Ecuador: real lives

Residents of the Andean town of Alaspungo, Ecuador were so desperate to earn a living that they started burning down trees to make coal, destroying hundreds of acres of an ancient native forest in the process. They had tried raising cattle, making cheese and breeding guinea pigs, but all of those efforts had failed due to lack of training.

But over a decade ago, ChildFund Australia's affiliate organisation in Ecuador launched a modern dairy enterprise which has proven to be a success for the town and has saved the environment. Under ChildFund in Ecuador's direction, 44 families are now earning a living through milk production.

ChildFund in Ecuador provides education for families to learn improved ways to raise cattle, such as building troughs, selecting better pastures and carving out terraces where the cattle can rest. Participants also learn how to improve their cattle raising practices through crossbreeding, regular de-worming and disease control.

Many local cattle were suffering from hypertrophy of the thyroid gland, but regular veterinary care has helped to eradicate the disease, allowing the herd to grow from 40 to more than 400 cattle.

Dairy production has increased significantly. Each cow now produces about 2.64 gallons of milk a day, which is five times the amount previously produced. In addition to selling the milk, the families use it for their own consumption.

These families also operate small farms using improved farming techniques taught by ChildFund in Ecuador. They have learned how to cope with harsh environmental conditions, such as cold temperatures (the town is 10,000 feet above sea level).

In addition, ChildFund in Ecuador works with the community to stop the destruction of the forest. In 1992, ChildFund arranged for the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation to train residents in forest preservation. The community has since reforested 425 acres of native forest. An additional 86 acres is in the process of recovery.