Country Director here for one year and try to find the balance in devoting my energies among relationships with Volunteers, Staff and counterparts. My most favorite part of the job is visits with the Volunteers; this is what energizes me.

We have three programs currently in the Peace Corps Ecuador portfolio: Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Community Health, and Youth and Families Development. Training is also, of course, a major focus with classes arriving in January and May each year. By spring we should level out at around 140 Peace Corps Volunteers population in Ecuador.

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A greeting from Country Director Michael DonaldRead More »

The National University of Education of Ecuador is looking for Video Pals willing to gift 1-2 hours a week to converse with students from the National University of Education who are preparing to be the future K-12 teachers of Ecuador. In order to graduate they need to achieve a B2 level of English proficiency, and opportunities to strengthen their listening and speaking skills would be gratefully accepted. Not only will the students you connect with benefit, but so will all the children and youth that will come under their tutelage in the future. For details please contact Linda Hayes Gallegos, Peace Corps TEFL Volunteer, lhayesgallegos@gmail.com or send a Facebook message to Linda Hayes Gallegos.

A follow on from our Camp Glow support from last year. Here is a new fundraising opportunity that is less than $1000 short of its fundraising goal. FOE will donate $500. Will you help them get over the finish line? The link here will take you to the fundraising site on the Peace Corps Partnerships page.

Here is a full description:

The primary goal of GLOW is to facilitate growth and empowerment of 45 young women ages 13-18 in Ecuador. Peace Corps Volunteers and Ecuadorean counterparts, together, will lead a 4 day camp with activities focused in four themes; sexual education, gender, self-esteem, and leadership.

Through these four topics, the girls will be encouraged to be change agents in their high schools and communities. They will become more aware of their rights of women and the impact of gender roles in their communities and Ecuador. We will reflect on the representation of women in society and how this affects their daily life. They will explore self-esteem, body image, communication, and decision making practices to boost self-confidence and leadership. They will set goals and define skills they have that could drive their career. And, furthermore, they will break down myths and norms of society that give way to healthier relationships.

Ecuadorian counterparts who are leaders in their community are involved in the planning of the camp and will co-facilitate the camp alongside Peace Corps Volunteers. The facilitators are from the same communities as the girls whom will participate in the camp and are prominent community leaders. The girls who attend the camp will be more informed about their own sexual and reproductive health, gender stereotypes, and gender in their communities. More importantly, they will know strategies, tools, and people they can rely on and use to create change. They will have strengthened leadership skills and self confidence to positively impact their communities and to continue GLOW programs alongside their Ecuadorean counterparts.

This project has been designed to expand access to education for girls in Ecuador as part of the Let Girls Learn Program. Learn more at letgirlslearn.peacecorps.gov.

Your contribution increases the impact of Ms. Olmack, her fellow Peace Corps Volunteers, and their communities; and makes a brighter future possible for young women in Ecuador.

This is a post from outgoing Peace Corps Ecuador country director Alexis Vaughn. We hope to have a note shortly from incoming country director Michael Donald.

Time certainly does whizz by. It seems only yesterday I was greeting you as the new Country Director for Peace Corps Ecuador, now I am bidding you farewell as I embark on my new assignment as Peace Corps Country Director for Guatemala. In the past three years, Ecuador has seen many changes and challenges – a new airport in Quito, new modern roads, a sharp decline in the price of oil (the country’s economic bread and butter) and a devastating earthquake. Through it all, Peace Corps Ecuador continued to strengthen its partnership with the Ecuadorian people, nearly doubling our Teaching English as a Second Language Program, solidifying our partnership with the Ministry of Health and, with generous funding from the Friends of Ecuador, launching a successful series of GLOW Camps (Girls Leading Our World). It’s been a wonderful ride, and I thank you for the ongoing support you have provided. Peace Corps Ecuador continues in excellent hands with the new Country Director, Michael Donald, and with Friends like you, I’m sure he will find his time in Ecuador as rewarding as I have.

In 2016, we provided some matching funds to Camp GLOW, which was an opportunity for Ecuadorian girls to learn about empowerment, self esteem, and and gender equality. We look forward to supporting similar programs in the future. It seems like it was a roaring success. Below is the thank you note from the organizers on behalf of the 55 girls who participated.

RPCV Ecuador 2009-2011, Rob Gunther, translated an Ecuadorean book, that is available now on Amazon. It is called Drums for a Lost Song by Jorge Velasco Mackenzie. If you’re interested in Ecuador, the African diaspora, Yoruba, magical realism, Peace Corps, or race/class/history from a South American point of view, please consider buying a copy and sharing news of this release on social media. Thanks in advance!