Ecuador, a development country despite its natural riches 

Ecuador lies in South-America and is a beautiful vacationcountry by its enormous variety of climate zones, 
nature landscapes, population and traditions. 

This wealth of nature and climate is found in strident contrast with the poverty of economics, 
education, feeding and health care.

Despite the natural wealth and a reasonable road network, 
Ecuador belongs to the poorest countries in the South American continent. 

The grubbing of petroleum, ores, minerals and wood is mainly owned by foreign investors 
who do not take enough responsability for the environment. 

In the agriculture, 75% of the grounds are in hands of 25% of the agriculture producers. 
These “big ones” are mainly focussed on the export of bananas, schrimps, coffee, cacao and roses. 
The workers work in unhealthy conditions and are underpaid.

It is mainly accepted, that the development degree of a country mainly depends of the level 
of education and research. 
In the Ecuadorian education, there is an enourmous difference between the public and the private sector. 
The state education is of a low level. 
The private schools are mostly of a good quality, but unaffordable for 90% of the inhabitants, 
by which the gap grows between the not so rich people and the elite.

The indígena’s, the local indians, live on poor, exhausted patches of ground. 
Because of the low level of education, they became isolated and compromise between the old agricultural traditions 
and the modern computerworld. 
They sell their products for low prices to middlemen, who get the high profits.

To our sorry, the impact of this poor policy  goes further. 
By injudicious overexploitation and a bad management of nature, 
the environment and the existence of the small farmer are threatened. 
The regular leaks in pipelines cause the areas in the amazone basins to be flodded by oil. 
Massive deforestation and exuberant use of pesticides together with a too intensive agriculture 
exhaust the country and affects its health. 
This also causes a heavy load to the future of the country.

Despite all these difficulties, Ecuador is and stays a beautiful andd captivating country 
with many variations, a warm hearted population and a rich life art. 

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The Ecassef Foundation, her values and the way we work


The Belgian couple Jean Stragier and Ria Delaere stay in Ecuador since 1998. 
They live in an indígenavillage in the Andes, 80 km north of Quito, close to Otavalo. 

There they faced the problems of the local population. 

Improvement of the life circumstances of the Ecuadorians  
has now become their life work. 
In 2001 they were the cofounders of the ECASSEF Foundation. 
Others joined them. 
Also Lesaffre Yolande and Martin Eckert, tried to answer the questions 
and problems they face, together with Jean and Ria.


In 2003, ECASSEF became recognised legally by the ministery of social wellfare in Ecuador 
and supports projects related to culture, antropology, social wellness, scientific work 
focussed on protection of the environment and education. 

This all starts with questions that arise from the local population and with their participation.
Crucial in all projects is the respect for man, environment and cultural individual character.
The working of the foundation is based on two-way traffic. 
ECASSEF listens to the needs and inspires people to create associations.
In exchange of commitment and collaboration, ECASSEF searches for solutions and financing.
Development aid does not consist of filling empty hands, but should lead to co-operation instead. 
In this way, the locals get more self-respect, believe in their own powers and overlook the future of their own country.

ECASSEF supports several projects. 
Most projects are found in the province of Imbabura. 
Besides, we find starting projects in Manabi near the coast.

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The projects supported by Ecassef:

1. Village school in SAN CLEMENTE

The basic school in San Clemente, lying in the province of Imbabura close to the capital Ibarra 
on the slope of the majestic vulcano Imbabura, 
was a pilot project where during a period of four years (2003 – 2007) 
an intense co-operation existed between this school and a Belgian school, 
where both schools exchanged information to use in their teaching packages. 


The children in San Clemente, at that time weak and undernourished, 
received better and healthier meals by starting a program to hold chicken, 
guinea pigs, rabbits and quails, of which part of the turnover 
is processed in the school meals and re-invest the rest in the program itself 
and in all kinds of necessary purchases for the school. 

They also created a vegetable garden, close to the school 
where the students grow vegetables under accompaniment 
of an agricultural engineer. 

ECASSEF was able to modernize the school kitchen by purchasing a refrigirator,
an oven and all kinds of kitchen materals. 

In the beginning period of the animal holding program, 
ECASSEF also purchased monthly food as an addition to the school meals.
Also the educational materials were expanded:
The first computer arrived, class and individual school convenience and a small school library.

Nowadays, the animal holding is executed independently of ECASSEF, guided by the parent committee, 
that decides how to invest the profits 
in the school together with the teachers.


2. Village school MORASPUNGO
 
In 2005 ECASSEF started with help to the village school 
in the same village where the association RUSHITAMO operates. 

In this way, not only the grown-ups receive guidance and educaton,
but also their children to enable the next generation with chances for a better future.

They started to build a palisade around the school
and a donation for a new computer followed. 
The chalkboard received a new layer of paint and the windows got repaired.
Different volunteers worked together on the “green school”, 
and not only barges appeared in bamboo with shrubs, 
flowers and small trees, but also a bamboo refectory with wooden tables 
and banks and a mini- vegetable garden. 



Following the example of San Clemente a chicken project was started 
in co-operation with the parents. 
Volunteers and beginners work on environment education, 
healthy food and teach the English language. 










3. Co-operation with the "Junta Parroquial" in NATABUELA

Natabuela belongs to the canton of Antonio Ante in the province of Imbabura. 
In 2005 the renovation of an old building in the centre was started.
Since 2007, this building is used as an operating base of the youth functioning, 
that was started by Belgian volunteers. 


In 2005-2008 volunteers and beginners worked in Natabuela 
on environment education, healthcare and youth functioning. 

They also taught the English language 
and extra lessons to the students of the local basic school. 

The aim is that everyone of the population can use 
the “Casa de la Vida” for their different activities.





ECASSEF also searched with succes for sponsoring of a drinkingwaterstudy in Natabuela, 
so That the shortage of drinking water can be solved.

4. Association RUSHITAMO

Under the guidance of ECASSEF, eighteen domestic families formed a group in Moraspungo 
(Province Imbabura, canton Otavalo) under the name of RUSHITAMO, 
a Kichwa word that means RUnakunapak SHInchi TAntanacui MOraspungo, 
meaning "Association of the indigena powers of Moraspungo". 

These people have understood how to make economic and social progress by working together.


They produce all kinds of artesania by using natural materials 
(like cabuaya fibres, stones, seeds and nuts) 
sometimes in combination with perished metal. 
With the support of different sponsors, 
ECASSEF could start the following courses: 
macramé, reading and writing, simple keeping the books, 
budget management, silversmiths,... 

The members also built a simple multifunctional bamboo room, 
where all kinds of activities are done: 
meetings, courses, demonstrations. 

When they are visited by tourists, they offer them a good meal.

In the process of independence and self conscience, guided by ECASSEF volunteers and beginners, 
the members grow up to responsible people for their village and are at the head of the 
parent committee, the “Water commitee” and the rural governing board of the village. 
They organise the beginning and take care of the communitair tourism in the village. 

5. Ecological project in El Quinde.



About 60 km of Otavalo at a height of 1800 meter lies a forgotton paradise in the subtropical area of Intag: 
the spray forest “El Quinde” (meaning: the kolibri). 

A crystal clear river forms different waterfalls and of the 690 acres, this is still part of the primary spray forest. 
This paradise is seriously threatened because the inhabitants of this outlying region feel themselves forced 
to cap and sell the wood as they have no alternative source of income. 

That's why the pioneers of El Quinde united themselves with the support of ECASSEF to set up a trout farm. 
This fits in a plan to make the region more economically independent. 
In a next phase, we rebuild an old  house, fallen into decay, into an operating base of ecotourism,
combined with an educational centre that is aimed at the practice. 

6. The municipality of GUALSAQUI

Since the beginning of 2008, ECASSEF is  operative in the village of Gualsaqui, 
close to Otavalo in the northern province of Imbabura.

First, they worked on the problem of physically and psychic maltreated women in a self defence course. 
Afterwards, the foundation focussed on the request of local youngsters for traditional music instruments, 
to keep and spread out the Kichwa culture via music.

Every forteen days on a sunday, Ecassef supports a payed lawyer to help the rural governing board of the village 
in solving all kinds of legal disputes and problems about land, employability, family relations, ...
The fallen into dacay child nursery becomes totally renewed: more hygiënic and more child friendly.

Starting from august a rural committee will organise a free market every fourteen days at sunday 
to enable the local producer to sell his products directly to the consumer for a fair price.

7. Local Fairtrade group in Intag

Since the beginning of 2008 ECASSEF is supporting ODI, a local organization in the Intag zone. 
ECASSEF guides the small farmers to production improvement and the sale on the local market 
of vegetables, fruits, coffee and cacao.

8. Wine-growing project.

Ecassef produces wine of tropical fruits: pine, banana, maracuya, mango, naranjilla... 
The local producer receives a fair price for the fruits and ECASSEF takes care of the sale of the wine.
The profit goes to the projects. 

9. Archeological investigation in Agua Blanca and environment protection in Machalilla. 

This project is in the startup phase. 

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