We work with primary schools in remote rural areas because they are less visible than the city schools. The children of these areas are likely to migrate to the cities or other countries if they cannot improve their education and provide for future families.

The rainforest schools are located near the Upper Napo River, east of Tena, in small communities which are generally within an hour walking distance apart. Off-road communities can usually be reached by canoe. We are connecting with the schools that are further to the east and more remote.

Many in the remote rainforests and high altitude communities of Ecuador engage in subsistance farming, and have traditionally relied on the barter system to support their families. Today, high unemployment for limited or unskilled workers translates to not having enough income to pay for children to even complete the 6th grade. More and more young people are forced to migrate to big cities in an attempt to support their families.

An uneducated person cannot understand money and is more comfortable doing barter. The older people like their children to be near during transactions of money, because they have math skills and they better understand the cash system. With a better education than the parent, they are less likely to be swindled out of goods, animals, or property.