Ecuador
Mary’s Meals is serving more than 350 children every school day in Ecuador.
Published onLife in Ecuador
Ecuador is currently ranked 95 out of 191 countries and territories in the Human Development Index (HDI). It is located northwest on the South American continent. It takes its name from the equator – the invisible line wrapped around the Earth that cuts the country in two. Ecuador is bordered by Colombia and Peru. The area is vulnerable to natural disasters, and this is an ongoing threat to sustainable food production.
While many areas are quite prosperous there is stark inequality, particularly in major cities, where families living in slums struggle to access food and education. Around 40% of the rural population lives below the International Poverty Line ($2.15 per day).
It is estimated that around 26,147 primary school-age children in Ecuador are out of school. Although basic education is free in Ecuador, the cost of providing books and other materials remains a barrier for people in impoverished communities.
Mary's Meals in Ecuador
Mary’s Meals has been providing school meals in Ecuador since 2010.
Our school feeding programme is delivered in partnership with Fundación Cristo Misionero Orante and supports over 350 children in a school in Oyacoto, northeast of the capital city Quito. The children who receive Mary’s Meals, some of whom live there permanently, come from low-income families living in the urban slums of Oyacoto or indigenous families in the nearby rainforest where access to education is very limited. Many children come to the centre undernourished or with limited schooling, and the meals our partner provides support them to gain a basic education.
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- When did we start working in Ecuador?
Mary’s Meals has been providing meals in Ecuador since 2010
- How many children do we feed in Ecuador?
Mary’s Meals is serving more than 350 children every school day in Ecuador.
- What meal do we provide?
Meat or fish with potatoes or rice, and sometimes vegetables from the school garden
- Where are we based/where do we operate?
Based in one school in Oyacoto, northeast of Quito, our programme is delivered through our local partner Fundación Cristo Misionero Orante.
- What is the capital of Ecuador?
The capital city of Ecuador is Quito
- What language(s) are spoken in Ecuador?
The principal language of Ecuador is Spanish
- What currency is used in Ecuador?
U.S. dollar (USD)
- What is the population of Ecuador?
The population of Ecuador is 18,149,286
