Volunteer Abroad in ECUADOR - Quito, Cuenca, Cayambe, Coastal Villages, Salinas, Amazon & Andes

Volunteer Abroad in Ecuador: Volunteering Opportunities Volunteering Abroad in Ecuador:Ecuador, a small South America country, is bordered to the north by Colombia, to the east and south by Peru, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. The country is divided into four distinct regions; the Amazon, the Highlands, the Coast, and the Galpagos Islands.Compared with many South American countries, Ecuador is very small. Nevertheless in this limited area there are at least 50 types of natural terrestrial vegetation, diverse ecosystems and an immense variation in wildlife. Ecuador is one of 17 mega diverse countries in the world according to Conservation International. With 1600 bird species (some 15% of the world's known bird species) in the continental area, and 38 more endemic to the Galpagos. There are also 25,000 species of plants recorded; it has 106 endemic reptiles, 138 endemic amphibians, and 6,000 species of butterflies.Today, Ecuador remains a multiethnic and multicultural nation, where more than 14 indigenous groups maintain their own traditions and ways of life, to the delight of visitors.The country has a plentitude of national parks, wildlife reserves, natural springs, volcanoes and ecological reserves and beautiful cities.Ecuador gives the tourists a mega bio-diversity and a chance for great adventures in the mountains, volcanoes, jungle, white beaches and exotic islands.Although in recent years Ecuador has benefited from a rise in tourism offer some economic relief, millions of people live below the poverty line, mainly children. Governmental statistics estimate that over one million children work to survive and maintain their families. Growing poverty, lack of education and limited governmental resources further worsen the problem of street children and orphans