Ecuador – Page 3 – The Tandana Foundation Blog

My Kichwa culture through the generations

The Kichwa community of El Panecillo is located 20 minutes from the city of Otavalo and has been inhabited mainly by indigenous people. I was born here more than 30 years ago. It is my favorite place because I have many memories here from childhood.

Doing what I’ve always wanted to do working for Tandana

I have lived in Otavalo all my life, thinking about the best job for me, not like the traditional one of sitting in an office and having the same routine every day. I have always wanted a job where I can meet many people, learn about many cultures, people, create a special bond and put a little piece of my knowledge in their hearts.

A beautiful tango: What can flow when we sit at the table with strangers from the other side of the world

We inhabit a curious world. A world that beckons us to understand it, asking only that we appreciate how it tells us its stories, on its terms. Asking that we have the courage to open its various doors, to seek them out, and to sit with whomever we find on the other side. Trips with Tandana serve as a wonderful vehicle to do just that.

Tandana Foundation seeks to help more women rise through celebratory event in Cincinnati this October

Providing girls access to higher education in Ecuador and empowering women to read, recognize numbers, establish businesses, and be leaders in Mali are the goals of just a few women’s programs organized by The Tandana Foundation with its partner communities.

Q&A: Checking in with Tandana’s Community Health and Well-being Program Coordinator

Even after the mobile health clinics offered by The Tandana Foundation in rural Ecuador with help from foreign volunteers ended in 2020 due to the pandemic, health care support to the organization’s many partner communities never stopped. One of the main reasons why is Virginia Sánchez, coordinator of Tandana’s Community Health and Well-being Program, who has continued to deliver needed medical, dental, and vision care to the members of the remote communities.

Tandana helps schools in Otavalo upgrade their computer technology

In June, The Tandana Foundation donated a large amount of IT equipment, including many computer accessories, to three schools in rural Otavalo Canton, Ecuador. Tandana’s IT intern, Andrés Gonzáles, played an important role in setting up the new equipment in the schools.

Teaching English at Tandana’s Summer School in Ecuador

Embarking on a journey to teach English at the Summer School organized by The Tandana Foundation in Quinchinche was a life-changing experience for me. From the moment I arrived, I knew this adventure would be full of new challenges and rewarding moments.

Lakeside students engage in community service and culture in Ecuador

Twelve students and three accompanying adults from Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington recently wrapped up an exciting and productive four-week volunteer trip organized by The Tandana Foundation in Cambugan, Ecuador. During their trip, the Lakeside students were immersed in the Kichwa Otavalo indigenous community, staying with local host families and participating in cultural events and many fun regional activities.

Why I donated toward Tandana’s water projects in Ecuador and Mali

Full disclosure: I began thinking about what I would write to raise awareness of “exciting matching opportunities” that are available for The Tandana Foundation’s fundraisers to support the completion of community water projects in Mali and Ecuador.

The significance behind the Gualsaquí Eco-trail’s inauguration ceremony

To increase the safety of students’ walk to school, reduce travel time, and facilitate access to a sports field, The Tandana Foundation recently supported the Alejandro Chavez School in Gualsaquí , Ecuador in building an ecological trail. Along with those benefits, the eco-trail has already proven to teach the students valuable lessons about their natural environment and the need to protect and restore native species.

Celebrating 15 Years of Intercultural Friendship: The Value of Stories

In recognition of The Tandana Foundation’s 15th anniversary, we are creating 15 videos featuring cherished members of the organization’s global family. Published in a series of 15 posts on this blog, these videos will highlight key aspects of Tandana’s philosophy, community partnerships, and impactful work that has been done, along with projects still in progress. The videos will serve as a meaningful way to reflect back on what has been accomplished in 15 years as well as provide insight into the Tandana’s future in the next 15 years.

Check out what participants have said about their volunteer trips with Tandana this year

In 2023, The Tandana Foundation is expecting to host a dozen volunteer groups – from schools, universities, and organizations around the world – in the rural highlands of Ecuador. Each one of these trips immerses volunteers in the Kichwa Otavalo culture and community, providing them with the opportunity to contribute to various projects and make new friends.

Important lessons learned through building the Gualsaquí Eco-trail

The idea for an ecological trail stemmed from an urgent need identified by the Alejandro Chavez School in Gualsaquí.

Experiencing the local food, culture, and history on my volunteer trip to Ecuador

I am Lizzy Tessier, one of the students from Saline High School that had the privilege of working with The Tandana Foundation this March. Getting to travel to Ecuador and encounter the beautiful culture of the local indigenous community in Otavalo was an experience I will never forget.

Tandana scholarship students in Ecuador and Mali sow seeds of intercultural friendship

They may live in vastly different countries, oceans apart, but the post-secondary students soon found out they had much in common, including motivation, perseverance, and ambitious goals for what they wanted to achieve in life.

For a better future

For Cindy Belén Perugachi Sinchico, the story of her education begins years before she was even born. Cindy’s parents, Rodrigo and Olga, married when they were 15. Immediately, they had to work to support themselves.

All about Saline High School’s intercultural volunteer trip to Ecuador

Saline High School (SHS) senior Michael Moore stood by and smiled as a group of enthusiastic kindergarten students painted golden sand dunes on a beach. The children were energetic helpers and worked quickly to depict a young Ecuadorian boy walking by the sea at sunset as a crab, whale, and fisherman look on.

Healthier together: The Quichinche Health Center’s Seniors’ Club

Before the meeting began, none of the gathered assembly were inclined to talk. They formed a circle in front of the Quichinche Health Center and looked down at their feet. A few of the women who had arrived together talked quietly. María Flores, one of the women in attendance informed me that the group was not yet accustomed to this unfamiliar setting. “This is an important meeting for us, but it’s a new program. I’ve only been here twice; the other members, maybe three times.”

Community, Friendship, and Gardening in Ecuador

For eleven short weeks in 2023, I had the incredible opportunity and honor to serve as Tandana’s Environmental and Horticultural Intern. I’m a third-year student at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where there is a wonderful co-operative education program which allows students to explore career paths and build real-world skills through work-study trimesters.

Celebrating 15 Years of Intercultural Friendship: Cotton, Indigo, and Grain Banks – How They Work

Community Building and Kindness: What I learned in Muenala, Ecuador

I’ll always look back fondly on the time I spent in the community of Muenala with The Tandana Foundation. It was such an overwhelmingly positive experience that even just thinking about it now brings a smile to my face. From the welcoming members of the community, to the beautiful view of the mountains, to the new cultural experiences my team had, this trip was wonderful and I’m eternally grateful for the community of Muenala for hosting us and The Tandana Foundation for facilitating an engaging week of activities and connections.

The winning solution to help revitalize an indigenous language in Ecuador

How do you encourage young Ecuadorians to use their indigenous language more often?

That was the question Santiago Gualapuro, a member of The Tandana Foundation’s Board of Trustees, was seeking to solve when he thought of a creative idea: A fun, science-based, buzzer-beating competition for high school students – all in Kichwa. Dubbed the Kichwa Science Bee, Gualapuro’s event debuted to great success last year, with 110 students from across Ecuador participating in the competition.

Transformation and truth: My Ecuadorian cultural travel adventure

Picture yourself at the El Lechero Viewpoint embraced by volcanoes: Father Imbabura on the one side and Mother Cotacachi on the other, overlooking the city of Otavalo and San Pablo Lake.

This scholarship student proves it’s never too late to achieve your dreams

The opportunity to pursue higher education can be an important factor in whether people are able to pursue their dream jobs. That opportunity has been a long-time in the making for 35-year-old Elvia Magdalena Muenala López, a recipient of a scholarship from The Tandana Foundation in Ecuador.

In the letter below, hear from the nontraditional university student about how the scholarship is opening doors to landing her dream career as an educator in her community.

Celebrating 15 Years of Intercultural Friendship: Numɔ Digu Toru

My unforgettable experience as a Tandana volunteer intern

I came, I saw, and we planted a lot of plants. I am an Antioch College student who was able to take part in the return of The Tandana Foundation’s first in-person volunteer internship since 2020. I arrived on a sunny day to meet Tandana team members Gaetan, Margarita, and Vero, and my host family. They were more than excited to welcome me to Ecuador. In that first week, I learned a lot about the places I would be staying and working in.

This scholarship student and soon-to-be lawyer is ready to help his community

In exchange for financial support for their education, recipients of The Tandana Foundation’s post-secondary scholarships are required to contribute their skills in the form of service to benefit their community. For scholarship recipient Fernando Lascano, community service is at the forefront of his mission to become a lawyer.

In the letter below, Fernando shares about his University journey, along with thanking Tandana and his sponsors for enabling him to pursue his dreams through education.

Members of the Tandana community discuss desires and goals for next year

As the calendar turns to 2023, so do thoughts on what the new year will bring. There are certainly many projects in process or on the horizon for The Tandana Foundation and its community partners in Ecuador and Mali.

Members of the Tandana community reflect on a meaningful year

From providing access to clean water in Ecuador to building a new health center in Mali, The Tandana Foundation and its partner communities have accomplished a lot together in 2022.

Help write a storybook ending to the Inguincho water project this Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29

Like any great story, the quest to bring clean drinking water to the families of the San Juan de Inguincho community in the highlands of Ecuador has many enthralling chapters. The chapters contain tales of inspiring heroes, such as the dedicated community members, including Inguincho Water Board President Rodrigo Tuquerrez, and passionate volunteers – most notably Rockey Anderson, the expat technical expert – along with several plot twists and conflicts that even the most engaged reader may not have seen coming.

The thrill of visiting the Gualapuro water project in person

I recently returned from my first visit to Ecuador. I had the opportunity to be a member of The Tandana Foundation Gardening Volunteer Venture. I am thankful I made the trip. The week provided many memorable moments, none of which exceeded the “special visit” arranged by Founding Director Anna for me to visit the community of Gualapuro.

Water is life: Community water projects at Panecillo and San Juan de Inguincho

The Tandana Foundation’s Gardening Volunteer Venture team hit the ground running on its first day of engagement with communities around Otavalo, Ecuador. After a thorough orientation (and marvelous Ecuadorian lunch), we began activities with a brisk hike up to the highland village of Panecillo, where we met with the president of the local water board and the project operations technician who have recently completed a crucial phase of a new sanitary system that brings fresh water down from the mountains and into the homes of families in five communities.

How Mateo heard for the first time

As Community Health and Well-Being Coordinator for The Tandana Foundation in Ecuador, I have the chance to work with many patients and support them in accessing all kinds of important medical treatments. I want to share the story of one young patient that made a great impression on me. Mateo Torres is a three-year-old boy from the community of Agualongo, who could not hear, speak, or walk when I met him.

Celebrating 15 Years of Intercultural Friendship: Meet Ñusta – A Tandana Scholar

Helping Elvis play soccer again

Fourteen-year-old Elvis Oyagata lives in rural Cutambi, Ecuador, and soccer is his favorite sport. However, for several years, Elvis was not able to walk, let alone play soccer, without pain.