Less work and more education for children in Quito

As we enter a new year, we leave behind a successful 2025 in which UBECI delivered impactful programmes through its playgroups across the markets of southern Quito, Chilogallo, Huamaní and Sangolquí, La Michelena, and La Jota. Through these initiatives, more than 400 children were reached, helping to reduce child labour in the markets.

Education, emotional wellbeing, and personal development remained central to UBECI’s work. Throughout the year, programmes strengthened children’s resilience and soft skills, including communication, emotional management, teamwork, and respect for gender equality and human dignity. In small playgroups, children took part in creative activities such as drawing, singing, role play, and games, learning to cooperate and manage emotions such as stress and anger, often linked to the violence they experience at home.

Interaction with foreign volunteers working with UBECI in the markets broadened children’s awareness of other cultures while reinforcing pride in their own identity, including learning Kichwa. Emma, a five-year-old participant, shared her joy in attending the playgroups, preferring them to working with her parents and enjoying learning with kind teachers from different backgrounds.

Alongside this, UBECI continued its vital work with mothers, offering emotional support and workshops to strengthen self-esteem, parenting skills, and responses to domestic violence. This complementary approach aims to improve family relationships and create healthier environments for children.

Tania and Nicky, trustees of ViaNiños UK, were able to witness progress firsthand during their visit to Quito in early July, the first time since the pandemic. They spent time in the indigenous markets alongside UBECI social workers and volunteers, joining children’s playgroups where activities included arts and crafts, storytelling, learning English with an American volunteer, and ending each session with a traditional Andean dance.

Each morning, the team was warmly welcomed by children eager to attend the playgroups for their three-hour opportunity to play, paint, and sing in a safe space. Mothers expressed gratitude for UBECI’s support in developing their children’s motor, behavioural, and academic skills, especially as many parents are illiterate and unable to help with homework. We heard inspiring stories of young people thriving through educational support, from learning trades to completing university degrees despite extremely challenging home lives.

Since COVID, the presence of drug gangs in Ecuador has increased, placing vulnerable children at risk of recruitment. UBECI’s support in education and school retention offers these children their best chance to avoid being drawn into gangs, to stop working at market stalls, and to escape the continuing cycle of poverty and violence.

Speaking with UBECI staff reinforced how crucial the work of social workers and psychologists is in transforming the lives of children living in poverty. As 2025 comes to a close and we move into 2026, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your generosity. Witnessing the joy of the children you support during our visit to Ecuador was deeply moving, particularly amid the country’s ongoing economic and social challenges.

Tania and Nicky, trustees of ViaNiños UK, visited  Ecuador in early July and spent most of their days out in the indigenous markets of Sangolqui’, Guamani’ and Chilogallo in Southern Quito, joining the UBECI social workers and volunteers and their activities in the children’s playgroups.  

The children played with colour and paper to produce picture frames and frogs from an empty toilet roll, portraits of each other, listened to children’s stories, and learnt English with an American volunteer, to mention just some of the activities. The playgroups ended with everybody dancing a traditional Andean dance.
As we arrived at the markets with the UBECI team every morning, we were welcomed by a swarm of children really looking forward to the playgroup. We spoke to several of the mothers, who explained to us how grateful they were for UBECI’s work teaching their children motor and behavioural skills, values, respect for each other, as well as supporting them with school work. Many mothers are illiterate and unable to help their children with homework.

Seeing UBECI’s work with the children in the markets and speaking with Monica and Byron of UBECI, served as a reminder of how important the work of UBECI’s social workers and psychologists is in changing the lives of these children living in poverty.

Since COVID, sadly the presence of drug gangs in Ecuador has grown. Older children and teenagers struggling with school are easy prey for these groups, who recruit them into criminal activities. UBECI’s role in helping with these children’s education, convincing them to persevere and not drop out of school, enabling them to enter a profession when older, is the only chance they have for a better life and an end to the cycle of poverty and violence.

In one of the markets, an illiterate mother, whose native tongue was Quechua, one of Ecuador’s indigenous languages, and who learnt Spanish only to be able to sell her wares at the market, proudly told us how thanks to the help of groups like UBECI and CENIT her eldest daughter had gone on to study civil engineering and had recently graduated. Her ten-year-old daughter was also one of the best in her school class.
Without the intervention and programmes of UBECI, many of these children coming from poor indigenous families would probably have continued working at their parents’ fruit and vegetable stands, failing in school.

I am sharing some of the photographs of our experience of the playgroups to convey the enthusiasm and happiness of the children. It is thanks to all of you that ViaNiños and UBECI can continue their mission to offer street and working children a better future.