A unique and vibrant culture

If chasing the sun is your dream, there’s no better place to visit than the middle of the world. Ecuador sees more sunlight than most areas of the globe, which is ideal as there’s so much beauty to behold. The country gets its name from the fact that it straddles the Equatorial line and is the Spanish translation of Equator. Ecuador has four main geographical regions, each with their own charm and beauty: the Pacific Coastal Area, the Andean Highlands, the Amazon rainforest and the Galápagos Islands. It’s home to 16.6 million (World Bank, 2017) people, split between Mestizo (65%, mixed ancestry), Indigenous (25%), Black (7%) and European ethnicities. Spanish is the official language but most of the Indigenous population speak a native language called Kichwa.

Out of the entire population of Ecuador, 21.5 percent live in poverty (UNdata, 2017). Although progress has been made, the Indigenous people still remain the ethnic group most affected by poverty. These communities have little access to education, clean water, economic opportunities, health care and the resources needed to maintain a nutritious food supply, thus preventing them from escaping the grip of poverty.

Ecuador by the numbers

21.5%
21.5%

At national poverty lines (World Bank, 2018)

36%
36%

Live in rural areas (World Bank, 2017)

WE Villages
Realizing Water Rights
WE Villages
Miguel Vargas' Fight for Clean Water

Watch more

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
The Water Connection
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
Tradition and Revolution
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
Realizing Water Rights
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
Cleaning Up the Amazon
Every dollar you donate helps us help a community in India
Every dollar you donate helps us help a community in India

Every dollar you donate helps us put in place sustainable solutions that empower communities in Ecuador

Our work in Ecuador

In 1999, we began working in the province of Chimborazo and in 2013 expanded our presence to the Amazon region. Both Chimborazo and the Amazon have some of the largest Indigenous populations in the country and also some of the highest poverty rates. Through WE Villages, we work in partnership with these communities to eliminate barriers that prevent children from accessing education, to improve health care and to open up income opportunities. We’ve worked hard to established long-standing partnerships with the local government, school principals and local community leaders, impacting over 40,000 people since 1999. To date, we have:

  • Built and rehabilitated over 100 schoolrooms, classrooms, libraries, teachers’ offices and kitchens
  • Constructed a Women’s Empowerment Centre for artisans in both Chimborazo and the Amazon
  • Constructed the WE Agricultural Learning Center, enhancing the traditions and skills communities have relied on with new techniques, tools and diversified knowledge which contribute to poverty-reduction, agriculture and the environmental conservation and biodiversity of the rainforest
  • Supported the medical clinic in the community of Mondana that was set to close by partnering with the Ministry of Health to fully refurbish the clinic, confirm local doctors and provide significant outreach programs into the communities. This clinic serves 12 communities and over 1,500 people.
Travelers explore the forest along the Amazon.
Travelers explore the forest along the Amazon.

See the impact one person can have in Ecuador on a ME to WE Trip

Our Pillars of Impact

In every country where WE Villages operates, we tailor our programs to meet the unique needs of the communities we work with, through our sustainable development model and our five Pillars of Impact. Read how they’ve been implemented in Ecuador.

Inspired to make an impact?