Betty Carolaine Medina Endara

Born March 18, 1999, Ecuador

Sponsoring a Child through Compassional, International

Our sponsored child lives in the mountainous community of Latacunga, home to approximately 30,000 residents. Typical houses are constructed of cement floors, wood walls and thatch roofs. The most commonly spoken language is Spanish. The regional diet consists of maize, beef, potatoes and quinua (grain). Common health problems in this area include malnutrition, parasites, severe respiratory infections and diarrhea. Most adults in Latacunga are unemployed but some work on plantations and earn the equivalent of $120 per month. This community needs employment opportunities and vocational training centers. Our sponsorship allows the staff of Los Corderitos Student Center to provide your sponsored child with Bible teaching, medical exams, health and hygiene education, social events, academic support, nutritious food, recreational activities and preschool classes. The center staff will also provide educational workshops for the parents or guardians of your sponsored child.

History

Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro invaded Ecuador, original site of the Inca Empire, in 1532, and gained dominion over it in two years. In 1822, the colonists revolted and Ecuador became a free territory and part of Gran Colombia. Eight years later, this territory became independent from Gran Colombia under the name of Ecuador. Since its independence, Ecuador has been governed by a mixture of civil and military regimes; however, civil governments have predominated in recent years.

Political Situation:

Even though the constitutional presidents are elected for a four-year term, there have been five different presidents in Ecuador since 1996. Corruption scandals, political negotiations, juridical insecurity and social unrest have caused disturbance in Ecuador.

The political and democratic crisis in Ecuador has become an issue of concern to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization of American States (OAS or OEA), the United Nations Organization (UNO) and the American Embassy in Ecuador. These organizations observe the country closely and have announced they will intervene, if the situation worsens.

Economic Situation:

Ecuador exports several products, such as shrimp, tuna, roses, bananas and coconut. Nevertheless, Ecuador bases its economy on oil exportation. The economic growth of the country depends on oil prices in the International Market. In 1972, Ecuador began to export oil from fields exploited by North American and European companies.

According to the Central Bank of Ecuador, since making the U.S. dollar the official currency in 2000, inflation has decreased from 10.10 percent to 1.60 percent. 

Recently, oil production has increased, which has helped the economy. However, only 10 percent of oil revenue is used for social investments, such as education or medical care. The majority of revenue goes to pay for the country's external debt. 

According to Ecuador's National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), the cost of a family's basic needs is U.S.$400 per month, but the base salary for most Ecuadorians is only U.S.$160. Furthermore, more than half of Ecuador's poor live on only U.S.$1 a day. In 1990, plans for governmental and social reforms failed due to lack of popular support.   

Education

The school year typically runs from September through July in Ecuador's sierra region and from May to February in the coastal region. Even though students are required to attend first through 12th grades, public education is not available for many poor children, especially for those in remote rural areas.

There are various universities in the main cities of Ecuador, including the Catholic University of Quito, the State University of Guayaquil, and the State University of Cuenca. In recent years, more educational centers and universities have been opened in other cities across the country. But only 1 percent of those in rural areas can access the universities and only 5 percent of those in urban areas attend universities.

This is the city of Latacunga, Ecuador