A selection of testimonies from volunteers who have been at the project. If you would like to get in touch with somebody has been at the Amazon Teaching project or is currently volunteering with us, then make a request on the contact page.

Greta Loughlan (July 2011)

[T]he whole experience was amazing. The house and surrounding area is lovely, the people were great and the general atmosphere in the house is so friendly and buzzing. I would reccomend the project to anyone who wants an insight into a community living in the Amazon and is keen to muck in, make friends and live in the jungle!

Matt Chipping (May 2011)

I really enjoyed my time volunteering, I made some good friends who I will stay in contact with and although I was only here for 2 weeks felt I was able to lend at least some small assistance to the kids involved.

Olivia McWilliams (March 2011)

The Arajuno Road Project is an amazing project that makes such a difference to the lives of the people of Arajuno. I have had an amazing 5 weeks and am sad that it has come to an end! An unforgettable experience!

Marcus Kelly (March 2011)

[W]hat a strange and awakening experience it has been. In the past six weeks I have been trekking through the jungle, witnessed a guinea pig skinning (to show the ailments of another volunteer) and I’ve stood in front of 300 locals at a farm show as part of a contest. Coming from a school with over 1,000 students, it was a bit of a shock to see a school with just seven students and the largest school consisted of just about thirty students. Despite the size of the schools and the clear lack of money, the children show a real desire to learn and are quite intelligent. Overall, it’s not only been fun teaching these kids but also really rewarding.

Kathryn Bowes (June 10)

Most memorable experience of the whole trip, the only problem with it is you never want to leave!

Daniel Malin (May 10)

What has been built here is beyond anything imaginable, volunteers can easily become part of the community, and the friends I have found I hope will be friends for life. Schools really affect you massiviely. I wouldnot recommend coming for anything less than one month, and Spanish really, really does help. Worth doing.

Emily Nielsen (March 10)
The project was phenomenal. The schools really appreciate all the help we give them and the children are amazing. Getting the chance to explore the jungle and nearby attractions gave my experience another dimension.

Vanessa Strudwick (Feb/Mar 10)

This project is great - the objective of supporting as many schools as possible is a good one, and having all volunteers based in one house makes it really easy to share ideas about teaching activities, doing more in the community and improving life in the house (ie. self-sufficiency etc...) and,of course, have fun! And...the location is just amazing... Do it!

Hilary Braseth (January 10)

You're doing a really wonderful thing here, and I loved the responsibility given to us, as well as the small scale of [the project], providing true subsatance to the experience.

Elisabeth Ward (January 10)

Wonderful program! Hopefully someday I will be able to return. It has a great goal with regards to helping this community here in Ecuador. I look forward to its expansion.

Vaughan Quinn (October 09)

Sad I don't have longer after 3 great weeks. I had no teaching experience before, but working with the kids was really enjoyable. Lazy afternoons at the house were great too. Things like little Ormedo with his-bowl cut returning to the lunch room with his 3rd plate of food will stay with me for a long time.

Lucy O'Dwyer (October 09)

Great Project. Very good combination of teaching, having fun and surviving in the jungle. The kids are so cute, I just want to put a few of them in my suitcase! Very much enjoyed it.

Erica Felker-Kantor (June 09)

I really enjoyed my time in the jungle. I am absolutely having jungle withdrawls at the moment. I know that the organization is still growing, but I feel like everyday I was there helping coordinate, the project grew. I will never forget the kids, the community, and of course the other volunteers, oh and the dogs and cats. I hope that I can come back again to coordinate next summer. I was so sad to go.

Seth and Jenna (March 09)

My girlfriend and I were looking for a volunteer opportunity in the Americas that would allow us to have some one-on-one classroom time, but would also not leave us broke by the end of our stay. What we experienced on the Arajuno Road was beyond any of our expectations. Working with kids who truly want to learn English was amazing and made it easy to see our contributions within the "big picture." What we did not expect was the way in which communal interaction would play such an intrinsic role in our stay. Spending time with volunteers lesson planning, cooking, and hanging out was really enjoyable. However, being apart of the different communities along the Arajuno Road (if only for a month) was unforgettable. From school soccer matches and cook-outs, to trips to Puyo and treks into the jungle, the level of genuine interaction within the community left us with experiences and perspectives not found through travel alone. Volunteering at the Arajuno Road Project was an opportunity that I can not speak enough about. I would recommend this project to anyone who is willing to get their hands dirty in a welcoming jungle lifestyle.

Corinna Berner (February - March 09)

The teaching program in the Amazon exceeded all my expectations. Working in school and with the kids was amazing. It was such a privilege to be part of their life for a while. I saw life of a different culture and I really enjoyed it - I would go there anytime again.

Matt Willis (October 2008)

I volunteered at the project in October 2008, when the house was still being built, but was almost inhabitable. Nico and I put the freshwater plumbing in from the top of the stream and the pipes into the shower and kitchen sink. It's really satisfying to know that my hard work is still there and being used by every volunteer since me (you're going to tell me it broke the day after I left and someone else had to do it!)

My girlfriend and I visited Arajuno Road as part of a gap year starting in India, through Asia, Australasia and South America so we weren't too bothered by the days without showers or the (several) days without electricity.

The jungle near Puyo is so beautiful at night, especially in a lightning storm and downpour. The worst thing was the moths (in fact, that might be why it's more pleasant when it's raining). I remember running along the dirt roads and sitting on the veranda reading.

The kids were so lovely; especially the younger ones who weren't so mischievous and the cries of 'hello teacher' stay with me to this day.

I met some awesome people in the jungle, Taylor and Kim who were great teachers - both very committed to the school - and also great fun to hang around with. Being in a jungle with only yourselves for entertainment is a great way to find out things about yourself and other people.

Things I don't miss, but are kind of endearing, are the bad cheese, the warm fridge, the cockroaches in the bathroom (of the old house, of course. Nothing like that would ever happen in the new place!).

Things I miss a lot; the noises of being in a jungle. Having Jim and Lucy follow me all the way down the road. Jim in general: he had a really funny shaped head.

It's such a great project and I wish it well for the future. Unlike massive charities where money can disappear into the administration pot, YouVolunteer is small and targeted, so that you can see every day's work and every dollar you spend going towards a good cause and making some children very happy.