In the eyes of an intern - Ecuador

It took Gwilym Lawrence a little over a year to return to Ecuador; having hugely enjoyed volunteering in Huayrapungo for 12 weeks in 2008 and seeing what a huge impact the project was having on the lives of everyone in the communities it was an easy decision to make the 6000 mile trip back to intern.



"A year later, this impact has continued - perhaps even increased – with the introduction of stove building, Plan Moo and Plan Trout. Each of these separate strands of the project is providing a genuinely sustainable benefit to the children and the families in our communities.

An internship is certainly a step up from volunteering in terms of the workload, but the old premise of “you get out what you put in” still rings true, and it’s been hugely rewarding to see everyone’s hard work bearing fruit in the shape of well taught classes, well built stoves and well cooked soups!

I have really enjoyed the chance to get to know another school and another community, and appreciate hugely how open and supportive the locals are towards our work.


I was always keen that volunteering with GVI would not be a one-time thing, and returning to a project after a period away and seeing the same children performing at a higher level is a real privilege, and something that really hits home exactly how vital the Phoenix projects are. ps, that's my stove!"

In the eyes of an intern - Ecuador