Oxford Microfinance Initiative

For the past two weeks MPI Ecuador has been hosting 3 Oxford University students who have been working exclusively with our Small Business Development program. Here is an update from Taylor on how things have progressed during their visit:

Since last October, the Small Business Development Program has eagerly anticipated working with Oxford University’s Oxford Microfinance Initiative. We’ve been working on the preparation for their arrival for months now and I cannot believe it’s all over!

The British came…they saw…and left with an incredible amount of information and insight into Rumiloma and its surrounding communities. We did field studies, visited lesser known parts of our surrounding communities, met with countless governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and exhausted ourselves in pursuit of the question: how can expand and improve our business program? Manna’s vision focuses on really getting to know what interests our communities, in order to execute the best possible programs suited for these communities. It’s nice to get back in touch with the community and really be able to ask them what they are looking for from us.

Our team of Oxford students consisted of three people…although ironically, only one member, Bhavin, was actually British. Vera hailed from Germany and spent a year in Riobamba, Ecuador, living with an Ecuadorian family from 2010-2011. Her insight into Ecuadorian culture and business practices was a huge help. Dennis is from Switzerland, he spent a year traveling all over South America, learning a good deal of Spanish and experiencing Latin American culture, but this was his first time working in Ecuador.

This opportunity to really focus on our business program, with the help of three knowledgeable business students was exactly what the program needed. We’re really hoping to invest our newfound knowledge into the Small Business Development program and see how we can expand and build upon what we’ve learned. We’re all very excited to see where it goes from here!

Bhavin (left), Dennis (center), and Vera (right) spent the past 2 weeks living and working with us here in Ecuador

Thank you to the OMI students for your insight and expertise!

Semana Santa

This past weekend we had 5 days off for Semana Santa, also known as Holy Week. Ecuador PDs split up for this holiday, traveling all over Ecuador and the US.

Our Country Director Darcy went to Guayaquil to visit friends (she spent a year living in Guayaquil before working with Manna).

Watkins’ mom was visiting for the week and they spent a night on Cotopaxi and then traveled to the Oriente, experiencing an extreme change in altitude and climate. They also got to witness some of the elaborate religious processions that took place in Quito on Friday.

Rachel was home in Chicago visiting family for her birthday and her niece’s (which both happened to fall during the holiday). Feliz Cumple Rachel!

Emily was lucky enough to spend a few days in the Galapagos with her mom and brother who are visiting. Her family is still in town so they have gotten to see and help out with some of our programs here as well.

Nicole, Charlie and I took a long bus ride to Cuenca for the weekend. We expected it to be a little more lively, but found that most of the city was shut down for Semana Santa proceedings. We still managed to have a great time walking around the city, sitting by the river, and drinking lots of coffee. Charlie got to try Fanesca, a typical dish in Ecuador during this time of the year, and Nicole and I managed to find plenty of suitable vegetarian options.

Taylor stayed in the Manna House to keep an eye on things and continue a work project that the Small Business Development program is working on with some Oxford University students who are currently staying with us (more on this soon!). She also got to try some homemade Fanesca, specially delivered by our friend Ivo.

We all had a lovely and much needed vacation and now we are ready to take on the end of the quarter, which will be very busy for us in Ecuador.

Nicole and I by the river in Cuenca

Cuenca, Ecuador

Holy Week procession

Bingo Bailable

This past weekend we had the honor of attending a fundraising event held by some former Cruz Roja friends of ours who are starting their own health foundation. The event was held right around the corner from the Manna House in a restaurant, which until a few days ago was nothing but an abandoned cement foundation. We weren’t sure what we were getting ourselves into since we’ve learned from experience that nothing here goes quite how we expect it to. The event however was exactly what the name suggests; danceable bingo. We played rounds of bingo with various kitchen appliances available as prizes, and in between rounds of bingo we danced. One thing (out of many) that I love about Latino culture is that they love to dance. Everyone at one time or another took to the dance floor, and some people never left it. I can’t imagine an event like this taking place in the US, never mind being such a success and such a fantastic time. We planned on stopping by for a little while just to show our support, but we ended up being among the last to leave. As the vecinos and the token gringos of our neighborhood, we were welcomed with open arms as our neighbors cheered us on and laughed kindly at our dance moves. The event left us tired and happy, wondering if we can somehow change the idea for our own Manna benefit coming in a few weeks.

The vecinas get taken to the dance floor

The brains of the operation

CASEVACs and Enemy Fire

One of the excellent things about being a part of Manna Project is the chance to fully get to know Ecuador, in all the diverse aspects of its society.  This past Tuesday, at the request of adult English student Guillermo Cuaspud, all seven PDs as well as country director Darcy Phillips helped administer a test for Ecuadorian soldiers in a United Nations Peacekeepers training program.  The experience afforded an opportunity to meet soldiers in the Army and see the inside of a military base.

The event last Tuesday was an English test for soldiers in a UN Peacekeepers training course.  The Peacekeepers training demands that they have a basic understanding of English, and Guillermo, who is program director Emily Samson’s advanced English student, asked that MPI participate in an assessment of the soldiers English ability, in order for the soldiers to hear and respond to commands dictated by native speakers. 

The assessment was divided into six sections, where each PD manned a table and asked the soldier a series of questions, ranging from “How do you spell your name?” and “What is your job?” to directing soldiers to pick up a walkie-talkie and request medical support. 

After the assessment was over, each of us were presented with a light blue hat with the UN Peacekeepers logo and Ecuadorian flag on the side.  It was a very interesting experience for each of us, and we hope that we played our part in preparing future UN Peacekeeper soldiers for their jobs. 

 Guillermo Cuaspud (left) explains the exercise to PD Nicole Hamilton

Emily Samson giving orders to toy soldiers while future UN peacekeeping soldiers practice their English

Team Manna and the Peacekeeper trainees posing after the exercise

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

About a month ago Nicole and I started attending therapeutic horseback riding sessions with Antorcha de Vida, the rehabilitation center for special needs children where we work weekly in the gardens. Working with and riding horses is said to benefit communication, motor skills, and social skills, as well as teach companionship, responsibility and confidence. The kids at Antorcha love horse therapy as well as the Captain in charge, an Ecuadorian military officer who has special needs children himself. They place their complete trust in him, letting go of their grip on the horse to clap their hands when he says to, and laying down across the horse’s back, eyes closed in relaxation.

On Thursday mornings after working in the gardens with the Ingeniero, Nicole and I help to pile the kids into the back of a pick-up truck and we travel together to the military training facilities where they offer therapy. Some of the kids need extra guidance and attention, while others know exactly where to go and can’t wait to get there. They take turns riding the horses around a big green field, trying different riding positions, waving their hands in the air, throwing disks to help with motor skills, or just hugging the horse to feel its body temperature. Nicole and I take turns walking around with the horses, providing extra support in case someone starts to slip. When we aren’t accompanying the horses, we hang out with the other kids who are waiting for their turn. Although they all enjoy their time on the horse they aren’t impatient at all, rather they sing and dance and make jokes, seeming to genuinely enjoy every minute. It is amazing to see some of the kids who can’t even walk on their own riding the horses without a hint of fear.

Last week we got the chance to share this experience with a few of the spring breakers from UGA. Margaret found the horse therapy to be especially rewarding (read her blog post by clicking on the UGA tab). Working with the kids at Antorcha has been a beautiful and rewarding experience. They are so free with their hugs and their trust, it is impossible not to love them.

Seeing the excitement on Shirly's face when we arrive makes what we do worth while

These girls always provide the entertainment, singing and telling jokes for everyone

Margaret providing extra support for Michael

Learning how to care for the horse is part of the experience