Our Work in Ecuador

We’re unlocking pathways to family for children in Ecuador.

Disrupting trauma in Ecuador looks like…

Transforming the Culture of Care.

Professional support to elevate the standard of care in institutions and identify a pathway to permanency for children.

Trauma-Wise Training.

Empowering child welfare professionals and family judges with the knowledge and skills to provide trauma-wise care.

**We remain determined to dismantle the complex web of trauma in Ecuador.**

2,800 children live in protection institutions across Ecuador. An estimated 50% of these cases are believed to have alternate family care option which could have prevented separation and institutionalization in the first place.

An additional 30,400 children live in families on the brink of separation with no help in sight. After five years of unsuccessful reform, the child welfare system in Ecuador is on the verge of collapse, leaving thousands of vulnerable children with no path to hope and a family.

We are standing up for this child now—because there is a brighter future for children in Ecuador.

Our impact by the numbers.

37,250

total children stood up for.

95%

of adults we serve take a step towards resiliency.

745

adults supported on the pathway to resiliency.

95%

of adult training participants report having an improved understanding of how trauma impacts children.

Every child has a story of possibility just waiting to be unlocked.

AGCI actively works to disrupt cyclical trauma in Ecuador by working alongside the child welfare system to elevate standards of care for children.

Luis* was 12 years old when he was removed from his home in Ecuador. Luis was found walking in the street barefoot, and a report was made to the local police for suspected child abuse. Judges ruled to send Luis hours away to an institution while the investigation concluded. Luis knew his family was poor and not perfect—but he had never been without affection and connection.

He asked to return home, explaining to the institution’s caregivers he didn’t belong there. Insisting he had never been abused.

In April 2024, Luis tragically died by suicide. Post-mortem exams confirmed he was not a victim of abuse.

The police criminalized the family’s poverty. When they saw Luis walking barefoot, they assumed he was being neglected. Because of the lack of care in the investigation, Luis was wrongfully placed in an institution.

The system designed to protect children did the very opposite for Luis. Sadly, this is not the exception but the norm for hundreds of children in Ecuador.

AGCI delivers ongoing training to child welfare officials in Ecuador. We are committed to standing up for children by transforming the culture of care and teaching a trauma-informed response to reduce unnecessary institutionalization.

We aim to provide education and support to families like Luis’s, so they can write a different story of hope and resilience. Because no child should be alone.

*Name changed to protect privacy.

Hear from our leader on the ground.

Daniela Pugo, Ecuador Program Officer

"AGCI places an emphasis on the role of adults in the trauma healing process of children. AGCI works to help adults to understand that their own attachment styles and ways to relate to others carry a significant impact on the lives of the children and adolescents under their care.

Our hope is to inspire and prepare new leaders who will influence public policy and improve the care for vulnerable children in Ecuador."

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