Help rural beekeepers improve sustainability, organisation, and ecological practices while regenerating pollinator habitats.
The Challenge
Beekeeping has long been part of rural life in Bolívar, but it's now under threat. Deforestation, climate change, and widespread use of agrochemicals are reducing flowering seasons, damaging pollinator habitats, and lowering honey production. Many families are forced to feed their bees artificially or abandon beekeeping altogether.
At the same time, local beekeepers remain largely unorganised and lack access to ecological knowledge or fair market opportunities. Most honey is sold cheaply or diluted before reaching the market — harming both producers and consumers. The challenge is to regenerate healthy ecosystems for bees while building stronger community structures that support sustainable livelihoods.
The Solution
This internship offers a unique opportunity to work side-by-side with rural beekeepers and help them strengthen their practices while regenerating local ecosystems. Guided by expert mentors, you will dive into real-world challenges and co-design practical solution, from creating pollinator-friendly planting calendars and visual tools to track hive health, to facilitating community workshops or supporting the early steps of a local cooperative. Whether you have skills in design, communication, agroecology or education, there’s space to contribute meaningfully.
Our Proven Methodology
Our internship programs are built around the transformative Design Thinking methodology, ensuring that every solution meets the unique needs of low-income populations. You’ll engage deeply with local stakeholders to understand root challenges, co-create ideas, and test solutions that drive real impact. Through immersive guided tours, social innovation workshops, and hands-on prototyping, you’ll collaborate to build and refine sustainable initiatives. By the end of your experience, you’ll not only gain professional skills but also create lasting resources that empower communities and future interns to continue this meaningful work.
Recommended by Previous Participants
¡Advance Your Career!
Gain more beekeeping experience with the support of trained mentors to expand your knowledge and build your confidence.
Now more than ever, employers are looking for a resume with diverse experiences, certificates and strong references that an internship provides.
"Great experience to learn from and enjoy"
I loved the experience. Joshua is open for the different goals and experiences people strive for, making it easy to create a well suited programme. It allowed me to develop myself in a new environment wherein I could learn new things as well as giving something back.
Living with the other interns was a really pleasant experience. The group activities we organised made the work / travelling experience nicely balanced. Lastly the location, Atandahua itself is a rural quiet place, in the direct surroundings there is enough to do during the week and the central location allows for easy trips throughout Ecuador during the weekends.
Jasha from the Netherlands (Ecology & Sustainable Agriculture)
Results from Past Internships
Check out this final presentation from previous interns, to see what they've achieved during their time here
¿What's Included?
Free Discovery Call & Plan
Flexible Start Date & Duration
Educational Documentation Support
Pre-Arrival & Travel Support
Shared Accommodation with WiFi
(Family Homestay also Available)
Lunches Monday to Friday
Weekly Professional Learning/Mentoring
In-Person Coordination
Cultural Immersion
Free-Time Recommendations
Certificate of Completion
Written Reference
Additional Services
Private Room within a Local Family Homestay
Spanish/Kichwa Classes (before or during visit)
Private Transfer from Airport
Additional Professional Mentoring Sessions
Washing Services
Application Process
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Fill out the online interest form
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Participate in your discovery call, free of charge
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Review your personalised internship plan, free of charge
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Place your deposit & confirm your place
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Complete any required documents for your education provider
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Join us for an unforgettable experience in the Ecuadorian Andes!
Gain Experience.
Make a Difference.
Travel the World.
Imagine waking up to the cockerels at dawn as the sun rises over the horizon as you take in Chimborazo volcano over your morning coffee. After breakfast, walk down to meet your mentor, stopping to say hello to the friendly neighbours in the community as they take their cows to pasture.
Spend an hour to talk through your plans with your mentor, deepening your technical knowledge and finding out how to implement it within the local environment. Then take a trip into the colonial city of Guaranda to do some shopping and stop at a café to do some more research. Get back in time for lunch, which you spend with the rest of the team and workers from the local community, sharing stories and learning about the local culture.
Meet with your coordinator in the afternoon, to plan your pilot project or present your findings to the local community, before joining other interns and volunteers to go and watch the sunset, go out to a local bar/restaurant or simply spend the evening learning more from your host family.
Still not sure what a hands-on in the Ecuadorian Andes would look like? Speak to our team who will create you a personalised internship plan to give you a glimpse into the future, all free of charge.
