Giving Back

2023 Project NIDO

Nested is excited to announce the Project Nido 2023 medical mission trip is scheduled for July 21-28, 2023 in the Chimborazo Province in Ecuador! Like our past mission trips, the team will provide essential adult and pediatric medical care, including dental and eye care, as well as education to the Indigenous communities and Venezuelan refugees.

We have truly been grateful for your support on past mission trips and for recommending Nested classes! Wondering how you can help support the July 2023 mission trip?

• JOIN US in Ecuador and be part of the team!  We will be accepting applicants starting January 10.  If you’re available on July 21-28, we’d LOVE for you to join us for this very special and impactful trip! This will be an engaging experience that will not only provide health care to hundreds of people in need but also provide you with a rich cultural experience in Ecuador. NO medical experience is needed & participants can focus on a project they may have a special interest in such as photography, dental health, environmental issues, etc. 

• DONATE FUNDS for us to purchase supplies to provide to the locals! We greatly appreciate your generosity to make a financial contribution to Project Nido 2023 and are taking donations here: 
  • Givelively: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/partners-for-andean-community-health-inc/nested-s-medical-mission-2023

• DONATE Supplies starting May 1st! We will be accepting donations of toiletries (e.g., shampoos, soaps, lotions, nail polish, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss), feminine hygiene projects, menstrual cups & sanitary pads, and/or any craft supplies you may have that we can bring with us to help.
  • Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3PRV8DN1B55X/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2

2022 Project NIDO

In July of 2022, Nested embarked on its 4th annual medical mission to Ecuador. The trip was a huge success as Nested supported the care of almost 300 Ecuadorians in need. In addition to focusing on providing healthcare to remote indigenous populations, this year’s mission trip was particularly special because Nested also dedicated a full day of service to cater to Venezuelan* refugees living in Ecuador. Since 2020, PACH and FIBUSPAM have been working diligently to provide free and low-cost healthcare options for Venezuelan migrants in Ecuador.

The Nested mission trip consisted of consultations and acute medical care and education with specialists such as dentists, gynecologists, chiropractors, ophthalmologists, physician assistants, and ENTs. They also received free medications upon prescription, exams, and even glasses when necessary. Several received recommended treatments for more severe ailments and many booked follow-up appointments. Health educators also worked with women to identify their greatest needs in the area of women’s health and provided them with the education and products they needed to help address some of the issues they were facing. This included working to find ways to alleviate symptoms and resolve issues such as prolapsed uteri, painful menstrual cycles, and menopause. The educators provided women with free menstrual cups, pessaries, ice packs, and heating pads.

In addition to providing acute medical care, the project connected the FIBUSPAM clinic and PACH with the Venezuelan community in Ecuador. From this project, Venezuelans in Chimborazo and throughout Ecuador know about the subsidized and low-cost services provided by FIBUSPAM year-round and that the care is free from discrimination and prejudice.

Project NIDO 2022 Statistics

• 87 lbs of donated supplies carried by our # team members
• 278 patients treated, ranging in age from 2-92
• 175 toothbrushes donated
• 100 pairs of eyeglasses distributed
• 250 sanitary pads, menstrual cups, heating pads & other medical assistant aid products

2019 Project NIDO

In April 2019, Nidhi and the Nested team participated in the Project Nido medical mission trip where they helped provide health education and medical services to indigenous communities of Ecuador’s Chimborazo Province. Working in partnership with PACH Ecuador, Nested provided a combination of medical and dental services to over 600 children and adults in a three-day time period! Project Nido 2019 was a unique trip focused on women’s health, vision care and dental health education to address the underlying causes of many of the patients’ medical complaints.

2018 Project NIDO

In May 2018, Nidhi and the Nested team participated in the Project Nido medical mission trip where they helped provide health education and medical services to indigenous communities of Ecuador’s Chimborazo Province. Working in partnership with Trek Coalition and PACH, the Nested team provided high-quality medical care to 883 Ecuadorians in need during the five-day trip! Project Nido 2018 focused on public health issues that affect women & children, cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care, eye chart exams & dental health screening as well as education on various health topics, including dental hygiene, water consumption, education about female anatomy and family planning.

Nested Team at Project NIDO 2018 in Chimborazo Province, Ecuador

In 2017, Nidhi, with Nicole Hakenson, Grace Roman, Mario Fuentes and others, volunteered to help provide medical services to the west coast of Ecuador from the devastation caused by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016.  The team traveled by bus with local PACH doctors, dentists and staff and found all the buildings leveled to the ground with significant flooding and infrastructure damage. Among 70 surrounding village communities, there was one free standing, stable building that had a generator capabilities and served as a church (see photo). Prior to our arrival, leaders of those villages traveled to their communities and spread the word our visit. When the team arrived at the building, they learned that hundreds of Ecuadorians had traveled by foot or horse to seek much needed medical care.

Project NIDO 2017 clinic in the only stable building left standing after the 2016 7.8 magnitude earthquake