Austin Espinosa is 6 years old and lives in the indigenous community of Cuaraburo in Otavalo. For years, his teachers described him as “distracted” and “difficult to work with,” but everything began to change when a teacher experienced in working with children with special needs suggested that Austin might have autism. To receive the therapy […]
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Adrianna Fofer’s story is one of resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges. Originally from Venezuela, she lives in Quito with her partner, Cristhian, their three-year-old Liam, and Cristhian’s sixteen-year-old brother, Bladin, who recently joined them. Together, they form a united and loving family, even as they navigate extreme financial and health difficulties. Liam, their
Keidymar is a 24-year-old Venezuelan woman and mother of three young children (6, 3, and 1 year old). After migrating to Ecuador due to the humanitarian crisis and recently separating from her children’s father, she faces raising them alone, without support networks or economic stability. She lives in a shared room with another mother, and
Ana Sanchez is a retired teacher from Venezuela who has lived in Ecuador for the past seven years alongside her adult son. In Venezuela, she devoted her career to working with children with learning disabilities in the public schools. After the collapse of the country’s social security system, Ana made the difficult decision to leave
Luz Lumbi lives with her husband, Jinsop, and their 6-year-old son Mathias. For the past year, they have been beneficiaries of Pan de Vida’s programs. Jinsop works irregularly as a driver and is the family’s primary earner, while Luz supports their income by selling quimbolitos, a traditional Ecuadorian dessert, once a week. A few years
Meifer Prado is a single mother to her one-year-old son, Gael. To provide for him, she creates her own perfumes and soaps, earning about $130 a month. Like many small business owners, Meifer faced countless challenges—especially the lack of visibility and a steady clientele. She struggled to attract new customers because her business had little
Escolástica is 68 years old and lives alone in the Cotocollao neighborhood, in the northern part of Quito. She is a widowed Ecuadorian woman who has spent her entire life working in the fields. Although her body no longer responds the way it used to, she still holds on to her inner strength and the
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Sonia Aguilar, a 52-year-old Ecuadorian woman, lived for seventeen years under the physical and emotional abuse of her husband. The mistreatment started subtly—disguised as jokes and followed by apologies—but over time, it became constant. Hitting her arms and legs became routine, always hidden so that not even her son, Juan, would notice. Her husband, a
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Ana (30 years old) has three children whom she cares for on her own. She has two sons and a daughter: Ian (11 years old), Dorian (5 years old), and Dafne (8 months old). Ana lives with a friend in Quito who has also taken in Ana’s children after unfortunate circumstances arose in her family
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Miguel Ángel Vélez Vélez, 71 years old, is a devoted father who, despite his age and many hardships, continues to fight with love and courage for his family. He lives in Quito with his two adult daughters with disabilities—Marcela (30), who has an intellectual disability, and Zara (21), who has lost most of her vision.
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Av. America N39-183 Calle San Francisco, Quito, Ecuador