Ecotourism & Sustainable Rural Development Internships

Internships available in Ecuador in one of CRACYP’s sustainable rural development projects in the foothills of the Andes. 

CRACYP (which stands for Rural Reforestation and Progress Network Corporation, in Spanish) is a non profit organisation working in over 200 communities on the borders of the Cotopaxi, Bolivar and Los Rios provinces in Ecuador.  

CRACYP’s aim is "Progreso Verde" or "Green Progress" - conservation of the environment and economic and social development of local communities.  We aim to transfer appropriate technology and sustainable alternative agricultural methods, in exchange for community participation in reforestation.  This process also increases the production alternatives and resources of the communities involved, improving their quality of life.  

Ecotourism interns will help develop a fledgling rural community tourism project as well as participating in monthly development workshops.  The tourism project is based in a pretty little sugar cane farming village, where producers have organic and fair-trade certification.  Tourists will stay on organic farms, learn about organic agriculture and fair-trade production, and enjoy spending time in a beautiful rural area with great biodiversity.  This is a great opportunity for those studying tourism or similar subjects to gain practical field experience. 

Interns on the ecotourism project will be based mostly in the organic sugar cane farming communities in the foothills of theAndes, a beautiful area with a subtropical climate.

More details: Download the information pack from http://www.progresoverde.org/internship.html or email internship.ecuador@yahoo.co.uk.  Please quote reference SDEctNov11 when you apply.