📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
This small project is located on San Cristobal Island that has already received recognition of the Municipality of San Cristobal, Galapagos National Park & Ministry of Tourism for its unique approach to socio-environmental improvement and learning.
The local staff and volunteers from over 15 countries worldwide are proud of the diverse range of environmental accomplishments that they have pioneered during its four years of operation. These accomplishments include reforestation of 150 hectares of highly vulnerable abandoned agricultural land, the help to 50 farmers to remove invasive species from their lands; replaced an aging eight km water pipeline for the community; refurbished an elementary school; sequestered 191 tons of carbon; and provided an educational and therapeutic outdoor escape for 180 disadvantaged children on the San Cristobal Island, Galapagos.
Each year, the local workers and international volunteers that comprise Hacienda Tranquila accomplish better conservation work and contribute to improving sustainable development of this fragile environment. The manager added more rooms to the guesthouse to accommodate more volunteers, forged new partnerships with large volunteer organizations to increase their human capital, and the increased manpower contributed to a significant expansion of the onsite endemic plant nursery.
This organization continues to expand its outreach and accelerates environmental accomplishments on the island and the green growth, the restoration of the endemic forests while they protect the vulnerable farmers from invasive species and providing the community with improved access to water, therapy, education, and intercultural exchange of ideas, values and love for our planet.
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers should be prepared to work Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 2:00 p.m.to 5:00 p.m. Daily work could include any of the following activities: eliminating introduced/invasive species, restoring native and endemic species, assisting in community projects, working with the horse -therapy program, and working in organic agricultural projects. The days are long and hard, so volunteers should be prepared for hot and physical, yet rewarding, work. Volunteers are free to explore the port town and discover the island’s many tourist attractions in the evenings after work and on the weekends.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The volunteers are placed in the house for volunteers in the project, or in a host family just in case the house of volunteers is full.
The program fee covers accommodation, food is not included.
In the project, we will always provide drinking water. The project also has a vegetable garden, as well as orange, avocado, and banana trees. Please feel free to share them among all of the volunteers.
As for the other necessities for sustaining life, there are several markets in the main port town. Since it is so easy to get to town, we do not suggest stocking up on food for fear of it spoiling too soon. We often make milk, cheese, and coffee on the Hacienda, so keep that in mind while you are shopping!
📍 About the location
La Soledad, with a population of about 50 people, is the closest town to the project, and is the community with which we work with the most. The next closest town is the town of El Progresso, with a population around 150. El Progresso is about a 30 minute walk from the Hacienda, or less than 10 minute taxi ride.
The main port and largest town on the island is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, with a population of 4800. In this town is where you will find the airport and port for travel off of the island. This town is easily accessible by taxi and is only a 15-20 minute ride.
⚠️ Requirements
Fee includes: 4 weeks of accommodation and bottled water in the project's house. Our services rely on help in all areas relating to the needs of the volunteers.
Fee does not include: Food, flights, any kind of transportation, tours, taxes, extra drinks, tours, phone calls, Internet
WHAT TO BRING
It is recommended that you bring:
• Rubber Boots, can purchased in Quito, the rainforest could get very muddy
• Insect
• repellent
Work gloves
• Light clothes
• Comfortable clothes for work
• Medicines – some basic medicine should be brought for problems like headaches, coughs, stomach-aches etc, for other medication against malaria etc, please consult your doctor, if you can donate medicines people from the projects will appreciate this donation.
• Sandals and walking shoes
• Sun block lotion
• Batteries
• Environmentally friendly soap
• Baseball cap or hat
• Books to read
• Towels, bathing suit, towels and all necessary personal hygiene items.
• Mosquito nets may or may not be available
ℹ️ Additional information
The volunteers are not required to have any previous experience in volunteering. Is necessary just to be able to adapt to live with people from other nationalities to learn new skills and develop new relationship, to be able to work in team, to share their culture with enthusiastic will, to be positive and respectful with other participants, and to the local culture, to be willing to work in ways that they choose and at a pace they feel comfortable with.
we accepts application since 3 week up to 7 weeks
