Meet MPI Ecuador's Summer Interns!

This June, the MPI house is filled to the brim! The current residents include: thirteen summer interns, four program directors, and a lovable German Shepard named Lola. Four of the interns arrived in the beginning of May, nine arrived earlier this month, and all will continue their stay through the beginning of July (or later)! With the following Q&A passages, you can get to know two of our interns!

An Interview with Molly Knudsen

Name: Molly Knudsen

Age: 21

School & graduation year: Texas Christian University, Class of 2017

Major: Nutrition

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Hobbies/interests: Horseback riding

Duration of internship with MPI: 4 weeks

Q: How did you become interested in Manna Project International?

A: I became interested because two girls in my nutrition program a year ahead of me had volunteered [with MPI] the previous summer. I heard about it through them; it was very interesting to me. I did some volunteer work in Spain last summer and I wanted to volunteer abroad again.

Q: Why did you choose to come to MPI's Ecuador site, specifically?

A: I chose Ecuador specifically because of the nutrition programs. I’m interested in community improvement and I think the nutrition and cooking programs are good ways to get the community involved.

Q: What MPI programs are you involved in this summer?

A: Adult Nutrition & Cooking, Children’s Healthy Living Club, Diabetes Club, ESPE (local university), Adult English, and Science Club. The Diabetes Club interested me because I think that having the knowledge to build your own diet to control diabetes and live your best life is really important. Sometimes doctors don’t tell you specifically how to build a diet to combat diabetes, fitting exactly what the body needs. This program gives the participants the ability to learn how to build a healthful, tasty meal that reflects their dietary needs.

Q: What is it like living in the Manna Project House?

A: So far, it’s been a blast. It’s a mix between summer camp and my sorority house. I’m constantly around people my age who are passionate about building and improving the community and getting to know each other on a personal level.

Q: What destination in Ecuador did you enjoy the most/are you looking forward to the most?

A: I’m really looking forward to our free weekend, when I’ll hopefully be going to Baños and Quilotoa. It will give me the opportunity to travel on my own, be independent, and learn how to handle situations as they come.

Q: Biggest cultural/lifestyle shock?

A: Probably when the water in the house went out. It was fine...dishes got dirty, I showered with a bucket... What was most surprising was how long it took to turn it back on, which was 2 or 3 days.

Q: Favorite/most memorable moment?

A: Hiking in the Amazon was surreal. The 6-hour hike was strenuous but it was a once in a lifetime experience. From hiking up and down the hills, falling in the mud, and thinking we would never get out of the rocks caves, to finally returning to the beginning, it was a truly rewarding experience.

Q: What will you be doing when you finish your stay with Manna Project?

A: I will be traveling to Peru with a friend; we’ll spending 11 days in Cuzco, Machu Picchu, and a different area of the Amazon. I’ll get back to the States mid-July, and finish up schoolwork before the Fall, and visit family.

Q: If you could summarize your MPI experience in five or six words, what would they be?

A: “Be adaptable at all times.”

An Interview with Claire Monyak

Name: Claire Monyak

Age: 19

School/year in school: Bucknell University, Class of 2019

Major: Spanish and International Politics

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Hobbies/interests: Make-up

Duration of internship with MPI: 11 weeks (May – July)

Q: How did you become interested in Manna Project International?

A: I had already been interested in doing some type of immersion program this summer, and I heard about MPI through a friend of mine at school. She had applied previously but didn’t follow through for financial reasons. I thought volunteering with Manna Project would be a good opportunity for me to practice my Spanish and immerse myself in a new culture.

Q: Why did you choose to come to MPI's Ecuador site, specifically?

A: I’ve been to Nicaragua before and I did love it, but I wanted to see a different country.

Q: What MPI programs are you involved in this summer?

A: I am involved with ESPE, so I help teach English to the university students. I also teach Adult English Level 2, and sometimes also help teach EGAP, which is the business and entrepreneurship program. I think Adult English is my favorite because I think it’s really interesting to see how the English language is taught to ESL students.

Q: What is it like living in the Manna House?

A: I think it’s an adventure. I think it’s fun living with so many people at once. It’s definitely different than anything I’ve experienced before, but in a very positive way!

Q: What destination in Ecuador did you enjoy the most/are you looking forward to the most?

A: Mindo was definitely my favorite because we got to go tubing, which is one of my favorite things to do, and we toured a chocolate factory and I love chocolate. The hostel was incredibly relaxing too because it was essentially a tree house with a bunch of hammocks and plants.

Q: Biggest cultural/lifestyle shock?

A: I think the food for me has been the biggest change, because I’m so accustomed to very American food. It’s been difficult for me to get out of my comfort zone and try new foods, but I have enjoyed a lot of Ecuadorian foods.

Q: Favorite/most memorable anecdote?

A: The most memorable time would definitely be when we went to Baños and went rappelling down waterfalls because I was terrible at it, it was really scary for me, but all the fellow interns cheered me on. It really brought us closer together...but it was so scary and so fun. We bonded over it.

Q: What will you be doing when you finish your stay with Manna Project International?

A: I will be going on a family vacation to Cape Cod and then I will be going to Nicaragua for 5 months. I’m doing a gap-semester program called “Amigos de las Americas”; I’ll be living with a host family and working at an orphanage.

Q: If you could summarize your MPI experience in five or six words, what would they be?

A: Incredible, Friendships, Food, Immersion, Life-changing (for sure).

Community Partnerships: Working with Chaupitena

One of our longest-standing partnerships at our site in Ecuador has been with the local primary school Unidad Educativa Jijón Caamaño y Flores, which we refer to Chaupitena for short. This school is located in the neighborhood of Chaupitena, just a short walk down the road from the MPI community center. As many of the children and teenagers that attend MPI programs and spend time at our community center attend this school, it seemed only natural that a partnership with the school would be an important way to give back to the communities we serve.

Each year Manna Project Program Directors meet with the administration of Chaupitena to discuss the ways that we can best work together for the benefit of students and their families. This year, we decided together that helping students with English fluency would be the best way to accomplish this, and so our English club was born. Three times a week Program Directors lead an English Club for students, helping them work towards English fluency, an important skill for future jobs that can help them break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families. Teaching at Chaupitena has been a great experience for Program Directors, and a way to get to know students in the community. We've also seen students get involved with other programs and events after first meeting us at English club, such as Children's Nutrition classes, our Teen Center, and more.

As the school year draws to a close at Chaupitena, we will definitely miss our students, but we look forward to seeing them spend more time at our community center and get involved with different summertime activities with Manna Project, like our summer reading club. Looking forward to the next school year, we hope to expand our impact at Chaupitena by working with English teachers to help them with their fluency as well, and developing more regular, school-wide activities to engage even more students and families.

Hornado Solidario & Time with Community Members

On Saturday, May 21st, in the main town plaza just down the street from our community center, we held our 2nd Annual Hornado Solidario, a traditional way in Ecuador to raise money for a good cause. I remember in my high school in the States we used to have chicken barbeque events to raise money for sports teams...but in Ecuador, we barbeque an entire pig, whole! By the end of the day we had raised nearly $1800 to benefit Manna Project's education, health, and livelihoods programs in Ecuador, a tremendous success that will allow us to continue and expand our impact in the community.

More than anything, it was a great day spending time with our wonderful community members, students, and friends who make our time in Ecuador so special. We were all so touched by the generosity of our community members, local businesses, and local volunteers who helped make this day a success. They were the true stars of the day and the reason Manna Project in Ecuador is where it is today! We took hundreds of pictures at the event, but here are some of just a few of our community members we've grown to know and love during our time with Manna Project:

The Granda Family

The Granda family has been involved with Manna Project since it was just getting started in the Chillos Valley, and generations of Program Directors will remember their warmth, kindness, and their enthusiasm for all things Manna Project! Over the years they have invited us over to eat, donated their time to help us with projects such as our Daddy and Me events at the community center, and much more. We even we able to see José (center) play with his band at the Casa de la Cultura in Quito! The whole family is enrolled in English classes with Manna Project, and it brightens our day everytime we see them in our community center.

Yeimmy Clemencia

Yeimmy recently immigrated to Ecuador from Colombia, and has enjoyed getting involved in our community center in any way she can. She takes English classes with us on Saturdays, and was also involved in our Women's Group meetings where we discussed women's issues in Latin America. Most recently, Yeimmy has been a faithful participant in our entrepreneurship classes taught in conjunction with the U.S.-based non-profit Education Global Access Program. She has been learning a lot about marketing, pricing strategies, and much more, and is getting ready to start her own business. We're so excited to have Yeimmy as part of our community here in Ecuador, and can't wait to see her business plans take off to help her and her daughter "seguir adelante," pressing on towards a better future.

Clemencia and Blanca

Clemencia and Blanca are two very special sisters who have been involved with Manna Project for years now, and have a special way of making Program Directors feel like they've found their long lost grandmothers in Ecuador. They first got involved with Manna Project through our partnership with Dr. Escobar at the Sangolqui Hospital where we host a Diabetes Club to help diabetes patients learn about healthy lifestyles. They have also hosted Program Directors in homestays, and were so giving of their time to help prepare and serve food at the Hornado Solidario; don't they look so professional in their blue aprons? We always know we can stop by for lunch with these amazing sisters any time, and are so thankful that we've been able to get to know them during our time living in Ecuador.

Professional Development with Manna Project International

working with Manna Project
is preparing me for a successful career

While our 5-, 7-, and 13-month volunteers at MPI are called Program Directors, they have the opportunity while working in Ecuador or Nicaragua to experience much more than just directing programs! During their time with Manna Project, Program Directors get involved with an array of organizational roles and responsibilities that prepare them well for future jobs in a variety of professional fields. Gaining practical experience through the the ins and outs of nonprofit management will make a difference for the rest of my career.

 
 

A Life-Changing Experience

As a Program Director with Manna Project, I've been able to work on communications for our Ecuador site, developing content for social media, blogging, and more. Communicating to our network of followers around the world doesn't just to keep Manna Project fresh in their minds; it's truly about connecting this community with the amazing work happening every day in Ecuador and Nicaragua, and inspiring them just as we are inspired. One of my favorite social media posts throughout the year has been our ongoing Star of the Week feature. It's been a great experience getting to share the story of our community members, and all the challenges and success that we've had in Ecuador this year.

learning valuable skills

I've also been able to work with our U.S.-based staff on researching and applying for grants, and working on other Manna Project fundraising efforts. For anyone interested in working in nonprofits in the future, this is an incredible opportunity to gain experience in one of the most important, high-demand fields of nonprofit management. Since I began with Manna Project, I have had the chance to research hundreds of grant opportunities online, make recommendations for fundraising priorities for our Ecuador site based on needs I've seen over the course of my time here, and more. It has been incredible to see grants that I have researched move from potential applications to real funding for our work in both Ecuador and Nicaragua.

Why MPI?

The flexibility that Manna Project provides its Program Directors to get involved in all aspects of nonprofit management is an important aspect of what drove me to work as a Program Director in Ecuador in the first place. Unlike a lot of other entry-level positions with nonprofits, the Program Director position with Manna Project has allowed me to gain practical experience in so many aspects of nonprofit work. When I return to the States after completing my contract with Manna Project, I will be well-prepared to make a difference for the rest of my career.

 

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where are they now?

Learn how past participants have furthered their careers by serving as Program Directors:

Travel Diaries: The Ecuadorian Cloud Forest

This week, I got the chance to spend some time seeing Ecuador from the eyes of a tourist again, as my cousin and his fiancée were able to take some time off work and school and visit me in Ecuador. It was the first time that my cousin had left the United States, and I am was so happy that Ecuador was the country he chose to first visit! It was also a particularly special time for me, as I recently got engaged and they were both able to meet my fiancé for the first time.

We spent the beginning of the week touring Quito - they had enough time to see all the highlights of the city, such as the historic center: the Presidential Palace, the Basilica, the Equator (known as Mitad del Mundo), and more. We also spent (probably too much) time enjoying delicious Ecuadorian food and some of my favorite restaurants in Quito.

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But the real highlight of the trip came this weekend, when we travelled just two hours away from Quito to reach the amazing little town of Mindo, one of my favorite weekend trips from Quito and the gateway to the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest. We spent the weekend doing a variety of adrenaline-heavy activities like zip-lining, tubing down a fast-moving river, and canyoning, an activity that basically involves repelling off of waterfalls (I sat out for that one). And of course we also enjoyed all of Mindo's delicious restaurants and cafes as well.

Although I'm sad to see them go, it was a fantastic time to get to spend time with them and show them the country that I've grown to love during the last two years I've spent with Manna Project!