Ecuador
Manna Project International
From USA to Shandia: Embracing Slow Living and ...

Leo Saunders, a Program Coordinator with Manna Project International, reflects on his first three weeks in Ecuador, navigating cultural differences, teaching in local schools, and embracing life in the Amazon.

From USA to Shandia: Embracing Slow Living and Community in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Manna Project International
Nurturing Community Growth: How Manna's Chicken ...

Chickens are an essential asset in numerous communities, offering not only a reliable food source but also serving as a vehicle for economic empowerment. The consistent production of eggs and meat from chickens significantly enhances nutritional intake and can increase family incomes, particularly for those facing food insecurity.

In various initiatives, we have integrated chicken farming as a sustainable agricultural practice. By equipping local community members with training in effective poultry care and management, we not only advance food security but also create pathways for entrepreneurship. Chickens require a relatively low initial investment, making them an accessible option for families aiming to improve their financial stability while thriving in diverse environments.

Additionally, involving families in chicken farming promotes cooperation within the community. Neighbors come together to share knowledge, resources, and support, thereby reinforcing the community's social fabric. As families acquire the skills necessary for raising chickens, they also develop an appreciation for sustainable farming practices, which can be transmitted to future generations. Thus, chicken farming evolves into more than just a means of sustenance; it becomes a vital catalyst for comprehensive community development.

Nurturing Community Growth: How Manna's Chicken Project in Ilayaku is Transforming Lives
Ecuador, Community, Program Director
Manna Project International
When Soccer Isn't Just a Sport: Futbol in ...

Growing up in Maryland, I played soccer until around middle school, when I realized I wasn’t all that good at it and that I was in love with basketball instead. Since then, I’ve been known to kick the occasional ball around, but I was pretty nervous when I was invited, along with my friend and fellow PD Patrick, to play for Once Valientes B (in English: eleven brave ones) in the Shandia soccer league.

When Soccer Isn't Just a Sport: Futbol in Shandia
Ecuador, Community, Events
Manna Project International
Music, Colors, Foods … and lots of Laughter - ...

As in many parts of the world, this past week in Shandia was all about the celebration of Carnaval. Originally coming from an area that calls the local Carnival the annual “fifth season”, I was especially excited to see what Carnaval in Ecuador would look like. What would the local customs, foods and music be like?

Music, Colors, Foods … and lots of Laughter - Carnaval in Shandia
Manna Project International
A Day in the Life of the Amazon Rainforest: ...
A Day in the Life of the Amazon Rainforest: Welcome to Shandia!

Laying Down the Law

At the library, Marco is in charge.

The kiddos have come to realize that even though they can get away with most anything in children's art by shooting me their precious little "I'm innocent as a baby sea turtle" look, the same does not apply with Profe Marco. The combination of height (I think he may be the tallest person tiny Jori has ever seen in real life), Spanish fluency (ie. ability to effectively get his point across), and no-nonsense attitude towards running in the library or leaving books strewn around the kid's corner make him the perfect guy to sit behind the front desk. That and the fact that no matter the finished product, if a little library patron draws him something he will post it on the wall behind his desk. They love him :)

Interview a PD: Dunc Fulton

Dunc definitely wins the award for most family members submitting questions: three aunts, an uncle, his grandma and his mom all submitted stellar questions this time around. Thank you, extended families!

Yes, I do realize that the video is a *bit crooked, ie. it looks like Dunc might slide off the couch at any moment. This is because, since there really was no other option but to film him on the couch in the kitchen, we had to construct something on the sink to hold the video camera at the right height. And apparently our dishtowel-bowl-cutting board contraption was, sadly, kind of crooked. Oops...

Without further ado, Dunc Fulton!


Pollock


After a long anticipated arrival, our new Manna camera finally arrived last week!! (Along with a box of 36 Reese's peanut butter packs, thanks Chris!) I've forbidden myself from naming it/her (oh no...) so that I won't get too attached, since I do know that it's not mine for keeping. All that to say, the daily photographs will live on again!

Today's are actually from yesterday's art class where the students perfected different Jackson Pollock painting techniques up on the roof. Spoon dripping, brush thwacking, paint splattering...all in a day's work :)



My Smallest Doctor

(Today's guest blog is from Mark Hand, who is currently in Quito with Dunc listening to a talk by President Carter...maybe I can squeeze another guest blog out of them about that!)

"On average, I kick back six rounds of antibiotics a year for sinus infections. If you've never had a sinus infection, it feels a lot like being held underwater and hit in the face with a rubber mallet at the same time, while somebody sucks out your life force.

One of the young girls who frequents the library these days is named Melani, and she noticed me snorting and sniffling the other day. "What's wrong with you, profe?" she asked, wrinkling her own nose.

"I've got gripe," I told her. Gripe, which is pronounced GREE-pay, can be applied to just about any mild sickness resembling a cold. It's a lot like the flu in Southern Africa. I didn't feel like explaining the intricacies of sinusitis to a nine year-old, so gripe worked just fine.

"You know what, profe? You should have tilo tea. We've got some at my house, you can come by and get it tonight. You put this much in water once it's boiling, let it sit, and it will cure you fast." At this, I asked Melani if she had ever considered being a doctor. Her eyes lit up, and she told me "Yes, profe! Since I was little!"

Melani and I spent the next thirty minutes in the health and wellness section of the library, she trying to explain pictures of hernias and scabies to me, I trying my best to be encouraging without actually having to look closely at any of them. Kind of reminded me of watching Animal Planet with my sister Minette growing up.

The tilo tea, which consisted of boiled flowers Melani pulled off of a bush in her front garden as she tried to set me up on a date with her shy older sister, didn't quite do the trick. I'm hoping the second round of antibiotics I got from a Chile-trained ENT in Quito will. Melani was disappointed that the tea didn't work, but agreed that antibiotics were a good next step.

~Mark"