Our Story

AVANZAR evolved in 1999 from the private initiative of a Swiss-Ecuadorian family who believe that education is the most important key to unlocking underprivileged women's potential and lifting them out of the cycle of poverty and dependency in which many of them are trapped. We are driven by a bold vision and an unwavering commitment to equal opportunity, gender justice, and women's empowerment.

AVANZAR also acknowledges that certain circumstances can lead financially vulnerable individuals to hardship, and one of the most prevalent triggers is the illness of a family member. In response AVANZAR has established a program in 2009 at the largest regional hospital called Vicente Corral Moscoso, dedicated to providing support for ill children and their families during challenging times.

Another milestone in AVANZAR’s story is the creation in 2021 of a Solidarity Found, and above all the training of a group of women to learn how to manage this fund in a responsible and professional way. Today the “Caja Solidaria Avanzamos Juntas” works alone and every day more and more women join it to acquire loans to start or improve their businesses.

Last but not least, recognizing the significant impact early pregnancy can have on the educational and economic prospects of many underprivileged women, AVANZAR, thanks to the initiative of Melina Ammann, a dedicated Swiss volunteer, since 2021 operates a program for teenagers. This program aims to prevent unwanted pregnancies and mitigate the potential consequences in the lives of young women.

To realize our mission, two organizations with the same name were created in 1999, one in Switzerland and one in Ecuador. Please visit our OUR STRUCTURE to learn more.