Our journey began in an unexpected place: Pedernales, Ecuador. This is a place which I had never visited, but one that immediately captured my attention following the devastating earthquake that ravaged the region in 2016. This event, which is detailed on our homepage, spurred my first visit to the area in 2017. As a civil engineer, I had initially planned on using my expertise to teach locals how to build earthquake-resistant structures using new materials. However, it soon became evident to me that the challenges extended far beyond just infrastructure. The people of Ecuador were experiencing prevalent and deep-rooted cultural and educational gaps which I felt needed to be addressed.
In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic altered the landscape of our work, making it impossible to continue our for-profit service. Yet, despite the adversity experienced during the pandemic, the drive to make a difference never waned. We revisited our earlier project and analyzed its shortcomings to learn from them and improve our plan. It became clear that without addressing the educational and cultural issues in Ecuador, our goals would be unattainable.
Inspired by successful models employed by other nations, we recognized the universal importance of an understanding of the English language as a stepping stone towards broader opportunities. Despite not yet having a clear roadmap developed, we urgently embarked on building our first school focused on teaching English—an essential skill for the future of students in Ecuador. This project quickly evolved into a comprehensive educational plan. We enhanced our plan by drawing on lessons from countries like Israel and Singapore where education is aligned with future job trends. In Ecuador, where large manufacturing corporations are scarce, we turned our focus towards computer science. Affordable laptops and the flexibility of location-independent work made this an ideal choice for us. English, therefore, became a prerequisite for our students to harvest the vast resources within the field of computer science.
Moreover, we identified a growing and worrying trend of debt accruement in both developed and developing nations. To prepare our students for a stable future and equip them with financial literacy skills, we incorporated basic finance education into our curriculum, utilizing board games as a practical teaching tool.
As we expanded our reach by opening a second school, we delved deeper into understanding Ecuador’s rich and diverse cultural landscape to enhance our teaching effectiveness. The realization dawned on us that to truly make an impact, scalability was key. This realization encouraged us to transition into a non-profit organization in which avenues for funding would be opened.
Our commitment to this cause runs deep and we sought to share our journey with a wider audience. Hence, we decided to create this blog on our website. This platform allows us to document and share our experiences, our successes, and our challenges. It’s a resource for others who might embark on similar ventures, a testament to the power of perseverance, and a beacon of hope for the transformative impact of education.
We earnestly invite you to join us in this endeavor. Through your support, engagement, and belief in our mission, we can collectively weave a brighter future for the children of Ecuador, together.
