OSSO is incredible! I have loved my time serving these children. I am so grateful that I found this organization. It has become a permanent part of my life.
Volunteering with OSSO changed my life! They are so affordable and flexible. They provided everything we needed to feel prepared and supported. These children are full of so much love, this was truly an amazing experience for me. If you really want to make a difference and are thinking about volunteering, just do it, I promise you will LOVE it!! :)
OSSO is amazing! I have loved my experience volunteering, it has been life-changing and so rewarding knowing that what we do with OSSO really makes a difference!
OSSO is absolutely amazing! My experience volunteering with them has been everything I’d hoped it to be and more. The OSSO team is so well organized, with an incredible team that works both locally here in Ecuador and remotely to ensure that volunteers are safe and well cared for. As volunteers, we get to go on amazing excursions each week, but the best part is definitely getting to be with the kids. One of the orphanages that OSSO supports, Hogar de Ángeles (HDA), is right next door. HDA is specially designed to care for individuals with special needs. I love waking up each morning to see the HDA grounds from my bedroom window, especially as I’ve grown relationships with the very special residents that live there. Getting to hold their hands and walk with them and laugh with them has been one of the greatest joys of my life! I’m so grateful to OSSO for providing me with this opportunity to live and love here in Ecuador.
I love being able to volunteer at OSSO!! It has been an amazing experience to be able to work with these children and it’s changed my life. I love this organization and how their focus is on helping these kids feel loved.
Volunteering with OSSO is the best experience. Everyone is super friendly and fun to work with. The kids are absolutely amazing! If you’re like me you’ll come to help the kids, and make a difference in their lives, without knowing how much of a difference they’ll make in your own life.
My experience with OSSO was life changing! I’m so grateful for my time as a volunteer and the people I was able to meet. OSSO and Ecuador will always have a special place in my heart!
I love OSSO! They’ve given me such a beautiful opportunity to work with the orphans here in the orphanages, and I’ve loved being able to experience life as a volunteer.
Volunteering with OSSO has been amazing! It's been a great experience getting to work in different orphanages and serve those who live there. OSSO has a great system down that makes it easier on the volunteers so their main focus can be the children and youth and helping them feel loved.
Volunteering with OSSO has been life changing. Helping these kids has been the most rewarding experience. They have helped me learn so many new skills and things about myself. I will be forever grateful for OSSO.
I am a volunteer with OSSO and it is one of the most productive organizations I’ve ever seen. Not only does OSSO provide the necessary love and growth for kids who desperately need it, but they also support local businesses and drivers. They are a wholey symbiotic presence in Cuenca and I’ve seen babies come in who couldn’t even sit up at almost 2 years old learn to crawl within a month.
My wife and I went to volunteer back in March 2024 and it was life-changing. It really puts into perspective my life challenges when I see the overwhelming disadvantages these kids go through. God bless them and the volunteers who serve them! Pictured is one activity where we helped the orphans plant flowers at their orphanage. The other is one of my wife and I getting ready to play bingo with some of the kids. So fun.
I have volunteered with OSSO 5 separate times now and I will never stop coming back. Every time I go to Ecuador and spend time with the kids and learn their stories, the more grateful I am for what OSSO does. OSSO truly does make a difference in the lives of the children they serve. I highly recommend volunteering with them.
OSSO has changed mine and my family's lives forever. There is nothing like spending time with those children. The work OSSO does is so essential and I'm so lucky to have been a part of it.
I had an unforgettable time with OSSO in Ecuador. The children there changed my life, and learning to love them and give service fundamentally changed me as a person. I will always be grateful to OSSO for providing me the opportunity to serve, experience another culture, and see a new part of the world.
I will never forget my time with OSSO. Being able to see the beauty of Ecuador, make friends and do fun trips with other volunteers, and spend time with the precious kids in the orphanages was unforgettable. I will be coming back one day.
OSSO is changing the world! It’s been amazing to see the impact they have not only on the communities they serve, but also in the individuals that volunteer! I truly could not recommend this organization enough
I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer for OSSO this summer. From rocking a crying baby, to playing soccer, and reading stories, I was able to love these kids with my whole heart. I truly never experienced something like that before. No matter how much love I feel I showed, I received it much more. I wish everyone could experience the feeling of these kids running to give you hug, playing with your hair, and calling you to come play. I am so grateful I got to experience this while being protected and taken care of myself the whole time.
i went to ecuador with osso over the summer and it was the best experience of my life!! it was absolutely amazing and completely changed my life!! i’m so so grateful for the experience osso gave me to go and meet all those children in ecuador and they will forever hold a special place in my heart!!
Serving with OSSO was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. The culture, service in the orphanage, and all the adventures in between are something I would be hard pressed to forget. I developed a deep appreciation of the Ecuadorian people and made lifetime friends. I am a better person for my time serving there and would love to go back!
I loved the time I spent in Ecuador in 2016! Even with the years that have passed I often find myself thinking about the children I came to love. My time in Cuenca touched my heart, and I'm so grateful for the memories I have and the ways I grew! OSSO is an amazing organization, and I felt that I was able to make a difference in the lives of the children OSSO supports.
Volunteering with OSSO was the best decision I’ve made! Not only are they set up well, the work the are doing and the service they are providing is life changing. I feel so blessed I was able to participate in this work and love on these amazing kiddos! I couldn’t recommend OSSO more!
Cant say enough good things about this program!! They bring only good things into the lives of the children they support and the lives of the volunteers. I’m forever changed by my experience and time with OSSO. There has not been a person I haven’t recommended OSSO to!!
Cannot ever save enough good things about OSSO! It’s still to this day the best experience I’ve ever had. It was hard and beautiful and magical and my only regret is not extending my time there!
I volunteered with OSSO many years ago from 2005 to 2006 and it changed my life. It has impacted my life every day since. I have visited Ecuador several times since and recommend volunteering with them to everyone I know!
I volunteered at Osso just over 4 years ago. I’ve been trying to put into words what this experience did for me.. and I don’t think I fully will be able to. But the memories I made, the experiences I had and OSSO will always have the most special place in my heart. It completely changed my life. Those kids in that orphanage and the people I volunteered with they were the people I needed in my life at that exact moment. They loved me simply for just being me. That love is the purest love. And I’m so eternally grateful I was able to receive it. The kiddos there were the happiest people fighting the biggest battles. I love those kids and OSSO with all my heart. I can’t wait to be reunited with those kiddos someday soon. What an amazing and joyous reunion that will be.
I am volunteering here in Cuenca for the first time and have completely fallen in love with the kids and the culture!!
I am so thankful that the opportunity to volunteer with OSSO came into my life because I am already changed! I have learned to love deeper and how love can change us and brighten our future! I always want to keep OSSO in my life!
I loved my experience when I went in the Teen Adventure trip! Wonderful service projects, people and experiences.
Volunteering with OSSO was honestly life changing. I volunteered in Cuenca and the work that you get to do there is so beautiful. You get to work with so many wonderful people and children and you learn so much about what it means to love unconditionally. I would recommend this program to anyone and everyone!
I served with OSSO just over years ago and it was truly a life changing experience. They are very organized and thoughtful in every detail that it makes your experience stress free. They handle all of the busy work so you can truly just be with the children and help as best you can. I can’t wait to take my husband and son back as a family to serve someday.
I've volunteered with OSSO three times now and it's truly the best nonprofit and volunteer abroad program ever! I'm always super impressed by OSSO's great relationships with the orphanages they support in both Cuenca and Quito. They do a great job working with their local partners on the ground in Ecuador and really make a huge difference to the kids!
What a wonderful place! I volunteered by going on-site in Ecuador, and I have never regretted it. I was a little concerned about the price because I was going while trying to pay for college, but when I saw the work they were doing, I never thought about it again. They created a safe environment for me as a volunteer to explore and learn, and they made a safe environment for the children in their orphanages.
When finishing service at an orphanage, it is easy to worry about what will happen to the kids you are leaving behind. But I am so grateful to OSSO because I am not worried about those kids. I really believe they are loved.
My heart was changed through serving with OSSO! I truly learned that everyone has a lot of potential to become a great human being. Out job is just to help the kids recognize that.
Osso teen service adventures was one of the best experiences of my life so far! I’m so great full for my experience and everything I got to do on my trip!
I went on the Teen Service Adventure trip for a couple weeks in June of 2023 and OSSO really took care of me and made sure that I had everything I needed. They were always there and prepared in every situation that came up. The trip was well-organized with little bits of everything: culture experience, service, delicious food, games, laughing, friends, etc. I would do this again 1,000 times with OSSO, it was truly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had and I came back from just 2 weeks with so much love and joy and a better understanding for the amazing people of Ecuador. I would recommend this to everyone but especially anyone who’s struggling, it has a way of filling the cracks.
Since my first volunteer experience with OSSO over 10 years ago, I have come back three more times as a volunteer and served as the volunteer director. As a volunteer, I have seen the impact that the program has on the kids, and as a volunteer director, I have seen the honest devotion that the OSSO leadership has for the cause. It is an organization that I truly trust and know only wants the best for the children and individuals they serve.
We are Volunteer Directors living in Cuenca, Ecuador. OSSO is impressive, since they are really doing what they say - helping underprivileged children while giving volunteers life changing experiences.
I have volunteered with OSSO three separate times; the first with my family as a teenager, again as a young adult, and on another occasion with my wife. The work they do really makes a difference and changes lives for both the orphans they serve and the volunteers. They are transparent with how donations are allotted and help fulfill their mission. I can’t recommend serving as a volunteer with OSSO enough. It truly changed my life!
In 2001-2002, my wife and I had the privilege of serving as volunteer directors for the Orphanage Support Services Organization (OSSO) in Quito, Ecuador. From those early days, we were profoundly touched by OSSO's extraordinary commitment and compassion. Now, more than two decades later, we find ourselves returning to Quito in 2023 to once again serve as volunteer directors. Through the years, OSSO has unfailingly emerged as a beacon of hope for countless orphans and vulnerable children in the regions they champion. The unwavering care and dedication of their volunteers continue to be a resounding affirmation of their aspiration to brighten the futures of these young individuals.
The hallmark of OSSO is the depth of its commitment. Every individual associated with OSSO, be it a volunteer, staff member, or caregiver, radiates a passion that is palpable. They work diligently to ensure that each child not only receives essential care but is also enveloped in the love, attention, and opportunities for personal growth they so rightly deserve. For those considering backing a non-profit that is authentically transforming lives and communities, OSSO is a shining example. Their deep-rooted dedication, strategic foresight, and compassionate approach are shaping the world in the most beautiful way — one child at a time.
My experience serving at the orphanage in Quito was life changing and eye opening for me. I loved seeing and immersing in a new culture. I loved learning to love so many babies and children that literally NEEDED my love. I learned so much about being a mother and selfless sacrifice and how incredibly blessed I am. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything and would encourage anyone considering to put their life on hold and go! You won't regret it. I served for 3 months in 2012.
I volunteered with OSSO twice in Ecuador, have been a child sponsor for multiple children after I returned, and a generalized donor to the program as well. OSSO is absolutely everything a volunteer could want to optimize their experience and how much they can help the children in the orphanages!! OSSO also helps the orphanages by providing much needed food, diapers, other supplies, etc. The children in the orphanages have so much love to give and can use all the love and support you can give them during this time in their lives. Showing them that they are worthy of being loved and feeling safe is so important in their development! The bonds you make with these kids will also change and open your heart in ways you didn't even realize were possible. It's been 10yrs since my first trip to Ecuador and I still think about those adorable babies and kids all the time. They were the sweetest and truly happiest kids I've met because they have such an awesome support system.
Not only will you be volunteering and spending time with the cutest kids ever; you will also get to explore Ecuador, learn about the culture, taste the foods, and immerse yourself in the Spanish language. There are so many fun day trips that get to go on while you're there volunteering. There is never a moment without adventure, giggles, and wonder on an OSSO trip!
We went as a family(15,13,10,7). It was an incredible experience for our family. We are planning on returning soon. OSSO was so kind and helpful through the process. Once we got there we felt that they were so accommodating with our family. One of the best family experience of our lives.
I volunteered with this organization 3 times and my life is forever changed. The kids at the orphanages are the sweetest, the staff is incredible and so helpful, and the experience is life changing. 10/10 would highly recommend.
I volunteered with OSSO in 2014 in Cuenca. To this day, I still think about the kids every day. Volunteering with OSSO made me a better person. It taught me patience, kindness, humility, and selflessness. This is an amazing organization to volunteer with! They also offer fun activities and field trips during your volunteer time. I can’t wait to go back again!
I volunteered in 2015 and loved it! Be prepared for some hard work as you come to learn about yourself, make friends, and have an unforgettable experience. This nonprofit offers great communication and wonderful planning to help you have a great time.
Working with OSSO is one of the highlights of my life. Working with the kids changed my heart forever. I learned more working with them than I ever thought possible. It’s been 12 years and I still miss their smiling faces.
The field trip adventures we got to go on were incredible! Zip lines through the jungle, rafting down a river, hot springs on the top of a mountain, hike through the rain forest, the list goes on! Working with OSSO will fill your heart with love and your life with adventure. You’re life will be forever changed, for the better
I volunteered with OSSO back in 2019 and still do this day, am so grateful for the experience of a lifetime! They are a fantastic organization that truly cares about the children they work with and their volunteers! I will never forget how it changed my life. If you’re wondering if you should go, do it now! You will never regret the time you spend with the wonderful kids and the great help!
Our daughter served with OSSO a few years ago and had a wonderful experience. OSSO is a great company who does excellent work making a difference in the lives of needy kids. Volunteers spend time helping in orphanages and they also get to do some really neat activities and learn more about the world. I felt very safe having my daughter volunteer with OSSO. She was well taken care of and watched over the whole time. We have continued to donate as we really believe in their cause. If you want to see the world while making a difference, check out OSSO!
I volunteered with OSSO in Cuenca, Ecuador in 2014 and it changed my life for forever! I originally signed up to volunteer for 3 months but ended up staying for 5 months because I loved it SO much.
OSSO is a really wonderful nonprofit. I had a great experience in their volunteer program and felt super safe and well-taken care of, but even more importantly, I really felt like the work that they do is important, ethical, and makes a real impact. They have great relationships with the different orphanages they sponsor and you can see how much they appreciate OSSO's financial support and volunteers.
Since my volunteer time, I've also become a regular donor to OSSO. I've always been impressed by their transparency with their financials and the way that donations are used to benefit the children. I studied nonprofit organization and ethics a bit in college and I feel like OSSO has always been very ethical as they go about doing their work to support children in need.
If you're looking for a safe and fun volunteer abroad experience, I recommend OSSO above any other program!
If you're looking for a great nonprofit to donate to, I also recommend OSSO. They really are doing great work in the world and changing the kids' lives for the better !
OSSO is an incredible organization providing remarkable care and service to many children around the world. I volunteered with OSSO in Ecuador & the experience was life changing. Not only do volunteers provide basic care to many orphanages & children, but they also help the children receive love and experience enriching activities. The experience is a gift to both the children and volunteers.
I volunteered for OSSO in 2009 from November-February in Ecuador! It was the best experience of my life! I learned so much and grew so much as an individual. I would recommend anyone who wants to go help children around the world who don’t have parents! It was an amazing experience!
I volunteered with OSSO in Quito, Ecuador 13 years ago and the memories I made will always stay with me. The program is absolutely wonderful! The organization, direction and care of the volunteers was great. I always felt safe and we had everything we needed. The directors created a comfortable environment and really helped enrich our experiences with the children and getting to know the beautiful city and country. We got to see and do so many amazing things! Working with and loving the children was the highlight though. Holding babies through the night, watching them learn to walk, enjoying park trips and activities with the older ones. My time there was a blessing in my life and I couldn't recommend this organization more!
OSSO is such an incredible organization that opens your heart and makes you a better person. I have volunteering with OSSO 3x; twice in Quito, Ecuador and once in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The babies and kids learn that there are people out there who love them and believe they are important. The volunteers are humbled again and again as they care for the children. Watching how happy the kids are, despite their difficult situations, really makes you think about what is truly important in life. Your life will be forever changed and exponentially better when your heart has been touched by these incredible children. I am planning my next trip back to Ecuador as soon as we can travel again! It's been a few years and I still think about those kids every day!
I worked in Cuenca in 2012 and it was a life changing experience. I learned so much about myself, the world, and what it means to love one another. From the moment we arrived we were accepted into the family of caregivers who truly love those in their care. The children and the workers had so much love to give.
OSSO was interested in so much more than meeting the basic needs of the ones in their care. They were invested in giving them an enriched life. While we were there we had parties, played games, taught lessons, did crafts and so much more. They didn't allow disabilities to get in the way of playing soccer or hide and go seek. It was beautiful to see how much the children thrived in the environment OSSO provided.
My time in Ecuador was filled with amazing experiences both in and out of the orphanages. We explored the beautiful area of Cuenca's downtown. We bought from local shops, ate at the restaurants, and visited museums. We took day trips to the beach and zip-lining. The other volunteers and I played games and became fast friends in the home we lived in.
OSSO is a wonderful organization that works from the heart. They truly put the lives and experiences of those they care for first. They know and love each one and work together toward meeting their needs. I loved my time with them, and even though it was short, it will have an impact on the rest of my life.
I volunteered when I was 19 (15 years ago) and it was one of the most impactful and wonderful experiences of my life. I volunteered with strangers who became close friends and we called the children we worked with “our kids” for that’s what they truly felt like as we worked with them each day. We experienced so many mile stones together like teaching them to walk or potty train or feed themselves. We played with them, taught them, laughed together, disciplined, etc but all along the way they were teaching us much more than we taught them.
We lived beside the most wonderful family and got to experience so much of culture as we attended church, shopped, and weekly visits to an assisted living facility, girls school, and other orphanages. We learned leadership skills, how to manage and facilitate activities with large groups of children of varying ages. Most of all we learned that love extends beyond language barriers—we loved and very much felt that in return.
I’d always wanted to volunteer in a 3rd world country. I searched and searched for the organization that was the right fit for me and when I had a friend tell me about this one. When I found their website it immediately felt like what I’d been searching for—and it was. This was the best experience of my life and one that has helped me in my job as a pediatric nurse, as a mom, and in other church and civic positions. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking!
"The history of OSSO is a compelling story. My wife and I are only familiar with the Ecuador portion of the experience. A developing child, to reach her or his greatest potential, needs attention in the first days, months and years. In the Ecuador orphanages the Catholic Sisters, before the advent of OSSO, sweet and dedicated as they were, were simply overwhelmed by the numbers of children compared to the number of care givers."
"Unbelievably the babies learned early that crying brought no response and so they just didn't cry. The sisters actually frowned on volunteers who came in to help them because these kind folks would hold the babies for a few days and then leave, and the sisters were forced to listen to crying babies whose need they could not meet. When the OSSO volunteers demonstrated that they were permanent the sisters were ecstatic. Babies that had been crib-confined, exposed to OSSO volunteers, soon learned to talk and walk. The "crawlers" became 'walkers." The quiet, indifferent babies soon became animated little creatures laughing and bouncing in their beds and reaching out for company."
"Rex Head, the founder of OSSO has never drawn a salary. He is also a volunteer. We feel certain that every dollar we give goes to orphanage support just as the name says."
Kitchener and Sonja Head
I went to Cuenca, Ecuador with OSSO about 20 years ago. I love that the organization is still going strong and still helping those sweet children after all this time! I served with a group of volunteers that went there over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and Valentine's Day. I remember being worried that I'd have a hard time not being with my family for those holidays, but I was wrong! I LOVED being with those sweet orphans and helping them, especially on those holidays! I worked in Tadeo Torres (when it was still run by the nuns) mostly with the babies and it made my heart grow so much! We fed them, changed diapers and helped to do physical therapy with them every day so that they wouldn't be behind in fine and gross motor skills. I was in the group of the first volunteers that were asked to help with the physical therapy while the physical therapist was away for Christmas. She was usually only able to work with one or two babies each day. Back then we weren't allowed to pick up the babies whenever we wanted to hold them or give them snuggles. The nuns believed that it made the babies cry more because they would want more attention. Because of this, most of the babies were behind in motor skills. When the volunteers started helping with the physical therapy we were able to help all of the babies every single day! It was a truly beautiful thing to see those babies, who used to just lay quietly in their cribs or on the mattress they set out on the floor, suddenly become vibrant. They were suddenly crawling all over us and each other! They were smiling and playing with each other and the toddlers were learning how to feed themselves. It was so amazing to see the before and after difference we made in their lives! Those babies and their innocent, precious smiles have stayed with me and I still wonder where they are now and pray for them. I also had the opportunity to help with handicapped orphans, teach children in a small village up in the mountains and visit the older girls in Hogar Miguel Leon and help them with their Christmas program. The hugs and smiles from those girls on Christmas Day were the best! It was seriously one of my very favorite Christmases.
The town of Cuenca is charming and beautiful. I loved just walking around with other volunteers, shopping and going to get ice cream. The nuns at the orphanage that we worked with where kind. The place we lived in was clean and safe. I enjoyed working with and getting to know the other volunteers and ended up making some lifelong friends. In our free time we took Spanish lessons and went on some really fun group field trips, such as hiking in the Andes (gorgeous!), getting to stand on the equator, as well as go on a side trip in the Amazon jungle where I got to see and experience many wonderful things! We saw caiman swim along our boat on the Amazon River, a monkey swung from its tail on my arm, a wild toucan sat on my shoulder, and we had guided tours through the jungle to name a few.
I am still in touch with the adoptive parents of one of the orphans. As volunteers we met them at the orphanage when they came to meet their little girl. We were able to give them a small photo album with pictures and stories about her as she grew in the orphanage before she was adopted. They absolutely loved it and asked for our emails so we could keep in touch. (We were able to make little photo albums like that for many of the kids' adoptive families and we LOVED making them!) I have had the awesome opportunity to stay friends with them on Facebook and see her grow up through their pictures. I even got to go visit her and her family in person a couple years ago when I was visiting relatives nearby. It was crazy and amazing to see her smiling in person, grown up and graduated from high school, living in the Untied States!
When I came home from Ecuador I ended up working with an adoption agency to help them set things up to be able to do adoptions in Ecuador because those kids were so dear to my heart. Because of that I was able to travel back to Ecuador for a few days with them and I got to go back and visit my babies for a day! My time with OSSO in Ecuador is cherished and it changed my heart for the better. I am so grateful for OSSO and the opportunity they gave me to safely go to another country to help those precious children in need.
~ Brooke
Volunteering with OSSO was the most impactful experience of my young adulthood. I had the opportunity to serve those who are most in need in a very personal way that opened my eyes in a way I will never forget. Not only is this organization impactful, it is organized in a way to provide support and security for young volunteers and families. Anyone can have confidence that they will take care of you and that you will grain the fruits of learning to work hard and being exposed to another culture.
When I was 16 I went with my mom to Quito, Ecuador and served with OSSO and it was the best experience of my life. It was clean, safe, and I loved the kids I met. It opened my eyes to a whole world that I didn’t know about and has shaped my future to become what it is today. I even changed my career path to help those who need it the most.
I volunteered in Ecuador with OSSO in 2007. It was truly one of the highlights of my life! It’s not often we have the opportunity to do something truly important with lovely people and inspiring mentors. The program is run so well! They are caring for so many children who would have such a limited life without their support. I love OSSO! I will always be grateful to have been a part of it and now I know my donations are doing the most possible good through this organization.
Volunteering at OSSO was hands down the best summer of my life! The kids there made me feel so special and loved and taught me so many important lessons. Besides the kids being amazing, the staff and everyone who helped with my trip were super kind and helpful. I would love to go back someday and help again!
I have had the privilege of visiting twice now to the orphanage in Cuenca, Ecuador and I only have love and appreciation for OSSO, the work they do, and the children there. The entire experience with OSSO is incredible and I anticipate more visits in the future.
I volunteered with OSSO 12 years ago and recommend the experience to anyone that will listen! Working with orphans and those that serve these special children will change your outlook on life. Though we go to serve the children, they do much more for us, then we could ever do for them. I often think about these children and wonder about the ones that are now in the orphanages and what life looks like for those that are no longer children. I hope people continue to value and prioritize helping the helpless; and I can't imagine any better way to do that then to help children who don't have a home or a family.
Excellent charity doing a great work serving an important group of children. Really making a difference.
I was a volunteer with OSSO 15 years ago and it impacted my life so much. It provided me with life experiences that are precious to me and also I saw what a difference just one person could make in the life of a child. OSSO does so much good and is so impactful in the lives of its volunteers and the children it serves. I would love for my kids to one day volunteer in this program and I still hope someday to return to Ecuador and the beloved people there.
I volunteered with osso in 2010. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I have returned 2 times since with my sister and my husband. I have made forever friends with other volunteers and the children that I met. There is a special feeling working with the sweet osso children. I will love them forever!!! I researched lots of programs before choosing osso and I am so glad that I chose them! I always felt safe, I was able to work hard and play hard a perfect combination!
I volunteered with OSSO over 20 years ago, and I still consider it one of my most life changing experiences. I know that our service in the orphanages made an impact on each child we cared for. But, even more so, I believe these kids changed my life forever. Since my service with OSSO I have been committed to serve homeless children and kids with disabilities locally in my hometown in Washington. In a couple years my husband and I are planning on having our kids serve with OSSO to continue in the cause. Please support OSSO in changing lives forever.
I first volunteered with OSSO in 2004, spending 9 months in Cuenca, Ecuador. It was one of the most difficult and most rewarding experiences of my life. It was often heartbreaking to see these precious orphans, with so little and coming from dire circumstances, with the biggest hearts with the most love to give. OSSO is amazing not only that it helps take care of the physical needs of the orphans, but the love and emotional needs these kids need filled to thrive. I think of young girls from my time
there that are now thriving adults with families of their own because of the love and care of they received.
Sending volunteers to the orphanages not only benefits the kids, but every volunteer ends up changed in the process. We all became at least a little kinder, a little more understanding and patient, and better people as a result.
Because of my time in 2004, I returned to the OSSO orphanages two more times in 2007 and 2012. Over the years I have seen unending ways in which OSSO continues to serve and care for orphans, the people of Ecuador, orphanage employees, and volunteers.
When I think about OSSO I think about the eyes of the children, their unconditional love, the endless hours that volunteers, orphanage employees, nuns, etc. work to serve these little ones, and how essential this program is. I would never hesitate to recommend it to anyone, and have often been known to drive my loved ones crazy talking about it.
OSSO helped change my perspective on life as a teenager when I traveled to Ecuador to volunteer for 4 months. It was an incredible experience! It brought me joy and opened my eyes in a way that nothing else could. I am grateful for the good they do, the lives they bless and the opportunity they gave me to get involved in the process.
I have worked with OSSO for two years as a volunteer program director in Chiang Mai, Thailand and all I can say is how much love I have for this organization and for their mission. Every single one of our volunteers left Thailand better- more compassionate, understanding, open minded, brave, etc. And not only does OSSO do great things for their volunteers, but the work they are doing in country is so important and helpful. As a director, it was our constant priority to make sure we were maximizing our time and the time of the volunteers to do the most good and where we could make the biggest impact. I would 100% recommend OSSO to anyone looking to have a meaningful, fun, and life changing time abroad.
As a college student many years ago, I travelled to Ecuador as a volunteer for the OSSO program. I spent 4 months in the beautiful cities of Cuenca and Quito serving in 5 different orphanages. This experience was life changing for me. The children I worked with, the other volunteers, the orphanage staff and people I met in the community left a lasting impression on me and helped me to see people and the world from new perspectives. These experiences shaped me and changed me for good.
As a parent now, I see even more now the value of this experience. I have plans in the future to bring my children back to participate in the OSSO program. I want them to be able to not just travel to another country but to experience it while serving and participating with the people there.
I feel that the OSSO program offers a rich blend of travel, culture and meaningful contribution.
I love the OSSO program. I love what it stands for and that serving and loving people is at it’s core. I love the unique opportunity that it provides to be immersed in a culture while doing something meaningful. I whole heartedly recommend this organization to anyone seeking to make the world a better place and to be transformed in the process.
These kids changed my life. Now, I'm sure you've heard that a hundred times, but genuinely this experience made me a more selfless and humble person. You can't help but fall in love with these kids. The light and hope they have is amazing, and if you put in the work and give them everything, they'll give you more back.
I spent 6 weeks volunteering with OSSO and I loved every single moment of it! I learned to love the kids we worked with and serving them quite literally changed me as a person. It was hard work, challenging to be in a foreign country that spoke a different language, and difficult to be away from home, but I would do it again in a heart beat. In 100% honesty, this was one of the best experiences of my life.
The most incredible, life changing nonprofit I have ever worked for. It truly changed my life in every possible good way. The kids will change your life. I worked mostly with kids with special needs and they have the sweetest spirits. The work inspired you to do better each day. It’s hard work, but the most rewarding work I have ever done. Also they treat the volunteers so incredibly well. I always felt safe, taken care of, and comfortable in my environment. They are very welcoming and protective of their volunteers. Best experience of my life!
Volunteering with OSSO is an experience that you just have to have for yourself. I got to spend five weeks at OSSO and it was not long enough. I can’t wait to be able to volunteer again and see all the children and Tias. They are a constant thought in my mind and I will never forget my time in Ecuador.
Several of my sisters and my brother have gone and worked at orphanages through this company. The stories they have told are amazing. They created beautiful memories and are constantly talking about it and wanting to go back. Such a great opportunity for people to go and feel safe and able to help out those sweet children.
Several of my children have volunteered with OSSO and each have had a wonderful, life changing experience. Each want to go back again.
OSSO is awesome! My wife introduced it to me and we were able to go down to volunteer in Ecuador for several months. It was such an amazing and uplifting experience for me. At first, I was a bit nervous about leaving my home and going to a foreign place but it was just such a good learning experience. I learned a lot of Spanish, met a lot of good people, and found a great love for the kids that I served. We are definitely planning on going again in the future!
Volunteering with OSSO has changed my life! I have volunteered with the three separate times and 100% plan to go back. The environment at the orphanages and volunteer home is so fun and loving. The children/adults in the orphanages are just incredible and have the sweetest spirits. I love this organization so much and 100% recommend it to everyone!
OSSO is one of the most amazing organizations I have ever volunteered with! I took my four children on an 11-day trip with OSSO to serve in seven orphanages in Ecuador in 2019 and it was a life changing experience for us all. The children at these orphanages have a constant presence of OSSO volunteers and know how much they are loved by every OSSO volunteer. Each orphanage OSSO supports has children who have been placed there because of illness, severe disabilities, abuse, neglect, or other factors out of their control. The children NEED OSSO volunteers to give them the love and attention that they deserve. We will keep our OSSO experience in our hearts forever and plan to return annually to visit the children who became so close to our hearts.
Review from Guidestar
I spent a couple months working with OSSO in Ecuador and it was absolutely amazing! The program is well organized and exists to help serve the children. It was an experience that I will never forget and would recommend to anyone - young adults, families, teens, etc. This organization has made lasting changes in the way orphanages operate in Ecuador and is a high quality non-profit with an amazing mission and goal!