After a two year period of school closings, Ecuador’s Ministry of Education is at odds about how to restart school curriculum and education in general, especially in rural areas such as Don Juan. FAMM’s library — established after the April 2016 earthquake- remained operational during Covid-19 and its grassroots connections thrived. This was the only educational resource available in the region, providing a safe space for children and adolescents. The intercultural center and library does not replace the school nor does it intend to be an extension of it. Rather, it constitutes an extracurricular community space for exchange and learning.
At a time when the entire region is debating how to recover lost time and space, and how to reorient the efforts of communities to improve education, with gender equity, as a basis for sustainable development, Fundación A Mano Manaba stands out.
