Educate and empower 200 kids at-risk in Ecuador

We have much to celebrate: at the culmination of the 2022-2023 school year, we have provided quality early education to 250 children, all of whom have demonstrated the development of their skills and abilities, and 36 children are now ready to move on to 1st grade. In addition, through family accompaniment, their parents have strengthened their parenting skills and improved the care of their children.

There have been many benefits for both parents and children - after a long period of confinement - and the fact that they can count on these spaces. The children are fascinated by the activities, the materials and are happy to have companions; for their part, their parents have found a reliable and supportive place where they can share their experiences.

For R. (41 years old, 3 children) it was very difficult to socialize, she was always angry, she could not tell how difficult it was to live with an alcoholic and to exercise the role of head of household:

"Imagine, I had to carry my children because I no longer had the confidence to leave them with my husband, I would arrive and he was drunk.... One day I felt I couldn't take it anymore and I told my educator everything. Here at the foundation they taught me to value myself as a mother and, especially, as a woman, to give myself my place. With the support of my husband's family, we sent him to a rehabilitation clinic, and I had to stay in charge of everything for 3 months".

Over time, by interacting with her educator and other parents, R. has learned to express her problems and feelings without fear of being judged, to listen to and correct her children, to set limits and rules, and to favor the relationship between them. Her intervention always serves as a help or motivation for the other participants. In addition, her daughter who always cried, who did not want to do any activity and did not follow instructions, is now sociable, collaborative, comes happy, motivated and brings food or snacks to share:

"My daughter is delighted, sometimes I have had to take her out crying because she does not want to leave, she likes to share. Here they tell me what she needs to learn and I tell everyone at home how to make her play to strengthen some skill; she even tells me "mommy, we have to practice", she stands on a little edge and starts to walk and says "you too". I tell you that this year I did not enroll my daughter in kindergarten but I sent her to a school for 4 days, and what filled me with satisfaction is that the teacher asked me where I had her enrolled because the child has a good level, she knows everything, colors, numbers, has fine and gross motor skills and is at the same level as the other children. I arrived home and told my husband: "if you see that my baby hasn't lost anything, she is at the same level as the children in the school".