EcuadorEcuador: An Ecological Wonder

With the Galapagos Islandssituated off the coast, lushtropical rainforests nestledthrough the central valleys,and the spiraling Andesstretching from north to * Quitosouth, Ecuador can easilylay claim to being one of themost environmentally diversecountries on the planet.

The contrasts found inthis equatorial marvel arematched only by the diversityof the people who call Ecua-dor home. The populationconsists of native-language populations, called Indians, as well asAfrican, Middle Eastern, Asian and European descendants. Unfortu-nately, like Colombia to the north and Peru to the south, Ecuador ismarked by strong inequities in the distribution of wealth.

Capital and PopulationQuito, in the upper third part of the country and almost directly

on the equator, is very modern but also preserves a vast colonialheritage. The city's elevation is more than 9,300 feet, and it sits atthe base of Pichincha, a towering, active volcano.

Quito is the oldest capital city in South America and home tomore than 1.8 million people.

LanguagesSpanish is the official language, but there are many indigenous

languages, most notably, Quecua.

Children International in EcuadorChildren International has been working in Quito and Guayaquil,

the country's largest city and chief port, for more than 15 years.Both cities have vast slums that harbor tens of thousands of people.Isolated in these congested communities, families often live withoutrunning water, electricity or proper sanitation. Other issues theyface are:

• Unemployment• Lack of education• Inadequate housing• Health and nutritional problems

Pervasive UnemploymentFor most impoverished families, decent work remains elusive.

Unemployment hovers around 10 percent for the general populationbut is most likely much higher in the slums. There, parents with littleeducation can expect to earn between $4 and $5 a day, primarilyfrom day labor, construction or street vending.

Education: A System Under StrainWhile the Ecuadorian

government has madegreat strides in improvingeducational infrastruc-ture, there continues tobe insufficient resourcesto handle the growingnumber of children whoshould be enrolled.

In addition, for poorfamilies who find them-selves far from the near-est school, transportationcosts make it economicallyinfeasible to continue theirchildren's educations. And, in many cases, the children must leaveschool to help support the family. Of the nearly 100 percent of chil-dren enrolled in primary school, less than 75 percent will reach thefifth grade. By the time they reach secondary school age, only about60 percent will still be in the classrooms.

Less than half of all children willgraduate from school in Ecuador.

In Gnayaquil, heavy seasonal rains require that families buildtheir homes on stilts to prevent or reduce flooding.

Instability at HomeMany families in Guayaquil build homes of bamboo, sometimes

elevated to prevent flooding, but more often clinging to a steep,verdant hillside or sitting squarely on the ground. In Quito, homesof homemade mud bricks, scraps of tin and black plastic rarelyprovide enough protection from the cooler temperatures found athigher elevations.

Problems with Health and NutritionAlarmingly, more than 60 percent of newly sponsored children

had never visited a doctor prior to enrollment in the sponsorshipprogram. They face a host of dangers: trash-riddled streets, con-taminated water, lung-choking dust and pollution, overcrowdingand poor hygiene. This makes them susceptible to many differentillnesses, including skin diseases, parasitic infections and respiratoryillnesses.

Children are also at risk of malnutrition because families lackknowledge on how to buy and prepare a wide selection of nutrition-ally complete meals. Often, foods that would fulfill a child's nutri-tional requirements are too expensive, leaving families to purchasefoods that ease hunger but lack substance.

The Melting PotWith such a wide range of cultures influencing Ecuador - such

as Spanish colonialism and many native traditions - the country isfilled with many distinct styles. In fact, Ecuador can easily bedivided into more than a dozen different cultural regions.

Perhaps the culture with the heaviest influence in Ecuador, how-ever, is the mestizos, a mix of European and Amerindian peoples.This group makes up more than 60 percent of the population, oftenadopting different styles of music and dress based on the part of thecountry where they are found.

Ecuadorians are known for celebrating their diverseculture through music and dance.

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