Poverty is held in place by an ignorance of values for achieving prosperity in the situation we find ourselves in here and now.

Transformation with love

Critically important to an understanding of our programs is the concept of transformation with love. In a world and society filled with relationships based on competition and hierarchy, we strive to form relationships based on love. We believe that while poverty may begin with a lack of money to purchase prosperity, it is held in place by an ignorance of values for achieving prosperity in the situation we find ourselves in here and now. From this perspective comes hope and motivation for transformation, which must happen with people, not for people. A family must want to get out of their marginalized situation, and be an active participant in the change. Our various programs and strategies are designed to promote this transformation using the following 10 values:

LOYALTY

Loyalty is the basis of all ethical values. The families that make up the Foundation usually come to us filled with expectations based on convenience and prejudices, more than healthy ideas of personal betterment and service to others. Throughout the orientation period, each family recognizes that the Foundation is a formative process, with rights and responsibilities, freely entered into by the family. They commit to being a part of our larger family and assist in finding and inviting others to the Foundation.

This first principle we understand as a true expression of loving one’s neighbor. It is an indispensible value in order to reach the real goal of bettering the material, living, and emotional conditions of our families.

PERSONAL FORMATION

All members are required to contribute 1-2 hours per week to communal work at the Foundation. For more deeply committed members, there is an open invitation to become a member of a ‘leader’ group, which strives to serve others more and better. This activity encourages each leader to consider how they can contribute to others’ prosperity, creating a broader range of initiatives from within the community and replacing the ingrained habit of considering oneself a victim of life’s circumstances: a psychological trait that makes it very difficult to cease being poor.

Family

The Foundation thinks of the family as a semi-permeable system that interacts with other families and the rest of society’s structure. Within the family there is a complex interplay of relationships between its members: this gives rise to the reality that the wellbeing of one depends on the wellbeing of everyone. Each family member has a role and a responsibility within their own family and the larger family of the Foundation.

We hope to build a consciousness of the importance of maintaining our family relationships as a support and aid to all members of a society. The Foundation’s programs require differing levels of participation, and families are invited to commit themselves to activities in a gradual manner, always accompanied by other families or members of our team.

Education/Instruction

The Foundation is a movement of essential formation for living a better life. Accordingly, all of its programs and activities have an educational purpose. We prefer hands-on instruction to train our members to always do the best job they can. ‘Learn how to do it and do it well’ is the motto. The education happens in classrooms, corners, workshops/seminars, and the other informal settings where daily life ‘happens’ - it helps fortify the abilities, possibilities, and responsibilities that are shared by all members of the Foundation.

Religion

Ecuador is a very Catholic country, and we seek to support our families in this regard as well. Each family is encouraged to go to daily mass, and much emphasis is put on living like Christ, a model of service to others. Everyone is invited to participate in the Catholic faith, but no one is obligated in any regard or excluded due to their religion. Complimentary activities include preparation for the sacraments, rituals associated with each liturgical season, feast days, and voluntary expressions of faith and prayer.

Economy

Each family learns how to make a family budget, taking into account the income and expenditures of every member. We stress that this kind of planning in the use of money is the foundation of responsible family economics.

Work

We see a dire need to recuperate the respect that human labors deserve as each person{s contribution to society{s prosperity. The Foundation asks that all family members prepare themselves for a well paying job. We believe that work is a societal and personal blessing and not a punishment. To this end, our programs are designed to prepare our members to enter the workforce with usable skills or to begin their own entrepreneurial endeavor.

Health

Health education is done through classes, programs, and activities that stress: (1) personal hygiene, (2) preventative and immediate health care and (3) any specialized medical treatment a member needs from an outside source. Members can attend courses and seminars on how to live a healthier lifestyle.

Recreation

The center teaches the difference between different activities are are usually lumped together and confused: recreation, rest, escape, celebration, and others. Using a wide range of activities, we promote healthy forms of recreation, ones which strengthen friendship, equality, and mutual respect, especially within the family unit.

Housing

Our social services team visits the families of the Foundation at their houses wherever they may be. Families are motivate to repair or improve homes if they rent them, or to build their own. It is our hope to implement an indigenous Kichwa tradition to reach this goal’ that of community minga. This is a tradition in which neighbors all volunteer time and materials to help others build or modify their homes. This is done in the spirit of ‘what goes around comes around’.