World Vision’s photographers captured thousands of moments this year. Here are their best photos of 2016 — and the stories behind them.
Why World Vision is in Ecuador
Pope Francis, the first pope from Latin America, visited Ecuador and made a passionate plea for the rich to help poor families when he spoke to more than 600,000 people in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. Ongoing challenges for the children of Ecuador include literacy and child protection. There are many reasons children lag behind in their ability to read and write, including poor school buildings, untrained teachers, and lack of support from families. Ecuador also has the highest rate of child labor in Latin America, which is close to one third of indigenous children. Last year, World Vision focused our efforts on parent education so children’s well-being could start at home. Families were encouraged to make reading a priority with books and quiet spaces. Churches offered trainings on child rights so mothers and fathers understood their children’s right to education, healthcare, and protection.
We never give up on people
World Vision child sponsorship looks at all the things that prevent children from surviving and thriving in their community, and then works with that community to bring all the pieces of the puzzle together to build a better life for all children. For sponsors, it’s a personal way to show God’s love to a child in need in a life-changing way.
Sponsor a child in Ecuador ❯
Progress in Ecuador
Thanks to the generous support of donors, we’re making great progress toward the well-being of children and their families.
Child Protection and Care
Boys and girls are safe and valued, well cared for by their families, and participating in their communities as agents of transformation.
- Adolescents have participated in our trainings on child rights and child protection and their parents attended our courses on nurturing their children with tenderness in order to provide family environments that are safe and healthy.
- To create new sources of food and income to support their children's needs, families were trained on entrepreneurship and agricultural production by us and our partners.
Healthy Children and Families
Children and families are well nourished, protected from infection and disease, and have access to essential health services.
- Thanks to our partnership with community health providers, residents have been trained on preventing childhood diseases, healthy nutrition, proper hygiene, and reproductive health.
Education for Better Lives
Children have opportunities to learn and to develop their talents, young people are equipped for the future, and families and communities support children's education.
- We encouraged parents to get involved in their children’s education and advocate for better schools for their children.
- Students benefited from improved reading skills when we trained teachers on effective literacy methods, added new reading spaces and books at school, and implemented a program in which kids take books home to read with their families.
Love of God and Neighbors
Children and families are growing spiritually, local churches are strengthened to demonstrate Christ's love in practical ways, and people are living at peace with their neighbors.
- Our local staff served children and families as a demonstration of God's unconditional love, seeking always to be faithful ambassadors of Jesus, the reason for our hope.
Prayer Requests from Ecuador
World Vision's staff in Ecuador are asking us to join them in prayer for the following:
Children and families impacted by the earthquake.
Families to learn to raise strong hens, pigs, and goats, so they can provide more food for their children.
News from Ecuador
Prayers
Praying the Psalms: Pray for Latin America
Violence, disease, and disasters plague many families in Latin America. Join us in praying Psalm 46:1 over the people of this region.
The tender care of a midwife makes the difference for moms, babies
In rural Ecuador, midwife training and access is making a huge difference for maternal and child health. Read Mercedes’ story.
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