PROJECT-SUPPORT ECUADOR

Association Cisol Suiza, Hittnau, Switzerland

Country / Location

Ecuador, province of Loja, city of Loja

Ecuador is located in the north-west of South America and is geographically, topographically, climatically, and ethnically one of the most diverse countries in the world. Ecuador borders Colombia, Peru and the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of around 17 million. The country is named after the equatorial line that runs through the northern part of its territory.

Loja is the capital of the province of Loja and has around 200'000 inhabitants. It is located in the south of the country in the Andes at an altitude of around 2'060 metres. The city is an important starting point for visitors to the Podocarpus National Park, which is significant for its impressive biodiversity. Most people in Loja earn their living from a mixture of agriculture, trade and services. The region is known for the cultivation of coffee, sugar cane, fruit, and grain.

General

Cisol Suiza (Center for Latinamerican Social Initiatives Switzerland) is committed to helping children and young people in the districts of Loja, Catamayo and Zamora who are affected by poverty and child labour. The association specifically supports projects run by the organisation Cisol Ecuador, which was founded over 40 years ago by a group of Ecuadorians. Cisol Ecuador is dedicated to promoting the sustainable, fair and equitable development of children and young people at risk of poverty, who often have to work in order to contribute to their family's livelihood.

Beneficiaries

The organisation Cisol Ecuador runs various projects in the city of Loja in southern Ecuador. These include a school, the distribution of school materials and extracurricular workshops for the children and their families. In addition, the local organisation organises support for working young people in the context of street social work, medical, social and legal care, as well as individual support in the event of difficulties at school.

Project-support

Project: Educare school - school materials 2024

The Educare school in the town of Loja was founded in 2000 and offers schooling to around 230 children from poor backgrounds from grade 1 to grade 13 (kindergarten to grade 12). Since summer 2020, it has even been possible to complete the high-school degree at the school. The school endeavours to provide children with a holistic education. The lively exchange with teachers from Switzerland means that the Educare school is very progressive and can offer a modern curriculum tailored to the individual needs of the children.   

Through regular contact with parents or other relatives, the teachers are able to gain an insight into the family and social situation of the pupils. This experience is incorporated into an individualised support concept, which consists of tutoring sessions by the class teacher or therapeutic support from a professional psychotherapist.  

Since 2015, the teachers at Educare have been paid by the Ecuadorian state. The salaries and expenses of the administrative staff and all school materials are financed by donations from Switzerland.