Dear Supporters:

Season's Greetings from our teams in Ecuador and the United States!

We are thrilled to share the fruits of our work in this 2022 Impact Report. Thanks to God for His provision and the partnership of our supporters, the Maria Lida Foundation has continued to make a positive impact in the Alausí, Ecuador region.

We so grateful for your support of our cause, especially during the past three years. Our organization wishes you and your family a safe, blessed, and Merry Christmas/Holiday Season, and looks forward to continuing to make great things happen in 2023!

Sincerely,

The Maria Lida Foundation

2022 Highlights 

Ecuador Homecoming

We are proud to share that in May we launched our first Ecuador Homecoming trip by hosting a small group of West Point Military graduates in Ecuador! During the trip, travelers enjoyed sightseeing in the cities of Quito, 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 on the Alausí community by:

• supporting 13 businesses

• providing $3,100 directly into Alausi’s economy

• impacting approximately 52 people

Many thanks to the travelers for helping us invest in the community of Alausí!

It has long been our vision to host trips to Ecuador and Alausí to promote economic development and infuse funds directly into the local economy. In addition, 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 2023 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.

"We had a wonderful time on our trip. We got to see spectacular scenery, eat terrific food and certainly met people that were warm, inviting and very fascinating... If you get to travel to Ecuador, do it! If you do it, go with someone who can host you that cares and knows about the people..."

-Charlie, Ecuador Homecoming 2022 Traveler

CLICK HERE to view a video testimonial of Charlie, one of our Ecuador Homecoming 2022 travelers.

English Program

The Maria Lida Foundation continued its English program to help teach English to adults in the Alausí community. The goal of this program is to help community members learn English so they can create or obtain jobs in the local tourism industry. Due to increased demand in our English program, this year we held two English cohorts simultaneously. We look forward to hosting our courses in person next year and are proud of the program's results including:

• 393 hours of English instruction provided in 2022

• 943 hours of total instruction provided since our English program launched

• 108 students served since our English program launched

Many thanks to all who have supported this flagship program! If you would like to contribute to this initiative, please click on the link below:

SPONSOR A STUDENT

"For me, English is very important because I can read a lot of books in English. Now there are a lot of journals, articles and books in English... I appreciate the Maria Lida Foundation because your work is very important for the people of Alausí. Thank you."

- Eliana, English student

CLICK HERE to view a video testimonial (in English!) of Eliana, one of our English students.

Ryan's ASK Program

This year we continued Ryan’s ASK (Alausí Scholarships for Kids) Program named in honor of the work of our first program director, Ryan Kersten. 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. We are excited to announce that due to the generosity of our supporters, especially Ryan’s parents and the Williams Family, we increased our total sponsorships for the 2022-2023 school year!

2022 Results of this Program Include:

• 20 students sponsored for the 2022-2023 school year

• 4 SFS staff members retained

• $27,000 invested/remained in the Alausí community

Total Program Results:

• 37 students sponsored

• 6 SFS staff members retained

• $44,000 invested/remained in the Alausí community

It's never too late to sponsor a child. If you would like to participate in this cause, please click on the link below:

SPONSOR A CHILD HERE

"For me, it is a great pleasure to see people with roots in Alausí that have created this Foundation and help children in need. Our institution would like to deeply thank all of the good that you do in the area with the scholarships given to our children...This is the reason why we always pray to our God Almighty, so He can bless every single one of you. We thank you with all of our hearts for the help that you have given us during all these years."

- Sor Lucy Andrea, Mother Superior of the San Francisco de Sales school

CLICK HERE to view a special video testimonial of Sor Lucy Andrea, the Mother Superior of the San Francisco de Sales School.

Our CEO's Ecuador Visit

Hear from Shannon Turner, our Founder and CEO, on her Ecuador visit this year:

I am so excited to share that this year I was blessed to be able to return to Ecuador for the first time since COVID19 emerged. It was incredible to see so many familiar faces after a long and trying time to share hugs, laughs, tears,and stories. I was also able to finally meet our Country Director, Jorge Mora, inperson for the first time!

During my trip, we hosted a special event for past and current English students, and it was wonderful to see their progression in the English language. I also met with our staff and many of our local partners including the Mayor’s office, business owners, local tourism office, and Sisters at the San Francisco de Sales school. One morning, I walked the beautiful Humboldt trail with a local tour guide, which was a fun and exciting experience. It was fantastic to see our work on the ground again and bittersweet to see all the changes that have happened since I was last in Alausí.

The trip made me extra appreciative of our team in Ecuador, stakeholders in Alausí, and each of you for providing your time, talent, and treasure to advance our mission in Ecuador. I am grateful to God for all of you, and feel the trip helped me gain a fresh perspective and vision for the Maria Lida Foundation!

Upcoming Special Announcement

Stay tuned for a special announcement in 2023 that will undoubtedly help put Alausí on the map as an international tourist destination! We can't wait to share more details with you!

Virtual Fundraiser Event