These holidays... give a gift of hope
With a real project gift from Plan you are giving hope to the children and families whose lives are being threatened in communities throughout East Africa.
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Plan is working at the grassroots level in Ecuador to help communities make real and lasting change, so that their children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Plan has worked in Ecuador (population 13 million) in South America since 1963 and currently has programs in over 1000 communities in ten of Ecuador's 21 provinces which aim to address the following issues affecting children:
Plan's programs and strategies to address these issues include:
Immunisation of pregnant women and children and training community health volunteers in prevention of childhood illnesses aims to ensure the good health of children even before they are born. Plan also promotes birth registration which helps ensure child rights and access to government services such as education and healthcare. To ensure access to quality education, teacher training and school supplies are provided to primary schools. Once children reach adolescence, raising their awareness of their sexual and reproductive health aims to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy. To help communities reach sustainability, clean drinking water and household sanitation services, environmental protection and small loans to help build businesses and increase family incomes.
Major activities of this program include supporting best practices for the elimination of child abuse, the inclusion of children in special circumstances into the mainstream, eliminating under-age child labour, and improving the working conditions for adolescents aged 15 years and above.
Major activities include increasing the self-esteem and leadership skills of children and adolescents, formation of child rights community councils, ensuring coordination between state institutions and children's organisations, and strengthening the capacity of communities to protect children and adolescents.
Major activities include developing an institutional structure and processes which support child rights-based programming, mobilising local resources, expanding staff members' abilities to facilitate children's rights-based human development, and facilitating long-lasting relationships between Ecuadorian children and their sponsors through communications and development education.
| Country | Ecuador | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Flag | ![]() |
|
| Population | 13 Million | 21 Million |
| Language | Spanish (official), Quechua | English |
| Capital | Quito | Canberra |
| GDP per capita (USD/year) |
2,322 | $37,300 |
| Life expectancy | 74.5 | 81.5 |
| Access to safe drinking water |
94% | 100% |
| Literacy | 91% | 100% |
| Source: | United Nations: Millennium Development Goals Report 2006 | |