Amizade inspires empathy, catalyzes social action, and links diverse communities through | Read all about Amizade's January programs and projects | January is always a busy travel month for Amizade, and 2024 was no exception. Our partners welcomed visitors in six different sites around the world, and together they worked on many different types of community-driven projects. Keep reading for some of the highlights! | > Understanding what 'sustainability' means in rural Ecuador | The University of Illinois School of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) collaborated with our partner Nido de Vida in Ecuador. Visiting one of Amizade's most rural community partners, students explored the pillars of sustainability—society, economics, and the environment—as they play out at the grassroots level. Students heard from local small-scale dairy farmers about milk production, market access, and their economic realities. They engaged in cultural activities by participating in the process of making cane sugar and cheese, as well as by spending time with a group of senior citizens.
Exploring culture must include engaging with the land, and a lot of time was spent enjoying the natural world through hikes and river swims as well as through a physical service project. During their almost two week program, they helped design, prepare, and plant an edible forest. | > Back-to-back programs and supporting neighbors in the Navajo Nation |  | We had a busy month with programming in the Navajo Nation. Vanessa, Chaunupa, and Keller started the 2024 season with a group of nursing students from Plymouth State University (PSU). While they did run into some inclement weather, that didn't stop them from enjoying the landscape, engaging in tough physical work on Rose's farm, and exploring Navajo traditional medicine.
Illinois Math and Science Academy arrived on the same day that PSU departed. The academy students worked hard on Brian's land and were able to compare and contrast Illinois farming and land management to what they experienced with Brian.
The programmatic closer for the month was with Colgate University. Like the previous two groups, they were curious, fun, and hard working. They had a busy week of exploration and service work. After a safety lesson, students spent an entire day processing loads of much-needed firewood to help families stay warm through the winter.
| > Enjoying both new and long-standing community connections in Bolivia |  | The University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering traveled to Cochabamba, Bolivia after working virtually with local NGOs as part of a semester-long course. Students had the chance to connect in person with the people they met virtually and participate actively in the work they do, including baking cuñapes and working in a community garden. This was a fun, adventurous group who took advantage of every opportunity to connect with the people they met, try new and delicious foods, and learn about Bolivian culture.
The program included another notable moment: the beginning of a new community partnership. Illinois students were the first to work on a project with the 3 de Abril and Gualberto Villarroel Schools in Mallco Chapi, where Amizade's site director Ariel and driver Rolando have been working with the schools' parent association to launch a collaboration. Our first project, laying tile on the second floor of the school, was a success, and we look forward to future projects together! | > Learn more about the ways you can travel with Amizade in 2024 | Now that you've read some inspiring stories from our January programs, are you ready to finalize your summer 2024 travel plans? Travel with Amizade: we're going to Trinidad and Tobago, Italy, Ecuador, and Bolivia—and you can come too! Don't miss out on our upcoming info sessions, which are online, open to everyone, and free to attend. We'll talk about what to expect on from each experience and answer any questions you may have. Save these dates:
- February 15 @ 6pm ET: Family Program in Ecuador Info Session
- February 21 @ 6pm ET: Helping Hands in Bolivia Info Session
Sign up for one or both sessions by clicking the button below. You can also click the 'apply' button on our website to see all of our open summer 2024 programs. | > Professional development: join our Reflective Practice Retreat in Ecuador | Want to experience the highlights of an Amizade Ecuador program for yourself while also gaining the skills to manage students, conduct reflective practice activities, and build ethical community partnerships? We're waiting for you!
Join our Reflective Practice Retreat at Nido de Vida in Ecuador, May 14-18, 2024.
Former participants highly recommend this experience: "I gained more from these 5 days in Ecuador than any conference I have attended to date! The opportunity to engage as both a participant and a practitioner was highly beneficial and really solidified for me the transformative capacity of experiential learning opportunities." | Amizade 2211 Lesnett Rd. #12539, Pittsburgh, PA 15241
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