Work stay opportunity in Ecuador for vegan volunteers

Fruit Haven Ecovillage is located in the foothills of the Andes on the edge of the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. They are creating a sustainable eco-village and a functioning permaculture fruit farm. The aim of this eco project is to inspire local farmers to see fruit production as a profitable endeavor; an alternative to deforestation and cattle grazing.

Community values at Fruit Haven

  • A strong work ethic: Responsible care-taking of the land to maintain and increase production of fruits and vegetables
  • Permaculture methods of farming
  • Consuming raw, unfractionated, unprocessed foods
  • Abstinence from addictive mind-altering substances such as alcohol and other drugs
  • Maintaining spiritual health through meditation and yoga
  • Not harming/domesticating other animals or exploiting them for our gain
  • Maintaining a de-centralized, non-hierarchical structure in the community

Volunteer work-exchange program

The farm offers a work-exchange volunteer program where you receive accommodation in exchange for 20 hours of various farm tasks per week. This is a great opportunity to learn about tropical fruit growing and permaculture.
Volunteers will be provided with free bananas, papayas, some other fruits, and vegetables, as they are available from the farm, but any additional food they will have to purchase. Volunteers should expect to spend between $10 and $30 per week on food, but that depends on their personal tastes and spending habits. Some people eat almost entirely from the farm, others purchase more of their food.
They only accept volunteers who are vegan, as it is a vegan community. They also only accept volunteers who have experience in /are interested in a raw food diet, and are able to mostly abstain from cooked foods, and consume primarily raw foods while they are there, as this is another important community value of theirs.
What to Bring 
  • Flashlight or headlamp
  • Quality pocketknife
  • Long-sleeve pants and shirts (good in the evening when there are gnats)
  • Work clothes and work gloves
  • Sun hat, bandannas or handkerchiefs
  • 1-2 sheets and thin blanket
  • It is a good idea to bring a tent if you have one. Sometimes the house and cabins are full
  • For the same reason it can be good to bring a sleeping pad
  • Good thick socks (calf-length.)
  • Please bring your own biodegradable soap/shampoo/etc
  • Do not bring any chemical/synthetic/non-biodegradable soaps or personal hygiene products.
  • “Silky saw” for pruning fruit trees
  • “Fleco” brand pruning shears for nursery work and pruning
  • A grafting knife if you want to learn how to graft fruit trees
What you will be provided
  • Mattresses but you should probably bring your own blanket/sleeping bag. Most of the time you will sleep 1 to a room but if they have a lot of volunteers they may put two volunteers in a room. Let them know if you have a tent and would be willing to sleep in it if space requires.
  • Accommodation: The house is a simple, rustic, post-and-beam construction house right on the Rio Zamora. From the porch you can watch the boats going by. There are 4 bedrooms in the house (1 large and 2 small) and also a little cabin over the pond. There is a hot shower and bathroom. They use a composting toilet, to complete the nutrient cycle.
Is this program free?
If you stay at least a month, your accommodation received is free however there is a 6 USD/month charge for internet usage if you’d need to get access.
Security deposit

To prevent community loss, you will be charged a 100 USD security deposit as a newcomer. If your stay is longer than 1 month, you get 50 USD back after one month, and the rest back when you leave, or after 3 months, whichever comes first. During your stay, we will deduct your monthly internet/electric payments (usually 6-7 USD) from this balance. If you stay less than one month, you will get 50 USD back when you leave, and the remaining 50 USD will be considered a donation.

Volunteer tasks 
  • Agriculture/Permaculture – Planting trees, maintaining trees, clearing weeds with machete, various tree maintenance tasks, vegetable garden work
  • Nursery work – tending to baby trees/plants in the nursery
  • House/Facilities repair – this may include sanding, painting, digging, etc
  • Hospitality/Upkeep – this may include cleaning rooms before/after guest arrival, sweeping the common areas, etc.
You will be expected to work 20 hours per week. At the end of each day you will be expected to write in our “Volunteer Work Log” what you did that day. This is also to help you keep track of which days each week you worked, and which are your days off.

Video

Map

Accomodation offer

You might need to book a cheap accommodation on your way to Ecuador. If you book your stay through our website, you support hopperjobs.com to list more great and free job opportunities worldwide. Click here for booking!

Flight offer

You’ll probaly need to book a cheap flight to Ecuador also. If you book your flight through our website, you support hopperjobs.com to list more great and free job opportunities worldwide. Click here for booking!

Contact

Address: Chuchumbleza, Morona-Santiago
Ecuador

Phone: +593 98 179 8501

Contact host directly: http://www.fruithavenecovillage.com

Tags
Share your love

More programs