Poverty in Ecuador

Isn’t it wonderful, here in the 21st century, to have the Internet and all the technology that enables, supports and allows us to use it in so many ways. In preparation for our trip to Ecuador I spent months searching all kinds of websites for information that would be helpful, useful. On one of those late night journeys of a thousand clicks, I came across an article by University of Maryland student, Morgan Rich, that highlighted her volunteer work at a remote and impoverished school high in the wilderness of the Andes mountains.

It touched my heart to read her words and a description of the work she and her team delivered to local families and their children. I understand why tears flowed from her eyes on her last day with the locals, before coming back to the States. There truly aren’t many things more fulfilling than selflessly helping one’s fellow man, and receiving gracious thanks that’s so genuine and heart-felt.

About one-third of people in Ecuador live with poverty in 2011. The government has established a few hundred dollars per month as the minimum a family of four can live on. Esther, 38 years old and a grandmother living in Quito gives a voice to poverty, as evidenced by this short interview posted by the United Nations Development Program...

The best thing in my life: Being with my family is the best part of my life. I have a granddaughter so I try to spend time with her and help my daughter and son with their kids.  
My biggest hardships: The prices of food and feeding my family. 
My best day: Every Saturday and Sunday, when I don't have to work, is good for me.  
My worst day: I can’t think of my worst day.  
My hopes and dreams for myself: That my children succeed professionally and have opportunities to do something with their lives.

Here in the USA the vast majority of us take a certain degree of wealth and plentitude for granted. Most of us don't have to worry about being able to feed our families. Yet ironically, many of us would not hesitate in explaining what constitutes a "worst day" -- whether it's fighting traffic, suffering an illness, having to postpone some kind of gratification or some other comparatively petty annoyance.


Thinking about the stark difference in lifestyles, opportunities and life-challenges between the 4.6 million Ecuadorians in poverty and what we in the USA are accustomed to, makes me think about getting settled there and finding some volunteer work to do. Yet there's some sage advice at the "Captivating Cuenca" website about visitors and expats moving to Ecuador:


"And then there are the "do-gooders," the transplants who want to "help" the less fortunate. Those warm and fuzzy gringos unwittingly disrupt the cultural and economic flow by overpaying, overtipping, and over-helping. Such actions result in altered expectations by locals, and the hidden feeling that gringos are both filthy rich and pretty stupid people."


I certainly don't want to fall into that trap, and I'm not filthy rich -- so it's clear that this trip will be full of new learning opportunities. I've often been amazed at how easily two opposing political talking heads from the USA can passionately put forth drastically different points of view on the same "fact," as happens moment to moment on Fox News, for example. If two of my own countrymen can have such disparate views, I'm sure an entirely different culture will give me reason to pause many times each day. Truly, I'm looking forward to the experience. I never have been an ugly American and don't plan to start now!


~ Allan