Guarderia "Casa del Sol"

For the last six weeks I have been working as a volunteer in the Casa del Sol, a nursery for kids between one and four years old. Most kids are of single mothers that have to work to make their living and the foundation running the nursery takes care of the children for a symbolic amount of 3 USD per month.
In the same building we also run a mensa for school kids who stop by for their lunch and can do their homework here afterwards.
I usually start my work at 08:30 and arrive in the nursery, where we currently have between 30 - 35 kids. At 09:00 the kids get their breakfast and afterwards we split them in three groups and depending on their age they can play or have to do same tasks such as puzzles, drawings, singing etc.
I usually look after the youngest group, where we have about 10 kids between one and two years. At 11:30 we have lunch and afterwards all the kids have siesta and take a nap. I was quite impressed to see how all of them go to sleep on some big mattresses, some need a bit more cuddling than others but usually they all fall asleep quite fast!

When the kids are asleep I usually go downstairs to the mensa and help handing out the food for about 40 - 45 schoolkids between 6 and 11 years. I eat with the kids and after lunch they can spend about 2 hours with us doing their homework or playing. After 15:00 when they have left I go upstairs to the nursery again and play with the little ones again, until the last ones are picked up by their mothers at around 16:30. Then it is time for me and my colleagues Elsa, Pilar and Margarita to go home as well..... believe me, the first week I was dead after such a day surrounded by so many kids, in the meantime I am quite used to it!!

The organisation running the Casa del Sol was founded by Mrs Schaefer, a German lady that has lived in Ecuador for more than fourty years. In the meantime Mrs Schaefer (who is almost 70 years old now but still very active and fit) runs four nurseries in Quito and she also opened a textile workshop where young girls can make an apprenticeship as seamstresses. Mrs Schaefer is supported by an association in Germany and they are always looking for donations and volunteers for their projects.
If you are interested to learn more about Mrs Schaefer's activities and the association, do not hesitate to contact me.


La Casa del Sol

Comedor for the schoolkids where they get lunch and can do their homework

Guarderia for the small kids between one and four years

"my babies", the group of the one to two year's old that I usually look after

Siesta time after lunch