Achievements
Progressio’s development workers in Ecuador have:
- strengthened organisations for women, indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian people in order to help overcome their marginalisation and oppression increased the participation and political influence of civil society organisations, by helping them to develop proactive media strategies and define policies and messages to allow their alternative voices to be heard
- helped reduce the rate of HIV infection through prevention and advocacy projects aimed at teenagers and young people, especially young women
- strengthened local organisations’ capacity to support communities in developing sustainable agricultural approaches and sustainable and equitable management of natural resources
- increased awareness of and debate on alternatives to free trade agreements and their economic, environmental and political impact on those they most affect in Ecuadorean society: women, indigenous people and small-scale farmers
- actively contributed to international advocacy initiatives, and exchange and learning activities, on environmental issues such as seed-saving, water, illegal logging and climate change.
Photo: Members of the Caspigasí community in Ecuador have built a water tank to ensure villagers have access to water. “We did all of this together, as a community,” says Fabiola Castro (second from right, in striped jumper), one of the women who organised the project, supported by Progressio development worker German Gálvez. “Water was only the beginning,” says German. “They have developed a vision for their future. They are building a community centre with a library and radio station. They have led the whole process.”
(Photo © Santiago Serrano/Progressio)
