Caring for
Manglaralto
Helping the community of Manglaralto, Ecuador.
We are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit.
Our Story
Manglaralto Giving is an organization dedicated to improving the well-being of vulnerable families living in the Parroquia of Manglaralto. Our mission is to help improve the lives of the families we serve by supporting their basic food and living needs.
The Parroquia of Manglaralto relies heavily on tourism as its main source of income. Other industries include shrimp farming, offshore fishing, and construction. By June 2024, a quarter of Ecuadorians were living below the national poverty line, with nearly one in ten living in extreme poverty. These adverse conditions have worsened existing regional disparities, with moderate poverty (measured at national poverty lines) affecting 43.2% of rural populations. The minimum wage is Ecuador is currently $470 per month.
Nearly 35% of children living in the Manglaralto area suffer the effects of malnutrition.
The Nest
The Nest is the first of its kind community center which provides social programs and support for residents of the Parroquia of Manglaralto.
In 2024, Manglaralto Giving joined forces with our local government leaders from GAD Parroquial Manglaralto and the Catholic Diocis of Santa Elena to open El Nido (The Nest). The Nest is located in a building directly behind the church in Manglaralto. It houses all the programs of Manglaralto Giving as well as our weekly senior citizen lunch. We also provide offices and workspace for social services such as physical and occupational therapy and psychological services.
Our Photo Gallery
Take a visual tour of many of our past Manglaralto Giving activities.
Our Programs
Manglaralto Giving focuses on five main programs:
BAMA (Banco de Alimentos Manglaralto) is our food bank program. We currently serve seventy-five families, every other week with food staples as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.
ManoAmigo program offers interest-free loans to existing, small businesses in our area.
ABCViky supports educational programs.
MiHogar provides items to help improve living conditions, such as new mattresses or cooktops.
El Nido is our home base to provide the senior lunch as well as a variety of other social services.
News - Valuable Alliances
Thanks to our generous donors, luckily we are able to respond rapidly to emergency situations.
The local hospital called us to say they had a severely underweight baby who had just been born. They asked us for help with formula and clothing for the baby. The mother was also undeweight and wasn't producing enough milk. The parents had walked the beach from their little town to the hospital to deliver the baby since they didn't have the funds for the bus or taxi. We were able to buy cans of formula, diapers, socks, bottles, etc... We also raised enough extra funds ($300) to immediately add the family to the food bank. So now we hope the mother will have sufficient meals and be able to produce milk. We are also working with another nonprofit to keep an eye on the family and help with any other medical needs.The nonprofit "Future Valdivia" specializes in helping newborns and their mothers with medical check-ups, supplements, and monitoring. Manglaralto Giving values our connections to our partner nonprofits in the area. Working together, we can help vulnerable families live healthier lives.
We liked to introduce our newest member to the Manglaralto Giving food bank (BAMA). This little one is named Guadeloupe, and we hope to give her the healthiest possible start.
