Tocachi is a small village of about 1600 inhabitants. It is situated 35 km (the equivalent of a 1,5 hours bus ride) northwest of Quito at a altitude of 2.900 m. The region around Tocachi is considered to be one of the poorest within Ecuador. Due to the proximity of the capital of Quito, rural depopulation is a critical issue. Repeating periods of water shortages make large scale farming impossible and sources of income are scarce.

Daycare center for children and handicrafts

More than 30 years ago, Mrs Elisabeth Behringer moved to Tocachi and soon began with the foundation of day care facilities for children in Tocachi as well as in neighboring communities. Mothers and female peasants jointly produce a variety of beautiful arts and crafts and thus manage to improve their family's income. Pro Vita Andina assists these women in their work. Several of our volunteers have constructed a playground for one of the day care facilities that were built on the behest of Mrs. Behringer. Additionally, the project just received the initial financial aid to amplify its market gardening and to provide it with an automatic irrigation system.

Daycare center for the elderly

Due to a lack of proper sources of income, great parts of the young population are forced to move to nearby urban centers like Quito, Cayambe or Ibarra. The older population remains in the villages, often with no one left to look after them. Above, many of these elderly people live on steep hillsides way beyond the village center in miserable, cold mud huts. Food supply is not appropriate.

In autumn 2004 we launched the project "One hot repast per week". Three of our volunteers, Karin Baur, Isabelle Schneider und Anna Slaby would once per week cook a hot dish for the elderly and gather with them in a designated house. In some cases, they even delivered the meal to some elderly's home, since many of the persons in need have a limited mobility.

During the first months of the project, the meals were prepared and served in the community's medical centre, which was rather a makeshift solution. When the day care centre for the elderly was completed, the project moved there since it offered more sophisticated kitchen facilities and plenty of space. As the project became more and more promising, it attracted even public financial assistance. As a result, every day up to 40-50 elderly people could be offered a hot meal.

The regional administration in Tabacundo later transferred the ownership of the parcel of land the day care centre was built on to the borough of Tocachi. The costs incurred by provision and maintenance of the building and the kitchen and refectory equipment were borne by Pro Vita Andina. Meanwhile, the local administration of Tocachi is managing the centre independently with government aid.