In Ecuador, only 19 percent of the entire rural population is registered in school. Although education in Ecuador is “free”, additional costs not covered by the government and a lack of basic infrastructure makes attending school almost impossible. Many families in rural areas live off of less than $2 per day, which forces low-income parents to make an impossible choice: register children for school or send them to work to provide for the family. Extreme poverty and poor access to overcrowded schools makes serious learning difficult.

This summer, HXP Builders will work alongside the local community to build classrooms for an overcrowded, underfunded school. This additional space will make education more accessible to local youth and help enrolling in school be seen as an investment rather than a sacrifice. Education is the first step in working towards change, and brick by brick, you will help to build that change from the ground up.

Sources: World Bank, UNICEF