Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
3 Mar 2025
Reply rate
75.0 %
Usually responds within 6 days
Feedback
12
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hector and Aya manage a very small family farm located twenty minutes walk from Cotacachi in an indigenous community called El Batán in the Andes highland (2400m above sea level) of Northern Ecuador, with a view of the mountains Imbabura, Cotacachi, and Fuya Fuya. The climate is very comfortable, but you do need a jacket for morning and night. (Remember, there are 3 seasons in one day in Ecuador.)
We are a family of 5 and are half Japanese and half Ecuadorian (Native indigenous Kichwa). We have 3 children ages of 17, 12 and 8 as well as 3 adorable cats and 3 dogs. We speak Spanish, Japanese, Kichwa and English (just Aya).
We grow herbs and vegetables organically applying some permaculture principles. We will be needing help working in the garden and taking care of our animals.
Please consider writing to us if you are:
- able to speak Spanish (at least some)
- able to stay more than a month
- willing worker on farming
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Animal Care
Help around the house
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Apart from being able to learn organic farming, you will be learning the importance of water by living in a solar-powered shower and compost toilet house and etc.
And our farm is located in an indigenous community where it still conserves strong indigenous culture surrounded by some great volcanoes. You can enjoy Ecuadorian Andes culture fully.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Volunteers are expected to help for four days a week (Mon-Thu) 6 hours a day and to stay over at least 4 weeks (arriving on Monday until 4th Thursday = 25 days minimum). Tasks include gardening: seeding, weeding, planting, making seedbeds, composting, watering, harvesting and collecting selecting seeds, feeding animals, cleaning cowshed, plus helping with the promotion and sales at the Thursday farm market.
Plus, we are working on some community projects such as water conservation (including making compost toilet in the communities (there is no sewage system), harvesting water, reducing trash, purifying water etc.), so if you are professional in coordinating projects, have knowledge in the themes mentioned or grant writing, please let us know!
Please keep in your mind that minimum Spanish is necessary. And please arrive on Monday afternoon!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Japanese: Fluent
Accommodation
You will be staying in an independent house with 2 bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, outside space with hammocks, solar-powered shower and compost toilet. We eat together during the week days enjoying homemade, healthy food of both local and international cuisine. It is mostly vegetarian (+dairy and eggs) and prepared with our homegrown vegetables.
We provide 2 meals (breakfast and lunch) for Monday-Thursday. If you have problem with celiac disease or any other food difficulties, please let us know in advance. We eat a lot of home made bread. If you have many food restrictions, please bring your own food or otherwise we may not be able to have you. For your dinner and weekends, you may cook your own food. Basic utensils are provided.
IMPORTANT!!
You should be bringing long sleeve shirt, long pants (make sure you are well covered while you are outside in the garden), insect repellent (lots of black flies), a hat & sun screen cream (very strong sun) and if you think you are very sensitive to insects, you may need some gloves. Rubber boots are needed in the rainy season (nov-may). Please bring toilet paper, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, detergent for washing clothes etc. for your personal care.
An internet access is available in the main house. You are welcome to use it during your free time.
What else ...
On your 3 days weekends off, you will have time to explore the local indigenous communities, walk to the town of Cotacachi, and visit Otavalo which is only a twenty-minute bus ride away. We offer guided tours hiking to Cuicocha lake and Mojanda lake, climbing Imbabura and Cotacachi, and many other activities (Hector is a licensed tourist guide with a professional driver's license).
3 days are long enough to travel other places in Cotacachi county such as Intag. It's a subtropical area and it has the most beautiful primary forest and pristine rivers. You will enjoy the totally different vegetation and climate in just a couple hours away from here!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (6)
But I must say that they were excellent volunteers. They were active, never waited until we asked for, and courteous with what they were doing. Yes, we have slight problem with language, but their work was beyond the communication… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
But I must say that they were excellent volunteers. They were active, never waited until we asked for, and courteous with what they were doing. Yes, we have slight problem with language, but their work was beyond the communication… read more
Tasks were always varied and we had the opportunity to look after all the stages of the evolution of a plant, from seeding to harvesting. Hector was a great teacher and we have learned heaps… read more
