Learn about the orphanages we support.

OSSO currently supports eight orphanages and one daycare in Ecuador. Most of the orphanages we support are located in two cities - Cuenca and Quito - or the neighboring area.

We carefully screen each orphanage we partner with to ensure that the children are receiving the highest standard of care possible and are in safe hands. Many of the orphanages we serve today have been our partners since OSSO’s founding in 1999 and we have well-established relationships with them.

Of the eight orphanages we support in Ecuador, Hogar de Ángeles is the only one that was built by and is fully managed by OSSO. When we first began our volunteer program in 1999, we noticed that most disabled children in orphanages were not receiving the proper care they needed and spent most of their days alone in bed. Our early volunteers were able to provide these children with additional care and attention than the orphanage staff members could provide, but we felt there was even more we could do.

In 2008, we took it upon ourselves to build a new home in Cuenca, Ecuador that would be specifically for children with disabilities, where they could receive the proper medical care they needed to thrive. We called it Hogar de Ángeles, or “Home of the Angels” in Spanish.

The residents of Hogar de Ángeles now get to spend most of their day outside - playing games with the volunteers, receiving physical therapy, enjoying the swings and gardens, and being carefully cared for by trained professionals.

Hogar de Ángeles is typically home to 15-20 children, teens, and young adults with disabilities. Many of them have been in our care since they were young children or even infants! The residents have a wide range of disabilities, including cerebral palsy, autism, infantile paralysis, microcephaly, and more. Most of them are wheelchair users and many are nonverbal. We employ an incredible staff of trained caregivers, nurses, physical therapists, and social workers to ensure that the residents are receiving the best care possible.

Additionally, unlike many other orphanages in Ecuador, Hogar de Ángeles is a permanent home for youth with disabilities. They do not “age out” of their home once they turn 18 and unless adopted, OSSO will continue to care for these amazing individuals for the rest of their lives.

Tadeo Torres is the main orphanage in Cuenca that cares for babies and infants. It was originally founded by an order of Catholic nuns more than 100 years ago and is now run by a regular staff.

This orphanage is home to generally about 30 children, ranging in age from newborns to 11 years old. When children reach about 12 years old, they are moved to another orphanage for older kids and teens.

This is one of the main orphanages that Cuenca volunteers serve at! It is also conveniently located next door to Hogar de Ángeles and the volunteer housing.

Hogar Miguel León (HML) is a girls’ orphanage located in downtown Cuenca. It is managed by Catholic nuns. HML is very special to us because it was the orphanage that inspired Rex Head to found OSSO over 20 years ago!

HML is home to 25-40 girls, and occasionally a few of their brothers. The ages range from about 6-18 years old. Most of them attend school; this includes primaria (kindergarten, middle school, junior high) or colegio (high school).

In addition to functioning as an orphanage, HML also includes a nursing home for elderly individuals.

Volunteers typically serve at HML in the evenings, when the children are done with both school and homework. The girls love the activities we do with them and really look up to the volunteers as role models.

Remar is an orphanage in Azogues, Ecuador (a neighboring city to Cuenca). Remar International is a Christian group with the mission to provide rehabilitation for individuals with addictions, help teen moms get back on their feet, and care for children in need.

There are usually about 15 children at Remar, ranging in ages from 3-18. Volunteers typically serve at Remar on Saturdays. The kids love active games, dancing, help with their chores and schoolwork, playing outside, and doing crafts.

Hogar de JesuCristo

Hogar de JesuCristo is an orphanage in Azogues, Ecuador (a neighboring city to Cuenca). This orphanage was founded a few years ago by an order of nuns based in South Korea. We began supporting Hogar de JesuCristo in 2022.

There are usually about 15 children living here, ranging in age from 4-16 years old.

Hogar Niño Manuelito is a newer orphanage in Azogues, Ecuador (a neighboring city to Cuenca). We recently began supporting Hogar Niño Manuelito in 2022. The orphanage is sponsored by the mayor's wife and hosts about 25 kids between 6 months - 17 years.

San Vicente de Paul (SVP) is the main orphanage that we support in Quito, Ecuador. This orphanage is managed by Catholic nuns and is home to usually about 60 children. They range in age from newborns to 18 years old. The children here are separated into individual homes within the orphanage grounds. The babies and toddlers stay in a separate nursery area.

Santa Lucia is another orphanage we support in Quito, Ecuador. It is run by nuns and home to usually 30-40 children. The children are separated into different groups called families and taken care of by amazing workers.

Los Bloqueritos (also known as "Turi" because of the city it resides in) is a daycare for low-income families in Cuenca. This is a great service to the community that helps parents work and provide for their families. The kids here range from 1-3.5 years old. We serve here occasionally whenever we have enough volunteers!