Updated: March 2009
Ecuador
Overview | World Vision's history in Ecuador | World Vision in Ecuador today
OverviewThe Republic of Ecuador straddles the equator, from which it takes its name, and is located on the northern Pacific coast of South America. It is bordered by Colombia to the north and Peru to the south and east. More than 600 miles west of the mainland are the Galápagos Islands, a province of Ecuador and home to the largest species of tortoises in the world. The Andes Mountains run through the heart of the country, separating the low-lying Pacific coastal region to the west and the Amazon rainforest to the east. The climate is tropical along the coast and in the jungle lowlands, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations. Natural resources include petroleum, fish, timber, and hydropower.Approximately 65 percent of Ecuador’s inhabitants are mestizo, a mixture of European and Amerindian ancestry. Indigenous Amerindians make up nearly 25 percent of the population, while 10 percent are either native Spanish or Afro-Ecuadorian. Spanish is the country’s official language, though Quechua, Cofán, Huaorani, Panzaleo, and other Amerindian languages also are spoken. Tribes in the northern highlands of Ecuador formed the Kingdom of Quito around A.D. 1000. That kingdom would later be absorbed into the mighty Inca Empire. Francisco Pizarro conquered the Incas in 1532, setting up nearly 300 years of Spanish rule. In 1822, Ecuador joined Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama in a confederation known as Greater Colombia. When that union failed in 1830, Ecuador declared its independence. Several revolts and dictatorships followed—in fact, there were 48 presidents during the first 131 years of the republic. In recent decades, government officials have battled sluggish economic growth and corruption in the country’s legislative and judicial systems. In April 2007, current President Rafael Correa called for the constitution to be rewritten, hoping to weaken what he referred to as an inept and corrupt Congress. |  |
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| A feud developed between Correa and opposition members in Congress, leading to several protests. A national assembly backed Correa’s plan to rewrite a new constitution in September 2007. Ecuador’s fiscal performance has been strong since it adopted the U.S. dollar as its national currency in 2000. Economic growth has averaged 4.6 percent annually for the past eight years, and inflation rates have dropped from 96 percent in 2000 to its current rate of two percent. Despite these positive indicators, Ecuador remains one of the poorest countries in Latin America, primarily due to the inequality in the country’s distribution of income. The wealthiest 20 percent of the population earns half the income, while the poorest 20 percent of Ecuadorians earn just five percent. In addition, nearly half the population lives below the poverty line, and 41 percent of people live on less than $2 a day. According to UNICEF, children from indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian families are more likely to grow up in poverty and face a difficult time accessing educational opportunities. Approximately 97 percent of children nationwide enroll in primary school, but only 50 percent enroll in secondary school. The government guarantees free education for all children, but most schools operate on a very limited budget. Parents often must cover the cost of teaching supplies, books, and utilities. Because of these fees, poor families are forced to remove their children from school. Ecuador is transitioning from a food aid dependent country to one that will address its own issues of malnutrition and hunger. However, political unrest, absence of a social feeding strategy, and lack of qualified nutritional experts have slowed this transition. Furthermore, 23 percent of children under the age of 5 have stunted growth due to malnutrition. In rural areas, that figure reaches 31 percent, and in indigenous communities it is as high as 47 percent. Several nongovernmental organizations have adopted nutrition plans in recent years to help alleviate the problem. Back to top World Vision's history in EcuadorWorld Vision became involved in Ecuador in 1973 by conducting a pastors conference in Quito with 200 in attendance. Child sponsorship began two years later and was benefiting 628 children by 1977. An office opened in Quito in 1978, which served not only Ecuador, but also Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.The Cotopaxi Earthquake Relief Project provided food, tents, and blankets to 500 victims of the 1976 earthquake that killed nine people. Funds from this project also helped rebuild two schools. In the late 1970s, the Laime Totorilla Development Project helped a Quechuan community obtain potable water by digging exploratory wells. Vocational training in sewing and tailoring was also offered. By 1981 the regional office in Quito began operating programs solely for Ecuador. The number of sponsored children grew to more than 6,800. Development projects continued to focus on Quechuan subsistence farmers who lived in the Andean highlands. World Vision helped more than 10,100 Ecuadorian children through sponsorship by 1986. Three relief projects were implemented in 1987 to assist survivors of two consecutive earthquakes that hit northern Ecuador, killing 2,000 people and directly affecting 100,000 others. Another relief project in Napo aided individuals who lost everything to flooding and then, a year later, were devastated by drought. Other projects in the 1980s included:
World Vision in the Ecuador todayWorld Vision is committed to partnering with the people of Ecuador to enhance their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities, families, and children. Currently, nearly 46,000 children are registered in the World Vision sponsorship program. Several times this number of children and other family members benefit from World Vision activities. Of these registered children, many have World Vision sponsors in other countries. U.S. donors sponsor 17,424 girls and boys. In addition, World Vision operates 21 development programs, eight of which are supported by U.S. donors. Highlights of these efforts include the following:
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