Project Report
| Apr 9, 2026
Health for the elderly
By Douglas McMeekin | Executive Director, Yachana Foundation
HEALTH FOR THE ELDERLY
We are one quarter of the way into 2026 and we have a lot on our plate. In health, our new clinic will be operating soon, but most importantly, this health initiative has brought other organizations into our sphere who want to be a part of the health challenges in the region. One of them is where a team of doctors and laboratory technicians are visiting families throughout the area to do a health analysis of the family including taking blood and other samples and doing an in-depth evaluation of their health. Due to our remoteness and poverty in the region, these evaluations are vitally important to the elderly in the area, many of whom have never had any lab tests. We are moving through the system of approval of another health related project to provide potable water in 175 homes. This will be the first phase and will be expanded to include hundreds of more homes in the future. The lack of potable water is a major cause of malnutrition among children in the area but also affects the entire family, young and old. So far, the data from the lab work shows that there is around an 80% rate of malnutrition among the children. Our health project is having an important impact throughout the region, especially for the elderly. Thanks for your support. Douglas
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Dec 15, 2025
Medical testing for the region
By Douglas McMeekin | Executive Director
We are involved in a very interesting project to study the prevalence of chronic malnutrition within the infant population in our area. This project is being managed by two doctors from a major university in Quito and has just started two months ago. It will run for 5 years in the first phase and then extend for an additional 5 years. Malnutrition is a family situation that affects children and adults. Therefore, the doctors and their technicians are visiting each house in the different communities to collect blood, urine and feces samples of each member in the family, including the elderly. They are also checking weight, height and other measurements. Since access to medical attention is very difficult in our area, these tests are vitally important. For the elderly it will help identify diabetes and other problems that Yachana can help resolve with treatments or surgery interventions. This program will be attending around 1,000 patients per year and for many, it will be their first in-depth medical exam. Yachana is very pleased to be involved in this program and we look forward to its development over the years. This is the kind of program that your support is going towards helping. Thanks for your help, happy holiday season and remember, I love you Douglas
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Aug 20, 2025
We have been busy
By Douglas McMeekin | Executive Director
We have been busy these past few months. It is interesting how the three projects that we have on GlobalGiving, are all in some way or another related. Protecting the rainforest, the forest environment is a healthy place for elderly to take hikes or other activities. The forest is also a healing environment. The organic and permaculture farming we are doing provides healthy food and teaches better, more sustainable methods of farming. Protecting the Melipona bees, with our now having over 50 hives, is providing pollinators for all the plants, not only food. Our medical clinic, laboratory and investigation into tropical diseases will be world class. The construction is almost finished and the equipment and supplies will get here from the USA in around two months. As part of the investigation, we are facilitating a 20 month nutritional study of the local population starting in September. There is just so much going on. You need to come and see it personally! Thanks for your wonderful support and please keep helping with as much as you can. Thanks, and remember, I love you Douglas
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