What exactly am I doing here?
In 2023, the IBZ participated in a call for tenders launched by the German Association for International Cooperation (GIZ). The subject of this call for tenders was the promotion of migrant diasporic organisations in Germany and selected countries. With the help of GIZ, we were introduced to Crea Tu Espacio in Cuenca, an NGO that is particularly committed to migrants and the rural population here. Together we took part in the tender and our project was selected
During my time here, the opening of the project also took place. To this end, GIZ representatives in Ecuador came to get an impression on the spot. Various local politicians were also present. The project was perceived positively by all those present. In mid-January, the equipment purchased as part of the project for women in Biblián was brought to the association. In addition to various smaller devices such as hoes or boxes, a motor plough could also be purchased. For comparison: Before that, the women had to order the fields by hand or bring a bull to the field, which pulled the plough. This could take several days. With the motor plough you can order a field completely in a few hours. In subsequent appointments, the women were practically trained in the use of the equipment and were also able to learn new knowledge about cultivation methods, fertilizer, harvest and sale and packaging of their products in various workshops. A room set up specifically for the Women’s Association, including computers and seating, could also be completed – before that they had to meet in various rooms of the Town Hall, which unfortunately were not always free. The women in Azogues, who produce various crafts from toquilla straw, were also given access to new digital resources as part of the project. A new sales room is also being built for them, where they can sell their products, which they have learned from their parents and grandparents through sustainable handicrafts. Thus, a piece of local culture is preserved, since the products of the women's association can not really keep up with the cheaper and also poorer quality imported products. Here, too, the project was received very positively. During my time I supported the partner organization in various roles, so I was involved in the delivery of the devices, as well as in the openings and other project-related work. Furthermore, I was on site as a representative of the IBZ and was available for questions. GIZ also commissioned a camera team and various interviewers who documented many processes and interviewed me, among other things.
What are the difficulties?
In Ecuador, many things don't go as we know them from Germany. A main difference is that a lot can be regulated and clarified spontaneously. If, for example, a certain piece of furniture is needed tomorrow morning, purchase and delivery can easily be made in the afternoon before. I had to get used to this spontaneity. Also, various administrative processes take a very long time – I didn't really have to get used to it, because unfortunately it looks similar in Germany.
Another point is that the political mood in Ecuador is currently rather heated. This is due to the fact that at the beginning of February there were elections that no candidate could decide for themselves, so there will be a run-off election in April. The main topic of the election campaign is the current wave of violence and a sharp rise in the murder rate, especially in the coastal regions. In Cuenca and surroundings, where I was mostly on the road, it is relatively quiet, but also there the situation has deteriorated. This is due to weakening institutions and the growing influence of national and international drug cartels that use Ecuador as a transit country. Due to the fact that the largest ports on the coast are located, the violence is also concentrated there. The political camps offer various solutions to the problem (e.g. "hard hand" or root causes), but are sometimes strongly opposed, leading to negative campaigns and political rifts.
A major problem was that it rained comparatively little at the end of 2024. In addition to fires (such as in the Cajas National Park), this meant that the country had far too little electricity, because a large part of Ecuador's electricity is supplied by hydropower. Due to the lack of rain, the rivers carried so little water that the generators could not work properly. To address the problem, the electricity was rationed. In some cases, electricity was only available for a few hours per day. Due to the fact that it rained more in January 2025, the power supply could be restored. The project has been delayed by the rationing, because the colleagues in Cuenca on site did not have electricity and thus no Internet for weeks within the working hours.