Girls in the streets of Quito work as ambulatory vendors on in markets selling vegetables, fruit or candy.Like their brothers, girls spend an average of 10 hours each day on the street. In addition to their street work, however, girls have an additional six hours of work at home caring for their younger siblings and doing housework. Girls are also more vulnerable than their male siblings in terms of sexual abuse, incest, teenage pregnancy, physical abuse, a higher probability of being forced to work, discrimination at school and in the work place, and extremely low self-esteem. Centro de la Niña Trabajadora (known by its initials in Spanish as CENIT) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization founded in 1991 by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. CENIT uses educational and vocational programs to help working girls and their families overcome grinding poverty and improve the quality of their lives. The result is generations of working women with the education and skills to form healthy families that contribute to a more just and productive society.

Every year CENIT serves 1,000 girls and family members directly and goes on to benefit an additional 4,000 individuals indirectly. CENIT maintains long-term follow-up with girls and families to ensure that girls spend less time on the street, enjoy a childhood free from abuse, and realize their educational dreams.

CENIT relies heavily on volunteers from all over the world in many of its various programs. As a CENIT volunteer, you will work in a team environment according to your interests. All of our programs accept volunteers, but placement depends on the amount of time you'll be spending with us, whether your commitment is full or part-time, your Spanish level and your areas of interest.

Visa Arrangements Due to the expense of international faxing, incoming volunteers requiring assistance with visa arrangements are charged $15 upon arrival.

Additional Services… Some of our incoming volunteers need assistance arranging airport pick up, homestay/accomodations, and language lessons. If you would like information regarding these services, please contact us.

The minimum time commitment are two respectively 3 months (see below). Volunteers tend to be from ages 18 to 26, but adults of all ages are welcome. Depending on your level of experience in a given areas, your responsibilities as a CENIT volunteer may vary widely. Nonetheless, here is a description of the tasks generally assigned to a volunteer in the following programs:

1. Early Childhood Intervention
Responsibilites: Volunteers in this program work with 10 to 20 children ages 2 to 5 years old. Volunteers directly assist the classroom teacher, collaborating in planning and performing activities, helping children during snack and meal times, and participate in parent outreach work as well. Volunteers must be willing to work with very small children.
Spanish Level: Basic to Intermediate
Minimum Time: 2 months
Schedule: Monday - Friday; 9:00AM - 3:30PM

2. Primary Workshop School

Responsibilites: Volunteers can assist directly in the classroom in primary school teaching or develop special activities (a theatre project, art classes, a hygiene education project, etc.). Volunteers need to be out-going and willing to work with children who have suffered severe neglect/abuse.
Spanish Level: Basic to Intermediate
Minimum Time: 2 months
Schedule: Monday - Friday; 9:00AM - 3:30PM

3. Drop-In Tutoring Center
Responsibilites: Volunteers serve as tutors for primary school age children. Academic work tends to be very basic. Volunteers also organize recreational activities for children who have finished their work. Volunteers can work in the morning and/or afternoon sessions. Volunteers need great patience for this work.
Spanish Level: Basic to Intermediate
Minimum Time: 2 months
Schedule: Monday - Friday; 10:00AM - 12:00PM & 2:00PM - 4:00PM

4. Outreach
Responsibilites: Volunteers prepare academic, artistic and social activities for street and working children. Volunteers (in groups of 3 to 4) go out to five working sectors to carry out activities. This program aims to establish positive mentoring relationships with these neglected children, to encourage them to return to school and to assist them with immediate problems. Street Outreach also provides an important opportunity for CENIT to extend itself to the immediate and outer communities in southern Quito. Volunteers should be willing to get down and dirty working with children out of doors.
Spanish Level: Conversational
Minimum Time: 2 months
Schedule: Monday - Friday; 9:30AM - 12:30PM & planning sessions

5. Production Workshop
Responsibilites: Volunteers assist in the production of CENIT's handmade cards (sold to help finance our programs). Volunteers may learn our handmade process, supervise and assist working children and/or help in the marketing of the finished products.
Spanish Level: Basic
Minimum Time: 2 months
Schedule: Monday - Friday; (manufacturing) 10:00AM - 12:00PM (flexible schedule)

6. Vocational High School
Responsibilites: Volunteers can assist directly in the classroom in basic high school teaching, sewing, carpentry or develop special activities (a sexuality education course, a theatre or athletic project, a hygiene education campaign, etc.). Volunteers need to be out-going and willing to work with young adults ages 12 to 18.
Spanish Level: Conversational
Minimum Time: 3 months
Schedule: Monday - Friday; 10:00AM - 12:00PM & 2:00PM - 4:00PM

7. Medical Clinic
Responsibilites: Volunteers help out in our weekly medical clinic keeping records, entering in new patients (taking height, weight, blood pressure and temperature) and can observe physician patient interactions in some cases. A great idea for people interested in primary health care in developing countries.
Spanish Level: Intermediate
Minimum Time: 3 months
Schedule: Thursday 1:30PM - 5:00PM
Cost
Volunteer Inscription Fee As of February 1, 2003, all incoming volunteers will be asked to pay a one-time processing fee of $100. This inscription fee allows volunteers full-time supervision and written evaluation upon request. Also included are 5 hours of Spanish classes One-on-One. Moreover these funds are used to cover the volunteer coordinator’s salary, administrative expenses and program costs.

Cost examples for the program including accommodation:

Accommodation	Living with an Ecuadorian Family	Hostel	Hotel	Apartment (shared) with kitchen
Costs ( per month)	$ 480 all included ( three meals a day)	$ 180 only the single room	$ 400 with breakfast	$250

In all cases applies a one time admission fee of $50!

This funds are used to cover the volunteer coordinator's salary, administrative expenses and program costs.

If you are interested in volunteering with CENIT while studying spanish with Vida Verde, just let us now when you are registering, and we will take care of the rest.