EcuadorEcuador

Helping moms & babies in Ecuador

You are changing the lives of moms and babies. Here’s how.

Mom's & BabiesMom's & Babies
Helping moms & babies in Ecuador
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The Need

Of the 5.2 million children who die around the world each year, 75 per cent die in the first year of life. Babies are at risk of death due to premature birth complications, complications during childbirth, infections, pneumonia and diarrhea. But this is preventable. With training and support, moms in poverty can be empowered to raise healthy and happy babies.

Our Response

Critical care
Your support helps secure access to pre- and postnatal care, skilled birth attendants and medical intervention when necessary.

Home-based care
Mothers are visited in their homes monthly by a Survival specialist, who offers education in prenatal care and early child-rearing as well as one-on-one biblical mentoring.

Group-based learning
At these church-based activities, moms learn skills to earn an income and gain vital knowledge including basic literacy, the importance of breastfeeding and how to prevent malnutrition and disease. These groups combat isolation through a supportive community of mothers who, together, learn about the God who loves them.

Ecuador Stats

Average number of children in household 2
Average age of first-time mothers 12
Births attended by skilled health personnel 94
Stunted growth from malnutrition 25

Activities

Home visits: Program implementers made regular visits to mom and their babies in their homes, providing emotional and spiritual care. During these visits, staff shared Bible reflections, prayed with families and offered guidance on parenting, bonding with their children and child development from the Survival curriculum. Moms expressed their deep gratitude and felt supported by their local churches.

Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.

Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.

Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.

Income-generating skills: To promote self-reliance, moms attended an entrepreneurship workshop focused on making pillow covers. This practical training provided them with a new skill to use to earn money and a skill that can also benefit their households. Participants expressed joy and satisfaction in learning something new and thanked the instructors and donors for providing such meaningful opportunities for growth.

Physical health: Moms and babies received regular checkups and treatment if needed. Babies’ height and weight were measured regularly to ensure good growth and development and assess for signs of malnutrition. Pregnant moms learned about what to expect during labour and delivery as well as how to identify and prevent diseases such as dengue fever and the zika virus.

Project Stats

This intervention addressed:

Full-term births 17
Illness: Respiratory-Related Illness 1
Pregnancies 15
Illness subc: Other 1
Illness subc: Respiratory Tract Infection 4
Breastfeeding Moms 16
Malnourished Babies - Severely Underweight 8
Attended births 16
Premature births 1
Malnourished Babies - Moderately Underweight 11
Normal birth weights 16
Low birth weights 2
Home visits: Program implementers made regular visits to mom and their babies in their homes, providing emotional and spiritual care. During these visits, staff shared Bible reflections, prayed with families and offered guidance on parenting, bonding with their children and child development from the Survival curriculum. Moms expressed their deep gratitude and felt supported by their local churches.
Home visits: Program implementers made regular visits to mom and their babies in their homes, providing emotional and spiritual care. During these visits, staff shared Bible reflections, prayed with families and offered guidance on parenting, bonding with their children and child development from the Survival curriculum. Moms expressed their deep gratitude and felt supported by their local churches.
Home visits: Program implementers made regular visits to mom and their babies in their homes, providing emotional and spiritual care. During these visits, staff shared Bible reflections, prayed with families and offered guidance on parenting, bonding with their children and child development from the Survival curriculum. Moms expressed their deep gratitude and felt supported by their local churches.
Home visits: Program implementers made regular visits to mom and their babies in their homes, providing emotional and spiritual care. During these visits, staff shared Bible reflections, prayed with families and offered guidance on parenting, bonding with their children and child development from the Survival curriculum. Moms expressed their deep gratitude and felt supported by their local churches.
Home visits: Program implementers made regular visits to mom and their babies in their homes, providing emotional and spiritual care. During these visits, staff shared Bible reflections, prayed with families and offered guidance on parenting, bonding with their children and child development from the Survival curriculum. Moms expressed their deep gratitude and felt supported by their local churches.
Home visits: Program implementers made regular visits to mom and their babies in their homes, providing emotional and spiritual care. During these visits, staff shared Bible reflections, prayed with families and offered guidance on parenting, bonding with their children and child development from the Survival curriculum. Moms expressed their deep gratitude and felt supported by their local churches.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Provisions: Moms received monthly food baskets containing rice, noodles, cooking oil, dried grains, sugar, tuna and other essentials. Hygiene kits were also distributed to help families maintain cleanliness and health at home. These provisions significantly contributed to family well-being and alleviated economic pressure, enabling moms to devote more time to caring for their children.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Child development: Staff monitored the health and growth of babies during home visits and group activities and taught moms early stimulation techniques to promote their children’s development. Implementers demonstrated exercises that encourage language development, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Many moms reported visible progress in their children, such as eating independently, pronouncing new words and beginning to crawl.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Discipleship: Moms and caregivers participated in group devotionals and Bible-based activities that strengthened their faith and family relationships. One class encouraged women to love their families and serve them with grace, while another creative workshop allowed moms to make Bible brochures featuring verses from Scripture. Each group session concluded with shared meals, prayers and thanksgiving to God for His continued provision. Staff also distributed Bibles to moms so they could study the Word at home.
Income-generating skills: To promote self-reliance, moms attended an entrepreneurship workshop focused on making pillow covers. This practical training provided them with a new skill to use to earn money and a skill that can also benefit their households. Participants expressed joy and satisfaction in learning something new and thanked the instructors and donors for providing such meaningful opportunities for growth.
Income-generating skills: To promote self-reliance, moms attended an entrepreneurship workshop focused on making pillow covers. This practical training provided them with a new skill to use to earn money and a skill that can also benefit their households. Participants expressed joy and satisfaction in learning something new and thanked the instructors and donors for providing such meaningful opportunities for growth.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular checkups and treatment if needed. Babies’ height and weight were measured regularly to ensure good growth and development and assess for signs of malnutrition. Pregnant moms learned about what to expect during labour and delivery as well as how to identify and prevent diseases such as dengue fever and the zika virus.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular checkups and treatment if needed. Babies’ height and weight were measured regularly to ensure good growth and development and assess for signs of malnutrition. Pregnant moms learned about what to expect during labour and delivery as well as how to identify and prevent diseases such as dengue fever and the zika virus.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular checkups and treatment if needed. Babies’ height and weight were measured regularly to ensure good growth and development and assess for signs of malnutrition. Pregnant moms learned about what to expect during labour and delivery as well as how to identify and prevent diseases such as dengue fever and the zika virus.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular checkups and treatment if needed. Babies’ height and weight were measured regularly to ensure good growth and development and assess for signs of malnutrition. Pregnant moms learned about what to expect during labour and delivery as well as how to identify and prevent diseases such as dengue fever and the zika virus.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular checkups and treatment if needed. Babies’ height and weight were measured regularly to ensure good growth and development and assess for signs of malnutrition. Pregnant moms learned about what to expect during labour and delivery as well as how to identify and prevent diseases such as dengue fever and the zika virus.
Physical health: Moms and babies received regular checkups and treatment if needed. Babies’ height and weight were measured regularly to ensure good growth and development and assess for signs of malnutrition. Pregnant moms learned about what to expect during labour and delivery as well as how to identify and prevent diseases such as dengue fever and the zika virus.
Pastor Jonathan

ReportA message from a pastor

This is Jonathan, Pastor of Del Nazareno Esperanza Eterna Church. It is a pleasure to write to you on behalf of my beloved church. First, I want to wish you blessings in everything you do. May our God be the one who can guide all your steps.

As a church, we are very interested in having a community formed in knowledge about health, education and behaviour in society. We constantly invest in the education of our children, adolescents and even adults in our community in very important areas, starting with the spiritual part. We use activities such as seminars, integration days, workshops and worship services to share all the knowledge that God has given us.

The beneficiaries are filled with enthusiasm, knowing that a sponsor, someone who lives far away, cares about them through prayers and material support. This increases their hope to change their destiny and helps them move forward. As a former beneficiary, I understand this feeling.

We plan to prepare our families to face the current world, fulfilling the Word of God. For example, beneficiaries are instructed in the knowledge of the Bible. They also receive specific preparation in areas such as health care, an important topic for adolescents and young people, as this stage involves major changes. If you don’t have a good guide, you can have negative consequences.

We dream of implementing a leadership group for beneficiaries in two specific ministries. I am pleased to share with you that we have started with a praise choir that began with five members. Today, we have ten participants, and we hope to have singers, guitarists, pianists, drummers and other members in the future to diversify the praise. I believe that one of the most natural and important ways to produce a positive change is through music and even more so if it is dedicated to God. God has blessed us with young people and children with a great capacity to study, understand and share what the Bible says. We will strengthen the discipleship they receive within the church and train them to be able to share the message they have learned with others. Some will do it through worship, others through the preaching of the Word and others will be workshop leaders. We are confident that everyone can use their gifts in the service of God.

I hope to continue sharing with you more positive news in the future. Thank you for all the support you have given our church through the Compassion program. Thanks to your support, we can enhance the ministries we have as church.

God bless you,

Pastor Jonathan
Guadalupe

ReportA message from those your gift helped

I am Guadalupe, and my daughter’s name is Ashley. She is nine months old. The Survival program impacted me a lot spiritually because I have received teachings from the Bible and teachings on how to raise my daughter. It has also helped me a lot with learning about finances and navigating my daughter’s health issues. I really like to go to church because I feel happy that God allows me to be in the program to learn how to raise my daughter as a new mom. I thank them for teaching me about motherhood and how to maintain good health for my daughter and me. I thank God for this blessing.

I really like attending the group activities every month with my baby because I learn something new every day that I can apply to my life and to my daughter’s life. I also like that we participate with other moms, and we work on the social-emotional skills. I like health class because I learn how to eat well and feed my daughter. I also like cognitive activities because I see the growth and development of my daughter, and I notice that she is developing normally.

My daughter has developed fine and gross motor skills through the curriculum teachings, such as massage, exercises and more. My baby is very active and has good reflexes. I have been able to see a lot of progress in my daughter because she has developed a lot in the way she relates to other children. Our implementer helps me a lot during every visit by watching Ashley’s development and growth and analyzing what she needs. In the spiritual area, she has been developing because she likes the worship music and she learns about God.

I have been able to pass on the Bible not only to my daughter but also to my family, so that they can follow God’s path. I am grateful for the visits I receive from the implementer and for the teaching I receive through her.

I am grateful to God for allowing me to be part of the program and for all that I am learning together with my daughter.

Blessings,

Guadalupe
Laura

ReportA message from a partnership facilitator

May God’s blessings dwell in your lives, families and ministries. The opening of this Survival program began with the selection of pregnant mothers, mothers and their babies according to the reality of vulnerability and extreme poverty. This program has allowed vulnerable mothers and their children to know God’s love through the church and the support of people like you.

The church is trained and prepared to provide effective accompaniment to the caregivers and participants. The church works hard with mothers and their babies in the areas of spiritual, physical, socio-emotional and cognitive development.

I have seen the determination of the church to rescue homes that do not know the love of God in their lives, that do not understand the wonders that God wants to do in them. I have seen the concern of the church to visit moms in their homes, prepare group activities to receive them in the church and prepare workshops for life skills entrepreneurship.

The church sees keeping the family of each participant in prayer as a hope for the families of the community to be transformed in the name of Jesus. They see the satisfaction of knowing that God has touched the hearts of some mothers. Mothers have improved their behaviour, they have known of God’s love and that they have put their trust in God.

It is a great privilege that God’s love is manifested in the lives of His servants to support churches that impact families in the communities where they develop their ministry. Your generosity reflects Exodus 4:2, which reads, “Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’”

Blessings,

Laura