ECUADOR: Youth in underserved community receive education, social support
Salesian Project Foundation Guayaquil opens new Casa Pinardi Reference Center
ECUADOR
(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Project Foundation Guayaquil has celebrated the opening of a new Casa Pinardi Reference Center in the underserved neighborhood of Bastión Popular Bloque 4, Guayaquil, Ecuador. The center was launched to transform the lives of youth through education, emotional support and community development.
A Salesian explained, “The center will offer school reinforcement, group workshops, recreational activities, and psycho-educational support. We are grateful for the generosity of donors honoring the late Father Pierluigi Carletti, who passionately dedicated his life to serving the most vulnerable. Support also came from the Salesian Polytechnic University and funds raised during the 2024 Salesian Missionary Solidarity Campaign, a nationwide initiative.”
The inauguration ceremony gathered community representatives, beneficiary families, volunteers, members of the El Bastión de María Parish including parish priest Father Joaquim Folqué, the foundation’s technical team, and Father Mario Ramos, director of the Salesian Project Foundation Guayaquil.
Salesians provide social development and educational programs across Ecuador to help youth who are poor gain an education and the skills for later employment. The skills they learn ensure they are able to care for themselves and their families while being contributing members of their communities.
Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20% of the population receives almost 50% of the national income, while the poorest 20% receives only 5%. According to the World Food Programme, almost 26% of all children under age 5 have stunted growth, increasing to 31% in rural areas and 47% in Indigenous communities.
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Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Ecuador – New “Casa Pinardi” Center Opens in One of Guayaquil’s Most Vulnerable Areas
Salesian Missions – Ecuador
UNICEF – Ecuador
