South America

Ecuador

Creating positive changes within the community

Terre des hommes (Tdh) is working with Ninez y Vida, its local partner association for thirty years, to help the children of marginalised populations in the town of Santo-Domingo.

Child healthcare and protection

In Santo-Domingo, the rural exodus (annual increase of 7%), slum conditions and violence in the shanty towns makes cohabitation between communities very problematic, in particular with the refugees from South Columbia. Tdh and its partner are thus essentially dedicating themselves to training community workers specialising in the area of healthcare (following the progress of pregnant women and children under 5 years of age); child protection in order to identify cases of abuse and the promotion of good relationships within the family.

Strengthening of community ties

The project also concentrates on community development, taking into account the status of existing organisations. The aim is to strengthen these disadvantaged communities in organisational and decision-making terms, to enable them to recognize their problems and manage solutions and to be able to continue the positive changes in terms of healthcare and child protection when Ninez y Vida and Tdh have concluded their involvement.

Centered at -78.18346 -1.831239 6

Places of intervention : Santo Domingo

Projects : Mother & child health and nutrition

In joint cooperation with : Ninez Y Vida foundation representative of Tdh in situ for 30 years

Delegate : Guillermo Ordoñez

Expatriate staff : 0

National staff : 40

Budget : 548'000 CHF

Gallery

Latest News

9 Aug 2011 • Health and nutrition Ecuador
Ecuador. An earthworm for the banana trees

In the framework of community development activities in Ecuador, a Terre des hommes project draws together 1400 families in the community of Julio Moreno. Terre des hommes subsidised the first buying of earthworms to replace the chemical fertilisers previously used by farmers ... Read more
29 Jul 2010 • Health and nutrition Ecuador
Ecuador: 50 years of Tdh as a departure for a world tour

July 22nd, the actual anniversary of Tdh, marked the departure, from Saint Domingue, of Alberto and Cristina for their tour around the world to visit Tdh projects in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Read more

Side Notes

Children’s situation

70% of the 4.8 million children live in poverty in Ecuador
Malnutrition affects 15% of children under 5 years of age

Results 2011

In Ecuador, the health project continued its work in the most-disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Santo Domingo. A total of 315 community workers were trained and, thanks to their involvement, 187 expectant mothers and 1,245 children under the age of five were followed up or referred to health facilities. Also, 200 cases of children being mistreated were identified and the children offered assistance. The community is actively participating in the protection of children. The communities presented more than 40 micro-projects to the local authorities aimed at improving existing infrastructure. In 2011, the foundation was laid for a new project advocating justice for minors. An analysis of the situation enabled the problem to be examined more closely in an Ecuadorian context and a planning workshop that brought together key players was organised to define the strategy for interventions.

Testimonial

Ronaldo is 16. He was introduced to Tdh by a community worker from the partner organisation, Ninez y Vida. Ronaldo told them that his father abandoned him to live with another woman when he was 14. His mother had left him when he was 3 so he does not know much about her.

- Ronaldo, Tdh beneficiary in Ecuador