Guadalupe

Getting to Guadalupe from Loja:

7:30am bus from Terminal Terrestre in Loja to Zamora 

9:10am arrive in Zamora

10:00am bus from Zamora to Guadalupe

11:00am arrive in Guadalupe

Guadalupe is located in the Provence of Zamora-Chinchipe, and serves as an organized epicenter for the Parroquia, surrounded by dozens of small villages.  The word villages is used loosely, scattered houses on a hill-side are often grouped together and given a name.

Guadalupe is centered around the Mission "Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe" which includes a parish church and a clinic, that offer a variety of services and activities for the surrounding villages. To get to the Mission, you cross a beautiful jungle bridge (although, a little wobbly, there's a great view of the river and the Mission from the middle).

In Guadalupe, Soluciones Comunitarias has 6 asesoras - we'll be starting campañas at the end of the month, once La Virgin del Cisne leaves Loja (I will post a blog about La Virgin in the coming weeks).  Additionally, we will be starting an improved stoves project in the area :)

Guadalupe is a growing, organized center - there's a Cultural Center, 3 colegios (one during the days, one night, and one distance program), 3 escuelas, restaurants in the center, and buses pass more than 5x a day.  However, it's still an untouched community, where our lunch cost $1 a plate and it is not uncommon for a family to have 10 children.

In Guadalupe, many of the women pass their time making hand made goods - wood crafts (and painting them), necklaces, bracelets, earrings, as well as embroidering traditional dress.  Mercedes and Carmen are sisters from Guadalupe.  Apart from being asesoras for SC, they also make and sell handi-crafts.  Last summer, summer interns (Social Entrepreneur Corps) visited Guadalupe and seeing potential in their work, have returned to the United States and now want to receive samples of their product to begin looking for a market in their University towns.  Good Stuff Good Works, will be sponsoring products from Nicaragua, Guatemala, South Africa, and Ecuador (the four countries where SEC programs were held this past summer.

 

  

The weather in Guadalupe was perfect for the day - the sun was out, and there was a fresh breeze moving down the main street.  The sun is STRONG though, and bugs are not uncommon.  Common foods include yucca and plantain (verde), as well as frog.  Since coming to Ecuador two years ago, I have converted into a carnivore.  Don't get me wrong - I still love my veggies and don't cook meat in my house.  But, there's no way I'll turn down trying frog!  We sat and chatted with the artisans and their families (daughters, grand-daughters, neighbors), while listening to their stories.  They were all strong women who proved to be searching for a better life for their families - better health, better education, and more opportunities.

Getting to Loja from Guadalupe:

3:50pm start waiting for bus (one passes around 4, another at 4:30)

4:15pm neither bus has arrived, but a camioneta passes and gives us a ride to the junction 20min away

4:30pm bus passes junction, and picks us up to Zamora

5:15pm arrive in Zamora

6:15pm bus to Loja

7:45pm arrive in Loja