In December 2019, 14 students from Columbia International College went to Gulag, Ecuador. Their purpose on that trip was to help build a new classroom and washroom facility for the primary school.
Our students got the chance to connect with the local students and simultaneously learned about the historical context that caused indigenous communities in the region to struggle economically.
They learned about the local economy, how culture has shaped these communities, and which resources are scarce in Ecuador’s Chimborazo region.
Students also were able to experience:
• A tour through Historic Quito (A UNESCO Heritage site)
• Dancing to traditional Andean music
• What it is like to have to walk 1km to get water for their home
• Going to the market with $1 to understand how difficult it would be like to live on $1 a day for food
• Learning how to make local jewelry (Which is source of income for women in the area)
• Making simple traditional breakfast out of barley flour
• And so much more!