2023 Impact Report
Dear Supporters:
Season's Greetings from our dedicated teams in both Ecuador and the United States!
We are delighted to present the outcomes of our efforts in this 2023 Impact Report. We are so thankful for God's provision and the unwavering support of our valued supporters, because of this The Maria Lida Foundation persists in creating a meaningful difference in the Alausí, Ecuador region.
Your steadfast support over the past five years has been instrumental to our cause, and for that, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. As we reflect on our collective achievements, we wish you and your loved ones a safe, joyous, and blessed Christmas/Holiday Season. We eagerly anticipate the prospect of accomplishing even greater things together in 2024!
Sincerely,
The Maria Lida Foundation
2023 Highlights
Ecuador Homecoming
We are proud to share that we had two Ecuador Homecoming trips in 2023! One hosted our 2022 Ecuador trip winner, Rose and her husband, Jon. The other hosted Megan and Amir, friends of Shannon Turner. During the trips, travelers enjoyed sightseeing in the cities of Quito, Manta, Banos, Mindo, Alausí, and Cuenca. They also witnessed first-hand our work in Alausí including our English program, Ryan’s ASK program, and tourism initiatives. This adventure had a positive impact in Alausí and Ecuador by:
- supporting approximately 74 businesses
- providing approximately $9,000 directly into Ecuador's economy
- impacting approximately 296 people
Many thanks to the travelers for helping us invest in Ecuador and the community of Alausí!
It is our vision to host trips to Ecuador and Alausí to promote economic development. Additionally, these trips could allow us to earn revenue to help fund our charitable activities and become more self-sustaining as an organization. We plan to host more Ecuador Homecoming trips in 2024 and would love for you to join one!
If you are interested in hosting a group trip to or visiting Ecuador, please contact us at admin@marialidafoundation.org.
"Before our trip, we really didn't know much about Ecuador, but thanks to MLF we have learned so much about a part of the world that is new to us, with memories and photos to last a lifetime. The people of Ecuador are incredibly hospitable. Everyone we met took so much pride in their country and were so excited to share the places that they love."
-Megan, Ecuador Homecoming 2023 Traveler
English Program
The Maria Lida Foundation continued its English program to help teach English to adults in the Alausí community in 2023. The goal of this program is to help community members learn English so they can create or obtain jobs in the local tourism industry. We look forward to launching our Sixth Cohort early next year and are proud of the program's results including:
65 hours of English instruction provided in 2023
1,067 total hours of instruction provided
108 total students served
Many thanks to all who have supported this flagship program!
If you would like to contribute to this initiative, please click here
Ryan's ASK Program
In 2023 we continued Ryan’s ASK (Alausí Scholarships for Kids) Program named in honor of the work of our first program director, Ryan. This program provides tuition scholarships so children can continue their education at the local San Francisco de Sales (SFS) school in Alausí, which is much needed since the area’s economy is still struggling from the effects of COVID19 and the horrific landslide earlier this year. We are excited to announce that due to the generosity of our supporters, especially Ryan’s parents and the Williams Family, we are still able to make a great impact in the lives of 20 students this school year.
2023 Results of this Program Include:
20 students sponsored for the 2023-2024 school year
4 SFS staff members retained
$28,090 invested/remained in the Alausí community
Total Program Results:
57 students sponsored
$72,090 invested/remained in the Alausí community
"We would like to thank the Maria Lida Foundation for the great support you give us and making our dream to study at a prestigious school like San Francisco de Sales, and also we dream to later study at a good university to acquire new knowledge and learning."
- Elenis, student at the San Francisco de Sales school
Continued Landslide Relief Efforts
Alausí is still recovering from the horrific landslide that took place in March of 2023. The landslide has caused 69 deaths, 12 people still missing, 67 houses destroyed, and 163 houses damaged. This event has been heartbreaking for the community and many are still grieving the tremendous losses from this tragedy.
In response to the landside, thanks to our generous supporters, we were able to deliver 100 toiletry kits to families in need including 18 families in a shelter. We also have been able to sponsor a family that lost their home and are looking forward to helping sponsor even more families in 2024. In addition, we were able to distribute a small holiday gift to 250 people in Alausí, including those most vulnerable and affected by the landslide.
Click here to contribute to landslide relief efforts
Train Reactivation
This year we sponsored an engineering fee for two tests of the Nariz del Diablo train ride. The tests were very exciting as community members were able to ride the train for the first time in years! We are also involved in a committee that is diligently working on reactivating the train which is incredibly important to Alausi's economy. Please stay tuned in 2024 for more details on this initiative!
Click here to view a video of the train test!
Virtual Fundraiser Event
We held our fourth virtual fundraiser in November! Thank you very much to all who attended and helped us reach our goal of $20,000 to receive a $20,000 match! A special thanks to our event sponsors:
- Ed Connect https://edconnect.us/
- Marshall Family
- Navarro Family
- Patrick O'Neill
If you were unable to participate in our Virtual Fundraiser, but would like to make a contribution to the Maria Lida Foundation, you may do so by clicking on the button below:
Maria Lida Foundation Team Highlight
"There are endless opportunities for the MLF foundation, which is super exciting; however, getting everything checked off our list is hard. I look forward to seeing the English Program succeed and creating more partnerships across Ecuador to help with economic development. Ecuador is such a beautiful country, and I want people to experience the land's beauty and rich culture."
-Amy Marshall, Vice President
Contribute to our cause by clicking here
Donations will be used in 2024 to:
- Expand Ecuador Homecoming trips
- Help reactive the Nariz del Diablo train
- Continue Scaling English program
- Continued Landslide Relief
The Maria Lida Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in which contributions may be tax-deductible.