Ecuador VI - Misc Stuff

From: Dan Trumble
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007
Subject: The Trumble Travels - Ecuador VI - Misc Stuff

Did you know that in 2000, Ecuador dollarized and now the U.S. dollar is the currency of Ecuador? Paper bills are the same as the ones used in the States but there are special Ecuadorian coins. http://www.globalpolicy.org/nations/sovereign/dollar/2000/ecuador.htm

According to Wikipedia, these are the countries that are dollarized:

British Virgin Islands
East Timor (uses its own coins)
Ecuador (uses its own coins)
El Salvador
Marshall Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Palau
Panama (uses its own coins)
Turks and Caicos Islands

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollarization

Ecuadorian nickels, a half-dollar, and a quarter

French fries (“papas” in Spanish) are quite popular. Here is Papa Sumprema (like Supreme Nachos or something but fries, not chips).

That’s a big Coke banner.

There are three main cell-phone providers in Ecuador. They are Porta, Allegra, and Movistar. Movistar has the coolest logo, hands down. It can also be seen in a lot of places. It’s a really cool logo.

Street vendors that sell to folks in cars stopped at stop lights are common. Cell minutes can be purchased from guys like this guy.

Dan with a smaller Movistar logo.

The Movistar logo looms outside of the office (actually this is from a sign at the airport)

Movistar is also in Colombia. Here are some Colombia Movistar images.

Ecuador V - Visit to Project EC-111

From: Dan Trumble
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007
Subject: The Trumble Travels - Ecuador V - Visit to Project EC-111

On Thursday afternoon we visited Compassion project EC-111. This is a project that represents Compassion’s three core programs:

• The Child Development Program (CSP) that works with mothers of young and pre-born children to provide prenatal care, health screenings, training for mothers, and spiritual education.
• Child Development through Sponsorship which works with children to provide them with spiritual, physical, economic, and social benefits.
• Leadership Development Program (LDP)that provides and opportunity for exceptional graduates of the Child Development through Sponsorship program to attend University and receive Christian leadership training.

Both the CSP and Child Development through Sponsorship programs are run from the church which sits in the hills on the edge of Quito. Some graduates of the program are currently involved in LDP. The church is a bi-lingual church (Spanish and a local language) and has been a Compassion partner for several years.

Dan, Rich, and children.


Dan and children.

Children attending project activities

The church has started a little factory where several women are employed making clothing for retail sale. They each make approximately $170 per month.

Here is a picture from the outside. The clothing factory is on the third floor (indicated by the arrow)

Norma (left) has been Compassion’s partnership facilitator for this project. She is pictured with the project director.

Here is some of the clothing that has been made in the little factory.

The net in the foreground seems to be a volleyball net. The little dwelling in the corner is where the watchman for the church lives.

The project has a little garden area in the back.

The street where the church (and project) are located.

A view from the roof of the building where the project activities were occurring.