Category: Volunteers

My husband and I set off on our first travel experience with The Tandana Foundation on Valentine’s Day in 2026. This was an adventure that we will never forget! We came to serve, but what we received in return was both unexpected and far greater than what we gave. Our hearts were expanded, and we learned and grew in so many ways. 

My name is Vanessa Escobar, and I participated in a volunteer trip to Ecuador in 2018 which was organized by The Tandana Foundation. While on the trip, I worked alongside a group of my peers and two professors from Colgate University, as well as the Tandana staff and community members we met onsite. 

As the last volunteer group wraps up, we wanted to check in with Omar Flores, The Tandana Foundation’s Program Manager in Ecuador, on what volunteer groups have been up to on trips in 2025. 

Continue reading “All about the volunteer trips to Ecuador this year”

Growing up, I always wanted to be in a place that nurtured and cultivated change, whether I was aware of it or not. As a child, I often volunteered around my community from mundane tasks at the library to helping out at the food shelter. I tried to give my time to all things. As my youth subsided and college rolled around, I found it challenging to participate in service activities and struggled to find the meaning and purpose behind the degree I was pursuing. When I was introduced to the ETHOS program offered by my school, I took a leap of faith and opened myself up to an opportunity that would expand my worldview.

Continue reading “Engineering that matters: Helping communities achieve their dreams”

Mama Cotacachi and Tayta Imbabura, affectionately referred to as “mother and father mountains,” are sacred Ecuadorian symbols of love and protection. On the land between their peaks, we came together to plant food and flowers. Like the seeds and sprouts, we too began to grow.

Continue reading “The circle was us”

A group of 11 teachers from the National Science Foundation’s Research in Science Global STEM program, recently traveled to Ecuador for a three-week volunteer and cultural immersion trip organized by The Tandana Foundation. 

A group of 11 teachers from the National Science Foundation’s Research in Science Global STEM program, recently traveled to Ecuador for a three-week volunteer and cultural immersion trip organized by The Tandana Foundation. 

A group of 11 teachers from the National Science Foundation’s Research in Science Global STEM program, recently traveled to Ecuador for a three-week volunteer and cultural immersion trip organized by The Tandana Foundation. 

When our small group of Purcell Marian high school students stepped off the plane at Quito Airport, none of us knew what to expect. We were all a little bit nervous – many of us had never left the US before – and everyone was worried about making a good impression. How would we communicate with our host families? Would we be what they were expecting? However, these small worries were overshadowed by the pure excitement we all had over meeting the community members.

Our experience in the region in and around Otavalo, Ecuador with The Tandana Foundation was nothing short of incredible. From the first moment that we touched down in Quito, Kuri and Omar, Tandana staff and our guides for the trip, were there to welcome us to Ecuador and accompany us on our bus ride to Otavalo. Their knowledge and experience throughout the entire trip were indispensable and highlighted the value of every moment and activity that our group experienced. From start to finish, Omar and Kuri, along with the other Tandana leader that we worked with, Gaetan, were extremely well organized, personable, and helpful.

In El Panecillo, a Kichwa community roughly 20 minutes away from the beautiful city of Otavalo, Ecuador, we learned how important food really is to most Ecuadorian individuals. As Claudia walked us through a delightful process to make an exquisite Ecuadorian meal, every member of the group made some sort of contribution. As Ecuadorians thrive together, it is important for a household to cook with each other. The welcoming environment of an Ecuadorian household brought warmth to our group of North American students from Saline High School even though we were visitors, outsiders of such an amazing community. 

“Welcome, do you want to go to Ecuador with us?”

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.

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.

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.  

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.

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.