Cuenca – Ecuador
Located in the Andes at an altitude of 2,560 meters above sea level, with around 700,000 inhabitants, Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador. We work in Cuenca for a few excellent reasons:
The high rate of teenage pregnancies in the province of Azuay, of which Cuenca is the capital. 1 out of 10 teenagers are mothers, many of them between the ages of 10 and 14 (data from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC). The chances of these girls completing school or accessing higher education are almost nil, and this does not change throughout their lives, as they do not have the time, the money or cannot find study opportunities for women with little schooling.
The great migration since the 1980's of Cuencans abroad, a situation that has left many women as heads of household, with the imperative need to receive training and learn about finances in order to work or start a business to be able to provide for their families.
The Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital, where our playroom is located, handles complex clinical cases from the entire southern region of Ecuador, including numerous rural areas. This means that many children and their families come from distant cities or communities and spend a period in the hospital ranging from 6 days to 6 months, requiring special attention. Unfortunately, due to a lack of resources this specialized care is not covered by the hospital or the government.
Last but not least, because our hearts beat for Cuenca, and their citizens, specially those who just need a helping hand to enhance their lives. Cuenca is the city where our founder Margarita was born and raised before moving to Switzerland. Rosa, her mother, lives in Cuenca and works as a volunteer at the foundation on a daily basis.
