My PC Vignette

As a Youth and Families Volunteer in Ecuador, my time has been filled with adventure, passion, challenges and opportunities. When arriving at my site, the world was at my finger-tips, there were limitless possibilities to what lay ahead. My community included a network of people, organizations and ideas waiting to take form. Starting out, my work proved to have its good days and it’s not so good days. However, through perseverance, dedication and a handful of great, motivated people, I’ve found my place in my community. The people I have met along the way, including my co-workers, youth, my Ecuadorian family, and the local tienda owners have made my Peace Corps Service take form. Within my work as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I’ve been honored to work with youth entrepreneurship, life skills, HIV/AIDS, and nutrition.

My work with youth entrepreneurship and life skills activities has allowed me to combine my background and my passions with the needs of my community. Starting out, we worked with local youth in self-esteem, nutrition, leadership, the environment, and team building. We worked with local schools in sports and with campo schools in self-esteem and literature. Additionally, we have started a youth-room at my Foundation, a place for youth to come, do homework, read, play, or participate in weekly activities. From there, we are forming a small business, run and operated by the youth themselves. We are making recycled paper into gift cards, bags, book-marks with an endless list of potential products. Within the group, we are building skills in leadership, business knowledge and environmental responsibility. It has been an amazing, unique opportunity for me and for the youth of Guaranda, Ecuador. For the future, my Foundation liked the ideas of youth entrepreneurship so much, we're looking for new youth-run businesses to assist!