Dear all,
We’ve been delighted by the great response to IEPSD’s call-out for volunteers in Bloomington. Until we get the website up and running-which should be a matter of days now-we’d like to clarify a few things here for all of you who are interested in helping out either in Bloomington or in Ecuador.
As I written to some of you, the working group descriptions we sent out applications for are for positions for people who will be in Bloomington next year. The work they will be doing will be critical to the development of markets for the microfinance initiatives in Ecuador, as well as raising the funds for our operations there.
If you want to intern in Ecuador, what you do will depend on where your interests lie. We have several partner NGOs that you can work within, in areas like agriculture, microfinance, health, and education. You will also help us institute and maintain our projects within San Gerardo on our health campaigns, developing the microenterprises, and helping in after-school programs with the children. We don’t have specific schedules or programs for interns; everything depends on their skill level and interest. We are happy to work with each intern individually to find the right situation for them. And they are not required to be a part of IEPSD in order to intern in Ecuador.
Interns in Ecuador are required to cover their expenses and trip costs. Flights can range from $600 to over $1000. Living expenses are relatively low, depending on your personal needs. We will arrange for housing while you are on-site at the project in San Gerardo. There are several grants available to IU students for travel and internships abroad, though much less for non-students.
All the best,
Erica
