A Quechua School in the Ecuadorian Andes

Impact

Improve the facilities and education for to all current and future students of the school, and for the adults who volunteer or work there
Combat education gap between indigenous and Hispanic children
Create a school that will become a source of pride and inspiration for the entire community

Background Information

The indigenous Quechua people of Ecuador live largely in the rural Andean region, fully entrenched in their centuries-old traditions. Although their isolation helps preserve their culture, it also keeps them far from the attention of the Ecuadorian government, and they receive little in the way of social services. The Quechua of Ecuador are some of the poorest members of society, with the lowest literacy rates and education levels.

Fe y Alegría Ecuador operates programs and schools that are specifically targeted at the indigenous population. These schools often operate on a bi-cultural basis, teaching in both the Spanish and Quechua languages and respecting and following the lines of both Hispanic and indigenous cultures. They are an incredibly important way for indigenous children to gain the education they need to both preserve their culture and also to navigate in the rest of Ecuadorian society.

Project Description

Deep in the Andes mountains, Fe y Alegría runs the Movimiento 3 Mayo School, a bi-cultural education provider and community center. In an area far away from any public schools, 25 local children attend this school to receive basic elementary education. Their parents and other community members also use the space for workshops, to operate small businesses, and to experiment with new agricultural methods.

This project allows a donor to sponsor the Movimiento 3 Mayo School, bringing it up to date and solving some of its gravest problems. The school has requested funding to put in a simple bathroom to replace the current outhouse, build a small lunchroom so cooking will no longer have to be done in the classrooms, purchase 5 computers so students and parents can learn basic skills, buy classroom materials to replace the rocks and beans currently used for math lessons, create a bilingual library of books in Spanish and Quechua, and more.

Cost of the Project

$45,000

Total cost to adopt the school and make all the much-needed improvements

Donate Nowfor general support to Magis Americas

If you would like to sponsor this entire project please contact F. Albert DiUlio, S.J. at info@magisamericas.org

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