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PROGRAM AREA: ESMERALDAS COUNTRY: ECUADOR, SOUTH AMERICA REGION: NORTH WESTERN COAST
I. BACKGROUND: THE PROVINCE OF ESMERALDAS: Esmeraldas, comprising 15,237 square kilometers and 428.902 inhabitants, is the northern coastal province bordering the Republic of Colombia. The city of Esmeraldas with a population of 250.566 inhabitants is the provincial capital and home to 80% of Ecuador's black population. Statistical analysis of the province clearly establishes its status as the most depressed region in the Republic. While per capita GNP reaches US$ 1,280 on a national level, the provincial average is US$ 670, 48.3% below national tendencies. The annual population growth is 3.5% in contrast to the national average of 1.9 percent; an increase of 1.6%. Although 64% of the population is urbanized, 6% above the 58% national statistic, this is not indicative of urban development poles. On the contrary, urban migration is induced by the expansion of palm oil plantations, which are capital intensive and continually displacing rural family economies. Similarly colonization from Manab' and the subsequent increase in demographic pressures has fomented rural-urban migration is areas such as Malimpia and Nueva Jerusalem. The bureaucracy and the state controlled petroleum industry account for 23% full-employment, while 70% of the population in the city of Esmeraldas is engaged in the informal and self-employed sector. From our research, it would be plausible to suggest that approximately in between 68% and 73% of the economically active population, does not have access to full-time employment. The statistics for infant mortality are almost double the national average; 58 per 1.000 live births for children under 1 year and 73 per 1.000 live births for children under 5 years. This contrasts sharply to the national equivalent of 31 and 40 per 1.000 live births, respectively. The maternal mortality rate reaches 240 per 100.000. This exceeds the national average of 150 per 1.000 by 90 deaths. These dramatic socio-economic indicators are also reflected in the dismal state of basic urban infrastructure; 60% of the population does not have access to basic services such as electricity, fresh water and hygienic services including waste disposal. Subsequently, 150.000 people are exceedingly prone to tropical parasites and diseases such as hepatitis, cholera and malaria. Unfortunately, the mentioned statistics establish that the Province of Esmeraldas, and the city of Esmeraldas in particular, evidences a rate of poverty comparable to the shantytowns in Brazil and India. By all standards, the province qualifies as an urgent priority area for national and international development assistance.
I. 2. The "Phenomenon of El Niño": The consequences of the Phenomenon of "El Ni-o" on Esmeraldas in 1998, could be characterized as one disaster being placed upon another. The immediate effects produced by flooding and landslides, were the destruction of 450 homes, which left 1,800 people homeless. Sewage and fresh water pipes were destroyed and contaminated waters continue to flood the city. The major economic impact has fallen on the informal and service sectors where unemployment figures reach 60%. Since "El Nino", diseases have spread and infant mortality due to chronic malnutrition is one particular statistic that is growing at an alarming rate. Since the "Phenomenon of El Ni-o", Esmeraldas finds itself in a very deeply rooted state of emergency, a dismal symbol and thermometer of national and international development concern.
II. THE ESMERALDA VERDE PROGRAM: In May 1998, the Esmeralda Verde Program was created and an Emergency Plan, comprising three phases, was implemented.
II.1 Phase One: Six neighborhoods, characterized by their critical state of emergency, were selected: Puerto Lim-n, Isla Piedad, Santa Marta, Isla Trinitaria, Barrio Chone and San JosŽ Obrero. In these neighborhoods, unemployment figures presently reach 80%, while the percentage of diseases surpasses the provincial average by over 27%. Basic municipal services are non-existent and all drinking water is highly contaminated. Over 70% of the children between 6 and 14 are threatened by chronic malnutrition. A team of 11, consisting of a Doctor, six monitors and social workers and four members of the "Fundaci-n Selva Vida sin Fronteras", designed and implemented a contingency plan. This plan consisted in securing shelter for the homeless as well as emergency food rations and medical supplies. First aid for the most critical cases was provided. Particular attention was focused on the children between 6 and 14 years old. A group of 300 children was identified in view of their particularly difficult situation. For precise information on this subject, please refer to Annex 1.
II.2 Phase Two The second phase of the Esmeralda Verde Program was to reconstruct and remodel a 19th century building, which had been secured for the project. Centrally located, the building was repaired for flood damages and adapted to provide temporary lodging for El Ni-o victims. As of May 1998, the building was restructured to receive 300 children from most poverty-stricken neighborhoods of the city of Esmeraldas. On the first floor, a kitchen, bathrooms and restaurant were adapted to provide one complete meal per child, per day. On the second floor, we are presently refurbishing the spaces required for medical assistance and workshops.
III.3 Phase Three The objective of this particular phase is very simple and straightforward. The Esmeralda program believes that it is a basic human right that every child receives "minimally" a regular diet and medical attention. In this context, we have taken the necessary steps to provide this on a daily basis for 300 children. The Foundation's doctor attends each child twice a week, and this program involves several activities. An initial complete medical examination, including blood tests and other laboratory analysis, enabled us to initiate individual medical records of each child. Once the patient is stabilized and the initial diseases cured, a preventive medical program, adapted to the concrete living conditions and particular social economic and cultural context of each child, is implemented. The key to success here has been the close association between medical staff with the social workers and managers. The latter have established direct contact with the parent of each child. Weekly meetings have been formalized in order to coordinate and evaluate the evolution of each child in our center, and in their home. In view of the fact that the preventive medical program necessarily implies the implementation of specific measures in the house hold - preparation of meals, boiling water, hygienic services, etc. - the program has had a very successful multiplier effect. Each house-hold has an average of seven people and subsequently, 2,590 people are presently directly or indirectly involved in the "Esmeralda Verde" Program. In order to strengthen the inadequate educational system and to develop the extra-curricular interests of the children, we have initiated workshops in the "Esmeralda Verde" Center. One particular objective of these workshops is to provide an alternative to the state of abandonment each child experiences after leaving school. On the average our studies indicate that the children remain on the streets six to seven hours a day, after school, looking for food and coming in contact with the delinquent youth bands existing in each neighborhood. This vicious circle, we believe, can be overcome by cultivating interests in music, literature, dance, sports and strengthening education in general. Presently the FSVSF is organizing multi-disciplinary workshops in technical education, music, literature and sports with the firm conviction of being able to form qualified professionals in these specific fields. The "Esmeralda Verde Program" constitutes an attempt to resolve the basic needs of children. Given the particularly profound nature of the development crisis in Esmeraldas, we estimate that a minimum of twelve months are required in order to consolidate the initial success the program is having. In order to consolidate and guarantee the Program, the FSVSF requests national and international donations and investments to finance the following projects:
PROGRAM "ESMERALDA VERDE"
PROJECT; REF: FS-PE-001 (click e-mail appears)
FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE FOR CHILDREN THREATENED BY CHRONIC MALNUTRITION. LOCATION: THE FSVSF ESMERALDA VERDE CENTER
PROJECT; REF: FS-PE-002 (click e-mail appears) EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS LOCATION: THE FSVSF "ESMERALDA VERDE" CENTER
PROJECT; REF: FS-PE-003 (click e-mail appears)
THE FSVSF "ESMERALDA VERDE" CHILDREN'S HOME. LOCATION: ESMERALDAS.
PROJECT: REF: FS-BER-004 (click e-mail appears) ACQUISITION, REFORESTATION AND PROTECTION OF MANGLARES AND TROPICAL RAIN FOREST: LOCATION: BUFFER ZONES OF THE CAYAPAS-MATAJE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE. |
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