Newsletter: ¡Flying Through Summer!
- Joshua Holmes
- Sep 13, 2024
- 3 min read
The following is an El Terreno newsletter published on 13th September 2024
We've enjoyed an active summer with blue skies and amazing internship and community projects that we will be sharing in coming newsletters.
But with no rain for almost 3 months, we are about to experience water shortages and have much more work to do! I hope you will continue to join us in our mission to co-create more vibrant, prosperous and regenerative communities.
Joshua Holmes
Founder, El Terreno
The Need for Sustainable Farming
During the beginning of this summer, Jasha (The Netherlands) participated in a 6-week Ecology & Sustainable Agriculture internship with us in rural Ecuador. He was curious to hear about the lives of farmers and see if he could help with the challenges they faced.
After interviewing several farmers who used different approaches, he learned that many of them were trapped in a cycle of poverty due their reliance of chemical fertilisers. While one of the big problems is that the prices of these chemicals continues to rise, what was most concerning is that the production has declined over the years as the soils are degrade by those same chemicals.
¿What will the future look like for these farmers and their children if things stay the same?
Jasha completed his internship through an in-depth report outlining the problem and potential solutions, as well as delivering a final presentation to the community and organic composting workshop with his mentor, Sebastián Araya, to begin sharing possible alternatives to this downward spiral.
¡Congratulations on all your hard work, Jasha!
"After doing an internship of 6 weeks at El Terreno I can say without hesitation that I loved the experience.
It allowed me to develop myself in a new environment wherein I could learn new things as well as giving something back. The group activities we organised made the work / travelling experience nicely balanced.
Atandahua itself is a rural quiet place which gives it a relaxing atmosphere. 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, The Netherlands
If you are motivated to help low-income communities build a better life, while gaining hands-on experience to further your career, find out more about our internship programmes and sign up for a free discovery call today!
Summer Fun for Local Children
Annual Summer School
Each summer, we run a 2-week summer school with local children to provide them with much-needed fun and education during the long summer months.
This year was no different as teachers, children and volunteers joined together for two weeks of English, creative and mental gymnastic classes.
A massive thank you to all the donors who make these community activities possible for children with limited opportunities.
First Kite Festival
It's also the time of year when the sun is high and the winds are fierce, especially this year! As a result, we collaborated with the organisers of the annual 'kite festival' here in Guaranda.
With their support and help from the Casa de la Cultura, we ran a day-long festival making traditional kites using natural materials. It was a great event, enjoyed by all the family. We look forward to next year!
These activities are made possible thanks to the generosity of people like you, many who make a small monthly contribution to benefit the low-income communities surrounding El Terreno.
Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.
Get Hands-On, from Home or Abroad
Are you looking for a meaningful way to spend the remainder of 2024?
We have several open spaces if you'd like to join us as a volunteer here in Ecuador - getting stuck in on practical projects in nature and supporting the day-to-day functioning of our programmes.
If travelling is a challenge but want to put your finance, fundraising or marketing skills to make a positive impact, why not join the team as a virtual associate and help El Terreno make an even bigger impact in 2025!
Applications are open now - so what are you waiting for?!
Comments