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Jeunesse Kids empowers a WE Village in Ecuador

Sep 14, 2017 | Jeunesse Kids

Jeunesse Kids in Los Rios, Ecuador

A group of 80 volunteers – including Jeunesse employees, Distributors, their families and WE Charity Co-Founder Craig Kielburger – ventured to the remote village of Los Rios, Ecuador, deep in the Amazon jungle, to support the Jeunesse Kids mission of helping communities become self-sustaining. Generous contributions from Jeunesse Distributors allowed Jeunesse Kids to partner with WE Charity and their WE Villages program to bring five necessities to the Los Rios WE Village:


  1. Clean water
  2. Education
  3. Healthcare
  4. Food stability
  5. Income opportunities

Clean water
Through this initiative, Jeunesse representatives and Distributors had the chance to help with the construction of a water tank that will bring to surrounding homes the clean water generated by the school’s new water treatment facility. Prior to the involvement of Jeunesse Kids, access to clean water was a significant concern for the community, due to waterborne diseases and parasites present in the water supply.



Education
Education is critical to the success of the Los Rios village, and trip attendees encouraged the students of the newly constructed school by participating in a diploma ceremony for the summer school students. The kids beamed with pride as they displayed their work and received diplomas.



Healthcare
Training and workshops are a key focus for Jeunesse Kids, because teaching the members of the community about health, disease prevention and sanitation can enhance the well-being of children and improve school attendance rates. Hand-washing stations also have been installed to reduce the spread of disease.



Food stability
Jeunesse Kids funded a school garden, which is tended by the students. Access to healthy fruits and vegetables supports the children’s continued growth and development.



Income opportunities
Wanting to empower and lift the community out of poverty, Jeunesse Kids created a group for girls and young women that provides artisan skills, financial literacy and leadership training to help future generations manage alternative income sources and become leaders in their community.

The provision of these essential resources has given the people of Los Rios a sense of power and dignity. Jeunesse Kids also supports WE Villages in Dao Lazui, China, and Irkaat, Kenya, and plans to expand its support to a fourth village in 2018 to continue making a positive impact in the world.

“We are honored to be able to help make a difference in the lives of the children and families of Los Rios,” said Chief Visionary Officer Scott Lewis. “By providing access to these five critical elements through the WE Villages model, we are helping the people of Los Rios create a successful and sustainable community. We are so grateful for the generosity of our Jeunesse family, who have made this support possible.”