EcoSwell is a multiple award winning non-profit located in Lobitos, a surfing paradise of northern Peru. Students who have participated in EcoSwell’s volunteering programme have described their experience as life altering and transformational. The organization focuses on helping vulnerable communities in Peru develop sustainably by carrying out infrastructure projects, socio-environmental and educational initiatives, thus implementing the United Nations SDGs.
Participants can choose to volunteer at EcoSwell in the following disciplines:
– NGO/Social Enterprise Management
– Renewable Energy
– Public Health
– Ecosystem restoration & reforestation
– Water and Sanitation
– Research
– Marketing and social media
Through their work EcoSwell have impacted over +35,000 people, working hand in hand with local communities, with local government, private sector entities and with some of the best universities in the world.
DESCRIPTION OF ROLE
Management serves as the backbone of the organization which enables it to keep delivering impact in all the fronts that we work in. Without management, our work wouldn’t be possible.
As a NGO/Social Enterprise Management Volunteer Intern you’ll be able to support the organization in a variety of fronts, particularly with what it needs with most urgency in the particular moment in time in which you join us. You will learn-by-doing how a NGO/Social Enterprise operates in order to effectively thrive in time. As such you can expect to get involved in the following capacities with the support and supervision from our team:
– Outreach: Get involved in partnership building and the expansion of our organization.
– Internal systems: Create or help maintain systems which enable the organization to work more effectively.
– Data-driven Impact: Assist in monitoring and evaluating ongoing projects. Design and conduct surveys in local communities, analyze data, and contribute to impactful report writing.
– Hands-on Sustainability: Support the maintenance of reforestation sites, permaculture gardens, and more. Apply your knowledge and skills in various aspects of sustainable development alongside fellow volunteers and staff.
– Project Wilipipe – Empowering Local Fishermen: Create and distribute vital tide and swell charts, providing local fishermen with scientific data to enhance productivity and economic well-being.
– Social Media: Capture the heartbeat of EcoSwell by documenting ongoing activities through photos and videos. Contribute to our growing online presence and assist in developing new website sections.
BENEFITS OF JOINING THIS PROGRAM
The benefits of taking part in this volunteer internship experience include, but are not limited to:
– Enhance your CV and gain professional hands-on experience in an international development NGO, enabling a real positive impact on vulnerable communities.
– Work and learn alongside experienced & passionate people from a range of disciplines & backgrounds.
– Live and work in a surfing paradise in northern Peru, the land of endless summer.
In-person Financial contribution
We require a financial contribution from participants. This covers all of your expenses while you are with us (food, accommodation, local transportation, and staff guidance/supervision) for our in-person program; it also funds our community projects and operations, in other words, our impact. For every volunteer that joins our program, we also plant a tree with local families to help restore the degraded forest ecosystem found in our region.
Please bear in mind that there is a minimum of a 2 week stay at EcoSwell and maximum can be up to 6 months.
Two weeks (price per week $608) = $1,216
Three weeks (price per week $597) = $1,792
Four weeks (price per week $582) = $2,327
Five weeks (price per week $566) = $2,830
Six weeks (price per week $566) = $3,396
Eight weeks (price per week $566) = $4,528
12 weeks (price per week $541) = $6,487
Online Placement Financial contribution
The financial contribution required from volunteer interns for our online position is 33% less than that of our in person placement – please see details below.
Two weeks (price per week $416) = $831
Three weeks (price per week $409) = $1,228
Four weeks (price per week $399) = $1,594
Five weeks (price per week $388) = $1,938
Six weeks (price per week $388) = $2,326
Eight weeks (price per week $388) = $3,101
12 weeks (price per week $371) = $4,448
Since we have limited spaces, if you have been accepted we will need you to secure your placement by depositing a non-refundable 30% of your placement’s total financial contribution within 1 week of being accepted. Full payment will be required 4 weeks prior to your arrival. Any refund of the 70% of the full payment (minus all transaction costs) will only be available if cancellation is confirmed before more than 30 days of confirmed arrival date. No refunds of any kind will be available within 30 days of the confirmed arrival date.
All payments must be made in United States Dollars (USD$) according to the amounts shown in the tables above – Exchange rate fluctuations of other currencies are not considered. Taxes, insurance and financial costs (eg: costs of sending money, bank commissions, etc.) and any other extra costs (flights, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance, personal spending money, etc.) are not included. The details and information of the selected insurance will have to be sent and approved by EcoSwell beforehand, as being appropriate.
In order to ensure that all participant expenses are covered, the final financial contribution amount needs to be paid in USD. We do this in order to avoid exchange rate fluctuations from other currencies which may result in not the right amount being paid.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES (applicable to the in-person placement)
Volunteer interns work between 9am to 5pm on weekdays, evenings and weekends are free for you to spend as you wish. The northern coast of Peru has amazing waves, beaches, and towns to go visit, with lots of different activities on offer such as:
– Surf lessons with local instructors in Lobitos. Alternatively, and if you are an experienced surfer, rent one of our EcoSwell surfboards and head out to the waves by yourself.
– Yoga classes
– Swimming with turtles
– Fishing, sea-lion, and whale watching trips with local fishermen
– Trekking and birdwatching in the native Dry Forest ecosystem
– Eat traditional Peruvian food at local restaurants
– Visits to other nearby beaches and towns within hours of Lobitos to explore more Peruvian landscapes, culture & history.
Please note that these activities are separate and are not included in the financial contribution you make as part of your volunteering experience, they are highly accessible nonetheless.
For more information about costs, please visit the financial contribution section on our website: https://www.ecoswell.org/financial-contribution