San Francisco, Cotopaxi, Ecuador

The Ecumenical Foundation for Integral Development, Training and Education (FEDICE) coordinates educational, health, agriculture, and community development projects for the indigenous population in rural communities of Ecuador, a country where between 70 and 80 percent of the population lives in poverty.  With the help of Global Ministries and other partners, FEDICE carries out construction projects, medical clinics, pastoral work, and other programs in the provinces of Imbabura and Cotopaxi.  FEDICE has been instrumental in the development of water systems and agricultural and animal husbandry programs (mostly led by indigenous women), including cultivation of garlic and onions, and raising sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, and chickens. 

Working with dozens of women in San Francisco since 2000, The FEDICE Chicken Project serves to provide women with their own source of income.  Offering technical training and support, as well as financial tools and assistance, FEDICE helps these women to improve the quality of their families' lives.

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Accomplishments in the Area of Technical Training and Support:

• Women, as a result of the project training, are well-informed about the technical management of the chickens, assuring the project's continued success. Technical training includes administration and management of the organization, as well as care, commercialization, and marketing of the chickens.
• Once a month, the women of the project meet to discuss proposals for current and future activities, as well as to provide education on relevant topics (breeding of different animal species, leadership, health and nutrition, self-esteem, sanitation, etc.)
• At the start of the project, approximately 40 chickens were contained in small spaces. At the time of this report, there are now sheds of 150 square feet with a capacity of 500 chickens per person.
• The support of the group helps to solve internal problems when they arise. Offering support to one another in times of difficulty, they are in it for "the good times and in the bad," according to FEDICE. Each woman participates in all of the different events: meetings, training on proper methods, etc. This helps dispel fears.

Accomplishments in the Area of Financial Tools and Assistance:

• Once a month, the women of the project meet to discuss business relevant to the common fund (requests for advances and internal credits, fund recovery, etc.) FEDICE helped establish this fund with $2200. Creditors are allowed one year to repay their debts. On average, the repayment period is roughly six months.
• Because the women of the FEDICE Chicken Project are organized into a consortium, they have a legal status that helps them to negotiate for projects in other institutions.
• The consortium assists with the breeding and commercialization of birds.
• Each person contributes $15 dollars to join the consortium. As members, they enjoy all of the benefits that this offers their individual businesses.
• Because the project requires honest management of economic resources, each woman presents an annual economic report.

Improved Quality of Life

• Many of the testimonials offered by the women themselves pointed out their gratitude for the improvement in their families' diets/nutrition. The FEDICE Chicken Project estimates that two to three percent of the total production is consumed by the project families.
• Because the project offers women their own source of income, it helps to stop emigration. For instance, previously four of the women in the project were forced to look for work in the flower plantations where they are exposed to dangerous chemicals.
• Testimonials from the women assert that the project has contributed to a greater level of financial stability. The group funds have helped them to both expand their productions and helped in times of emergency.

While the project faces challenges both in creating additional sources of work and with normal maintenance of an organization/network, their plans for the future include:

• The installation of another shed;
• The construction of a storage cellar to store food;
• The establishment of locations for the collection and commercialization of birds.
• The improved production of chicken feed.
• The creation of a formal savings bank and credit.

Funds for the next phase have been budgeted in the following manner:

NOTE: Each beneficiary will produce 200 chickens.  Not included above: (1) costs covered in previous productions and (2) the value of the technical aid and training, which adds $2500.  This will be the additional contribution of FEDICE.