Afro-Ecuadorian women and families cultivating community development in rural Esmeraldas Ecuador

In Esmeraldas, Ecuador, commercial activity has taken a toll on water and soil, affecting the quality of life of Afro-Ecuadorian residents and making it one of the poorest provinces in the country.

The price of cacao and bananas plummeted in the wake of COVID-19, and the need to sell to intermediary buyers also depresses farmers' incomes.

The IAF supports community-led solutions to address the consequences of environmental degradation and economic and social exclusion.

We also strengthen the ability of local philanthropic organizations to do effective programming and unlock additional public and private resources for long-term development.

Our grantee the Association of Afro-Ecuadorian Women Timbir in the Future (AMATIF) is training women cacao producers to improve the quality and increase the quantity of their agricultural yields to achieve food security and generate income while fomenting gender equality and eliminating gender-based violence.

The producers are also increasing production and expanding sales of their chocolate products and establishing a community foundation to fund small community projects in the Rio Santiago Cayapas community of Esmeraldas.

This grant advances the IAF's strategic initiatives to support community-led efforts to mitigate and prevent chronic violence and to expand the resources available for grassroots development by promoting locally-rooted community philanthropy.

It also advances initiatives to promote the economic and social inclusion and human rights of historically marginalized populations, and to promote sustainable agriculture by strengthening food security efforts and supporting viable livelihoods.