Each year SALEM Ecuador organises a special holiday programme. The motivation for these trips and activities is to make sure the children and young people in the village spend their free time wisely during school holidays by participating in fun, social activities. The holiday program helps to improve self-esteem, independance and and leadership skills. This year, we offered the holiday program throughout March.

The holiday program is run by a strong experienced team who are trained in group management and alternative education methods. The team consists of 3 teachers, 6 workshop leaders and assited by 9 young motivated volunteers who are happy to support and participate in the programme.

This year 45 children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years took part in the holiday programme. The majority of them participants were from the SALEM project, but we also welcomed other children and teenagers from Mindo to participate.

In the first half of the holiday program the children and young people were not only offered a delicious vegetarian lunch and a small snack, but they were also able to enjoy special trips to local tourist destinations such as:

• Chocolate tour at „El Quetzal“
• Watching humming birds at „El Descanso“
• Visit to the Orchid garden at „La Armonía“
• Visit to the butterfly house „Mariposas de Mindo“
• Ziplining with „Canopy Mindo“
• A wonderful trip for a dip at „Cabañas Bambú“
• A visit to Hostel „El Carmelo“
• Canyoning with „La Isla“
• Bird watching with Mindo Guides
• Navigating the bamboo maze at „La Roulotte Inn.“
• Viewpoint and waterfalls at „Hacienda San René“ nature reserve
• „La Yagüira“ reserve
• „Bosque Nublado Río Bravo“ reserve

In addition, SALEM hosted a special artistic workshop week with workshops such as recycled art, music, dance, needlework, sewing and air-crobatics. Each workshop prepared a performance or exhibition for the final presentation to the parents at the end of the week.

One of the goals of the holiday programme is to teach the children about the different attractions and actitivites on offer in Mindo and to raise their awareness and sensitivity to the natural environment. We also use the holiday programme as an opportunity to train staff and volunteers.

We would like to sincerely thank all the business owners who invited us to visit them. Without their generous support the summer programme would not be possible possible!

Become a project sponsor

If you would like to support and facilitate activities like the holiday program, a monthly contribution to our sponsorship program is the most efficient way to do it. Thanks to your regular donations we can successfully plan and implement long-term projects.