Ecuador
Overview
Active grantees: 5
IAF commitment: $1,479,974
Counterpart value: $1,824,400
Total investment: $3,304,374
Areas of emphasis: Agriculture/food production, cultural expression, education/training, enterprise development, inclusion of African descendants.
Contact information
Ginger Deason, Foundation Representative
Monica Radwan, Program Assistant
Susana Ricaurte, Local Liaison
Active Grantees
Fundación de Organizaciones Campesinas de Salinas (FUNORSAL) will expand Hilandería Intercomunal Salinas (HIS), its model enterprise that produces industrial-quality thread, into six additional locations. It will work with the residents, comprising 480 indigenous sheep and alpaca farmers, to improve their herds, launch businesses and organize as communities. The project is expected to benefit 1,000 families in the provinces of Bolívar, Tungurahua and Chimborazo.
Asociación de Mujeres de Juntas Parroquiales Rurales de Ecuador (AMJUPRE) will offer 350 indigenous and African descendent women training that enables their more active participation in the economy and civic life of the provinces of Esmeraldas and Pastaza, including through public funding of their proposals for community development. The project will also benefit 1,400 family members.
Fundación para Conservación y Desarrollo Colinas Verdes (Colinas Verdes) In coordination with Asociación Agroartesanal de Productores Ecológicos de Café Especial del Cantón Loja (APECAEL), Colinas Verdes will work with 720 coffee farmers to undertake an integrated program of pest management; plant trees to diversify food and cash crops; and encourage young people to work on family farms. Will also benefit an additional 3,000 residents of Vilcabamba, Loja, in southern Ecuador.
Movimiento de Economía Social y Solidaria del Ecuador (MESSE) will work within northern Ecuador to encourage the application of agroecological practices and develop the fair-trade market for produce by introducing a “participatory guarantee systems,” a certification process that involves farmers and consumers. The increased income will directly benefit 400 Ecuadorians, 70 percent of whom are women. The nutritional value of diversified crops grown without chemical fertilizers will also reach 4,000 family members and consumers.
Red de Turismo Comunitario del Austro (Pakariñan) will work with 675 artisans from southern Ecuador to develop their production; their skills in business administration, including leadership and negotiation; and outlets for their crafts that operate in Cuenca and online according to the principles of fair trade. The artisans will expand their product line and design repertoire and will form an organization. The resulting increase in income should benefit another 375 Ecuadorians indirectly.