This week the Manna Ecuador team was excited to welcome a guest from the States to visit our community here in Ecuador: Shanyn Ronis, the executive director of the non-profit Education Global Access Program. Like Manna, E-Gap is focused on the importance of partnerships and community-focused development, and they hope to partner with us to develop job training courses for young adults that have had trouble entering the local job market. Their use of blended education techniques-- using in-class instruction and technology-based content-- helps students gain technology skills thats are demanded in the job market, while also learning about different aspects of running a business.
Shanyn, Manna Country Director Fred, and myself (Carley) spent much of the week visiting with different organizations that Manna has connections with in the community, including the Fajardo school district, the Patronato of Sangolqui, Fundación Aliñambi, and Hogar para la Madre Adolescente. With the goal of both strengthening existing partnerships and identifying students for E-Gap's first round of courses, our visits were wildly successful, and community partners are getting excited for us to officially begin this new program in August.
Shanyn and the E-Gap team are looking forward to returning to Ecuador in late July or early August for a comprehensive teacher training for the new group of PDs, and to begin the first round of job training courses in our community. We couldn't be more excited for this partnership to move forward, and can't wait to see the amazing impact that it will have on the lives of those in Sangolqui and the Valle de los Chillos.