Peace Corps Ecuador

PCV Jack Mosey is fundraising to support an English lab in his community and has raised $12k of $14k to support the project which is listed on the Peace Corps site. Donate today at the link! See below for a further description. 

Students and residents in rural areas of Ecuador have identified English as a priority for expanding access to tourism jobs, higher education, and international opportunities. The region ranks low in English proficiency, and teachers face limited access to training that is either too expensive or requires missing work. A survey and interview process with local teachers, students, and the parent association revealed four urgent needs: shifting from textbook-focused instruction to communicative, interactive methods; creating lessons that use audiovisual tools effectively; strengthening student confidence in spoken English; and connecting language learning to real-life opportunities in tourism, petroleum, and mining fields.

In response, this project introduces four structured teacher workshops: Communicative Language Teaching in Practice; Designing Interactive Lesson Plans with Audiovisual Aids; Building Student Confidence Through Speaking Activities; and Engaging English for Real Life — Tourism, Employment, and Beyond. These sessions will strengthen teachers’ skills and provide practical tools to transform English instruction. Grant funds will also support a dedicated English audiovisual lab equipped with essential multimedia resources such as a projector, computers, headphones, and educational subscriptions, ensuring teachers can apply the new methods consistently.

The community has actively shaped this initiative from the start. Teachers, administrators, parents, and students jointly identified the need through ongoing discussions, and the parent committee has already invested labor and funds to renovate the learning space. After the grant period, the lab will be fully integrated into weekly classes, benefiting more than eight hundred students ages twelve to nineteen through speaking practice, an English club, and monthly cultural activities that sustain long-term learning gains.

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.