Culture and Service in Equador

This service trip is being offered to high school students at DSA-Denver School of the Arts as a chance to work with the award-winning charity, Free The Children. We are wanting to send our daughter, Calla, and so this page is for her. She is over the moon about this meaningful opportunity. 

As communities evolve so do their needs. That’s why working closely with Free The Children to understand each community’s challenges is so valuable. Since projects are determined closer to the actual trip date, here’s a glimpse at what a typical day might look like: 

• Each morning, the students willl begin a service project in a nearby village, focusing on education, clean water and agriculture.
• Afternoons are spent immersed in cultural activities.
• Evenings are a chance to reflect, discuss events as a group, and draw connections between the day’s work and relevant global issues.

Meaningful. Sustainable. Unforgettable

This trip is a once in a lifetime experience for the students participating. They will venture into the heart of Ecuador’s lush Amazonian rainforest, where one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems exists. In Otavalo, they will experience the culture and heritage of the city, visiting the Mercados de los Ponchos—a famous market known for its local beautiful textiles—and learn how traditional crafts and meals are prepared when they visit a local family’s home. As they are immersed in the Quito and Otavalo cultures, they will also put their hands to work: building and restoring local schools and promoting social justice.