Ecuador

Similar to other countries, Ecuador was hit hard by the global pandemic, with people losing livelihoods, education opportunities, and stability on top of the many fatalities. As a result of pandemic-related closures, the extreme poverty rate increased and as many as 115,000 more people were unemployed in 2020 than in previous years. Kids who had to stay home from school often didn’t have resources like internet access to continue learning, and national statistics estimate that up to 300,000 children and youth will join the workforce instead of returning to school. During the year, as the economy contracted, the government ended up cutting budgets for public health and education programs, which will increase the difficulty of vulnerable kids getting what they need to recover from the pandemic’s effects. Thanks to strong partnerships, kids and families in Ecuador were equipped with resources to help them weather the pandemic. We collaborated with indigenous communities to reach rural families with hygiene kits and health information in their native language. Kids received educational materials to boost their learning at home, and families in need got food supplies.