A group of Moses Brown School students and faculty traded relaxation for real impact over spring break on a service learning trip to Ecuador. Collaborating with CAEMBA, they aimed to provide sustainable housing for vulnerable communities. This trip, one of Moses Brown’s travel, research, and immersion programs (TRIPs), demonstrates the tangible difference that can be made in just ten days.

The partnership focused on constructing "Casas Emergentes de Bambu," bamboo houses, addressing the critical need for decent housing. The students actively participated in the entire home-building process, from harvesting bamboo to constructing the walls and erecting the houses. This hands-on experience provided practical skills and a deeper understanding of sustainable building practices.

CAEMBA's work extends beyond construction, aiming to empower marginalized populations, particularly women and children. Their initiatives include building schools in underserved areas and establishing community centers that offer business training for women, enabling them to support their families.

Beyond their service work, the team explored Ecuador's natural beauty, including its stunning crater lakes and diverse wildlife. The group also toured Quito, the nation's capital, where they learned about the unique gravitational phenomena at the Equator.

The trip also offered an immersive language experience, facilitating meaningful interactions with native Spanish speakers and fostering cultural exchange. These connections broadened the students' perspectives and strengthened their understanding of the local communities.

"This trip gave me the opportunity to travel internationally for the first time, practice my Spanish, and really make a difference in people’s lives,” said Ada M. ’27.  “It was an amazing experience to see a house come together in hours, and even more so to see the difference it made to the family. Beyond that, I went on adventures I never thought I could- we drank water from bamboo, ate cacao fruit fresh off the tree, climbed into a volcano and built a house! I made so many memories on this trip that I’ll carry with me forever, and I’m so grateful to Moses Brown for making this possible."

Watch a video of their experience here! Video courtesy of CAEMBA

Information about CAEMBA and their ongoing work is available at

https://www.raiz-caemba.org/caemba-home-english/