Glimpse Into the Factories That Run Ecuador

“Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want” – Anna Lappé.

Today, we visited Fabrica Cerquié and Zapatería Arévalo to learn about how our own consumer choices affect the businesses that shape the community. We explored the origins of these businesses, learned about the time and effort it takes to make the products, and discovered that anything is possible as long as we are able to put our vision into action.

First, we went to Fabrica Cerquié, a local quinoa puff cereal company started by Eduardo Orozco four years ago. He showed us the ingredients, tools, and machinery in his factory. We even got a chance to buy some of the products to bring home to our families!

We also got to experience the precision of leather-shoe craftsmanship at Zapatería Arévalo. We saw firsthand the intricate process of cutting, shaping, and skillfully assembling each shoe, bouncing between handmade and machinery. They were so passionate, precise, and dedicated to what they do. Their love for shoemaking was evident as they shared that they have never owned a pair of shoes that they didn’t personally make.

Afterwards, we visited the Yaruquia School, where we will be focusing our CAP (Community Action Project) on. The school opened up to a wide-spaced courtyard that was surrounded by the stunning gray Andes. There were two distinct murals, both representative of children’s joy. Paula, one of the teachers that gave us a tour, emphasized that it is really important to the school to teach their students to be expressive of their emotions through art. After a passionate discussion between us Glimpsers, we all agreed to make two murals per Paula’s request. In each mural, we decided to create a piece of art to represent their core values, the qualities of Ecuador, and traditional Ecuadorian characters. We hope that once done, we are able to bring more life and joy to the students and teachers.

Big Love,
Charlene and Olivia