Far too many kids in Ecuador face a daily struggle to have their basic needs met. Moms, families that earn less than $2 per day are tasked with trying to provide food, clothing, medicine and education to their children. They face a near impossible battle while living in extreme poverty situations.
I have often struggled with the notion that exposing these kids to situations they may not normally experience is somehow a bad thing for their mental and emotional health. That it creates a longing for things they may have never known. I’ve heard it said, that they don’t realize they are poor.
I think there may be a grain of truth in that argument. Mainly for isolated children in villages that don’t have TV or internet access. Here in Ecuador, even the poorest have viewed TV in their barrio or watched a Tik Tok video on someone’s phone. They go to work with their parents selling in the streets and they see the fancy cars, the people they are serving sitting at the street-side restaurants. They know the food on those restaurant plates exist, just not for them.
A shift in perspective
Over the past 10 years, I came to a shift in my thinking on how our personal interactions in these barrios impacts them. There are simple joys they rarely experience that we take for granted, like dinner out with a menu they can choose from. Access to foreign foods, like a turkey dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy; for one night they forego rice with an egg. Exposing them to a world of wonder and fantasy sitting in a movie theater with popcorn. Planning something as simple as a play date on the beach or in a local pool, eating hotdogs and ice cream. Imagine living near the ocean and never having gone to see the whales or bike ride in the Chocolatera. So many simple activities they watch from the outside.
One activity we planned years ago was the drive-in movie night. Where the kids created and decorated their cars out of boxes. They sat in their finished vehicle while watching Disney’s Cars on the big screen and eating popcorn. We explained to them that this was an activity we enjoyed in our younger years back home…. but in real cars.
Overall, I think we can have a positive impact when approaching this with respect, cultural sensitivity and a desire to touch lives in a positive way.
Some benefits that come to mind:
1. *Social Interaction and Development*: Engaging in activities with groups of both locals and foreigners fosters social skills, promotes teamwork, and helps them to build relationships. Learning new customs, learning about inclusion for those of us that appear different from them. Learning how to interact with a person that speaks Spanglish and how to be patient and find ways to communicate.
2. *Psychological Well-being*: Participating in these activities boosts self-esteem, reduces stress and anxiety, and provides them with moments of joy and happiness by giving them a break from their troubles for a few hours. For these precious hours, they can focus outside of their empty plates and feel special.
3. *Emotional Support*: Positive activities offer emotional support, comfort, and a sense of normalcy in their life. Providing a much-needed break from the challenges and hardships of living in poverty. Where, for just a few hours, they get to feel part of society, rather than struggling alone just outside our vision, in the mud.
4. *Physical Health*: Experiencing new activities can encourage physical movement. Swimming in a pool, learning to bike ride, walking the beach looking for shells. These activities can promote healthy habits by keeping the interactions active and based on wholesome, good old fashioned fun.
What can it teach them
5. *Educational Opportunities*: Engaging in new experiences such as visits to museums or cultural sites can spark curiosity, and increase their knowledge and understanding of the world and their country. The trips to the local museums were well taken by both children and seniors. The old photos and items sparked memories for them. They shared some stories of their past with us, it was a great experience for everyone.
6. *Cultural Enrichment*: Exposure to different environments, food, and traditions enriches a cultural awareness, fosters empathy for others, and promotes tolerance and acceptance of diversity. I remember the joy and smiles when we served Poutine to a group of families. They absolutely loved it. Now when they think of Canada, this yummy goodness is just one thing that comes to mind.
7. *Building Memories*: These experiences create lasting memories that kids can cherish and draw strength from during difficult times. Laying on the dirty mattress on the floor, these memories can bring comfort of happy times they experienced and the care and love they felt at that moment.
8. *Sense of Inclusion and Belonging*: Participating in activities that other children enjoy helps children feel included, valued, and connected to their community. They may not able to do these activities regularly, but they carry the experience and memory and share it with others.
Hope for change isn’t a bad thing
9. *Inspiration and Hope*: Experiencing new things can inspire kids to dream big, set goals, and believe in a brighter future. Instilling a sense of hope, motivation, and optimism they can carry with them. The hope is this will lead them to find ways to a better life outside the cycle of poverty they were born into.
10. *Quality Time and Mentorship*: Spending quality time with caring adults or mentors during these activities strengthens relationships, provides guidance and positive role modeling. It gives them an outside perspective they may not get from home. Extreme poverty is generational and they often have ingrained habits and superstitions that help to perpetuate poverty. Imagine someone explaining to them the importance of being punctual for important events. That is not something they would ever be taught at home.
Expats: a positive impact
Providing simple activities to children living in extreme poverty is not only about offering a momentary escape from their reality. These simple gestures have the power to transform lives, and create lasting memories. By planting the seeds for a future filled with possibilities, we lift them.
I applaud those of you that reach out to these kids in your own way. It may be through a foundation, organization or on a personal level, one child at a time you are making a difference.
As our foundation restructures it’s programs, we will continue to offer, and improve on, the activities offered to the kids. Our hope is to leave a lasting mark and a positive impact after we are long gone.
