The Amaguaña Social Service Fund was created to make international professional development accessible to more people who have been systemically not included in international development and volunteering internationally. According to LendingTree, a higher proportion of unpaid Black and Latino interns (57% and 58%, respectively) took on debt than did their white peers (39%) to have an unpaid internship. At Manna Project International, we want to lessen that gap by offering scholarships to intern abroad in Ecuador with us for students of color with demonstrated financial need.

The scholarship fund supports interns, volunteers, and gap year students interested in studying abroad or volunteering abroad who self identify as a BIPOC or Ecuadorian citizens who would otherwise not be able to have such an experience. It provides recipients with the opportunity to participate in a career- and life-enhancing experience creating social justice programs meant to grow the student as well as our local communities while not worrying about the cost of housing, food, and even airfare.**

Recipients will have the chance to intern in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador with MPI. In their role, they will focus on grassroots efforts in an indigenous community to address the specific challenges to the Kichwa community and experience the unique adventures and opportunities from living in the Amazon Rainforest.

MPI’s model creates a one-of-a-kind, impactful experience for our international volunteers as well as the communities we serve. For our volunteers working abroad, it provides a unique opportunity to expand and build upon leadership skills while experiencing the challenges and rewards of international community development and getting to experience life in the Amazon Rainforest. Learn more below!

**Scholarship amount is dependent on the length of stay and need of the applicant*

Manna Project International’s Amaguaña Scholarship Fund is named in honor of Rosa Elena Tránsito Amaguaña Alba, usually called “Mama Tránsito” or Tránsito Amaguaña. As a tireless social justice leader for most of the 20th century in Ecuador, she organized severely marginalized communities of indigenous people and peasants to break key parts of the cycle of poverty.

Amaguaña persevered through poverty, systemic mistreatment as a Kichwa woman, and limited educational opportunities to champion economic livelihood, education and human rights for underserved locals. Born and most active in Pichincha province, where MPI operated from 2007-2023, Amaguaña led organizations and community programs, gained career skills in foreign countries, and won the prestigious national award, Premio Eugenio Espejo, in 2003. Several schools are named for her, and the president of Ecuador attended her funeral in 2009. MPI is honored to continue her path towards creating social justice-minded leaders. Since 2023, MPI has been located in a Kichwa community where the legacy of Amaguaña lives on.

Teaches

64

Community Members

Directs

4

Programs

Leads

25

Short-Term Volunteers

Directs

75

Hours of Programs
Every Month

Collaborates With

17

Locals