Two groups of volunteers journeyed to the heart of the Imbabura Province in Ecuador to witness the life-changing ripple effects of the Advancing Life Foundation’s work. These 2025 expeditions focused on the Inta Kara Advancing Life Center, a hub of opportunity, resilience, and hope that our foundation helped to open in 2021 to support local families and turn knowledge into thriving businesses.
Volunteers met face-to-face with graduates of the center’s training programs—each one building a life around new skills, new confidence, and new dreams. Through courses in gastronomy, welding, cosmetology, marketing, and occupational safety, the center is equipping Ecuadorians with tools not only for survival, but for success.
Real People. Real Progress.
At Restaurante C.A.C.T.U.S., Fabiola and Marcos Quilumbaqui are building a legacy. Fabiola, a graduate of the Inta Kara Center’s gastronomy program, hired Marcos and trained him using the skills she gained. Marcos then crafted a full menu, blending her teachings with his own culinary creativity. Today, he pays it forward by teaching culinary arts at the local high school when he’s not working at the restaurant. Together, they’re nourishing both their community and the next generation.
In the Intag Valley, Milton Vergara and Doris Chicaiza opened Solymar—a bakery and restaurant born from their dual training in food services and occupational safety. It’s now a bustling hub of flavor and community.
Expeditioners also met Fabiola Cuascota, who began with an eatery in the community of Cajas. With dedication and entrepreneurial drive, she expanded it into a thriving two-story restaurant. Now, she’s planning to build a boutique hotel behind it to welcome Airbnb guests. Perhaps most inspiring of all: Her business success helped put her daughter through law school—a dream Fabiola once thought impossible.
One of the most moving visits was to a kitchen started by three locals to serve hot, nutritious meals to children living in poverty. Supported by government funding and skills learned through the Inta Kara Center, these individuals have helped reduce malnutrition in the community from 80% to just 12% in one year—an incredible testament to what training and heart can achieve.
Expeditioners also met with local farmers who are working toward certification for international export—a goal that once seemed out of reach. With guidance from the Inta Kara Center, five farmers have already received certification and are exporting to Ecuador’s major cities, with international markets now within reach.
To help boost community-based tourism, volunteers joined in two village projects. In Monolito, they helped refurbish a cultural center that preserves ancient boulders etched with ancestral carvings. In San Miguel Bajo, they rolled up their sleeves to help construct a glamping site—laying the foundation for a future filled with eco-tourism, cultural pride, and sustainable income.
The Bigger Picture
These success stories are part of a growing ecosystem of self-reliance built by ASEA donors and driven by the strength of the communities themselves. Hugh and Anne Jennings, ASEA associates, noted, “Today our hearts are full … we saw the finished project of the technical school we started to build nine years ago.” Diamond associate Danielle Matthews stated, “I’m telling you: Education and breathing belief into someone is life changing. The ripple effect is real of this vocational center to the surrounding communities. I am inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of the people in Ecuador!”
As we continue to invest in human potential, trips like these remind us that hope in Ecuador is alive and thriving.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
You don’t have to travel with us to Ecuador to make a difference. Your donation can help someone take their first course, open their first business, or provide for their family in a whole new way. The ripple effect starts with you.
Donate now and help turn hope into lasting change.