Ecuador

Ecuador, which means equator in Spanish, lies across the equator on the northwest coast of South America, between Colombia at the north, and Peru at the south.
Rural and urban poverty are problems in Ecuador. Economic development has been slow to reach the population because of its remote location, dispersion, lack of transportation, scarcity of infrastructure and technology to take advantage of its wide range of natural resources.

Often, the family's dependence on a child's labour takes precedence over education. In rural areas, some children do not attend school because none exist near their homes. Because the number of schools is limited, those that do exist are often overcrowded and most have only one teacher to take care of the six primary grades at the same time.

The average family in Ecuador is large, and often includes the extended family. Culturally, family is very important, and traditions are passed from parents to children. Many ancient traditions are still part of daily life of Ecuadorians.

Patterned after the Spanish system, people have more than one name. First names are often followed by the name of a saint or a favourite relative. Also, both last names are often used.

The country's colour and history thrives in the indigenous people from the highland and the jungle. This group not only suffers discrimination based on ethnic origin, but it is also the poorest and often lacks services and political association.

As part of the culture, many people of the rural areas prefer to visit a shaman (natural medicine doctor) than a doctor. Curanderos or shamans treat illnesses using medicines and plants.

Plan's work

Plan's projects in Ecuador are focused on tackling poverty and improving access to education and medical care. We work with community leaders to increase the income of farmers, introduce new agricultural techniques, improve the health of the population and provide better educational resources. One main strategy is to reduce hazardous labour, which may involve children and promote and support children's rights.