El artista ecuatoriano Alex Alvear está actualmente trabajando en la producción de un nuevo CD con su grupo Mango Blue.  Esta producción incluirá música inédita, compuesta y arreglada por Alvear en los últimos 10 años.  La música de Mango Blue se caracteriza por una original combinación de influencias incluyendo el Funk, el Jazz y el R&B, con un fundamento enraizado en la música tradicional y popular Afro-Latina.  Para ver y escuchar a Alvear y Mango Blue, visita los links de youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szmbMxsOd6c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k7SdZJa988
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyPWQaNshSQ

Para realizar esta nueva producción, Alvear ha tomado parte en una nueva iniciativa de micro-financiamiento llamada The HectorFund.  Por medio de este programa, artistas independientes trabajan con sus fans y amistades para recaudar fondos para proyectos como grabaciones, videos, giras, etc…  Esta campaña no es de carácter caritativo sino más bien un mecanismo de inversión por medio de pre-ventas.  Hay distintos niveles de inversión y el retorno a cada nivel varía dependiendo de la cantidad invertida.  Este proceso es sumamente fácil y seguro y las contribuciones empiezan desde $10.  Para aquellos que no puedan hacer una inversión monetaria se les pide que ayuden difundiendo la campaña con sus amistades y enlaces (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc..) y de esta manera colaborar de igual manera con el proyecto.  Los detalles y toda la información necesaria para la campaña de Alex Alvear en The HectorFund se encuentra en este link:

http://www.thehectorfund.com/about/alex-alvear/

Esta campaña ha logrado recaudar casi el 40% del presupuesto completo, lo cual ha permitido la primera fase del proyecto, la grabación 13 temas con la sección rítmica, en los estudios de WGBH en Boston.

En caso de tener cualquier pregunta, por favor contactar a Alex Alvear directamente a: mangoblue@hotmail.com

Házte fan de Alex Alvear en FaceBook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Alex-Alvear/73696537429?ref=ts

Why should I volunteer?

By Luis Aviles

One must have to be pretty insensitive to remain unmoved by developing countries’ woes. Thanks to the Internet and television, tales about these countries’ suffering and misery seem to enter almost daily into our comfortable lives here in the developed world. So what can we do? Perhaps we could lobby our politicians about the debt in Third World countries, knowing that their actions are rarely altruistic. But there is another option: you can cut out the middlemen and work for those troubled countries directly, offering practical services as a volunteer.r.

Three years ago, I became a member of Ecuador Mi Pais, fulfilling a lifelong ambition of volunteering. Ecuador is a beautiful country, for many reasons, but especially for its huge diversity in geography, biology, and socio-culture. The variety of flora and fauna is famous around the globe, especially in the Galapagos Islands. Its ethnic diversity is perhaps one of the highest in the continent. However, in modern times, this small country in South America has been affected by many downturns in the economy, affecting the social programs directly. Therefore, the educational system in Ecuador, although it has been changing in the last few months, still shows inefficiency and low levels of penetration in the population. This was the reason why I wanted to be part of a newly born organization, which helps children access higher quality education.

Last year, I traveled to Ecuador and found that the programs Ecuador Mi Pais was leading were having a direct impact on children’s lives. Firsthand experience of real poverty is shocking. It is difficult to understand what it means to have virtually nothing until you see it for yourself. More than ever I realize how lucky we are in the developed world, yet there is so much about the Ecuadorian way of life that I envy. The generosity of people who have so little is humbling and their concern for each other make our society seem greedy and uncaring. Perhaps poverty is better for the soul than wealth. But surely there has to be a balance, but where that lies is a question I will leave to others. In the meantime, I will cherish my link with Ecuador and the mutual, beneficial exchange it provides, while recommending volunteering as a truly life changing experience.

During that visit to Ecuador I met Carla, one of the grantees of our scholarships and, needless to say, one of the best students at her school. Her parents had passed away recently. She now lives with her grandmother and her other siblings. It was very hard for her grandmother to pay for their education, as she lives off from government aid (nearly $150 a month). Fortunately, she was able to reach Ecuador Mi Pais for help for their children and we were able to grant her granddaughter a scholarship. Seeing this dear little soul’s face was the most rewarding feeling I had ever experienced. And that can make you feel like Bill Gates. I am far from rich, but in that environment, we saw how the sacrifice of small sums to us could make a huge difference to them. And what a privilege that is. I still can’t get over how fortunate I was to meet Carla. For a relatively small sum each year, we are paying for an education for her that will transform her prospects.

Choosing to volunteer is a great choice for numerous reasons. Besides the obvious resume boost, it gives you the opportunity to complete something you might not otherwise have had the time for. For graduate school admissions, volunteer work is highly respected and your time spent doing so may turn into something incredibly valuable for your future. I am currently going through the grad school admission process, and there are no words to describe how immensely volunteering has helped me advance in my career. Volunteer work is one of the first aspects of your resume that schools are looking for on applications. It also aids in the process of procuring a new job or when looking for an interview. Having more than just a gap between jobs shows potential employers that while you decided to end a previous profession you remained dedicated to something productive during your time off.

In essence, volunteering has helped me develop new skills, become part of the community, feel motivated, boost my career options, meet a diverse range of people, and most importantly has shown me a way to dedicate my time to help others.

Ecuador mi País se enorgullece en comunicarles a los participantes ecuatorianos del proyecto SALPICA.

Hilda Males Arango de Imbabura, Gustavo Toaquiza de Cotopaxi y Edwin Lluco de Chimborazo participaron en el programa de intercambio de artistas visuales llevado a cabo del 5 al 23 de mayo en distintas ciudades de los Estados Unidos.

Gracias a *ITD (The Instituto for Training and Development) artistas pertenecientes a las minorías de Estados Unidos, Guatemala, Bolivia, Colombia y Ecuador tuvieron la oportunidad de explorar e intercambiar experiencias y trabajos realizados. Ellos estuvieron cuatro días en Amherst, Massachusetts participando en reuniones y visitando diferentes instituciones de las cuales pudieron apreciar el rol del artista visual en la sociedad. Luego fueron a Washington DC, Nueva York, Albuquerque y Los Angeles.

Felicitamos a nuestros compatriotas quienes fueron escogidos de entre un grupo de ecuatorianos para representar orgullosamente a nuestro país.

*Desde 1985 ITD ha invitado a más de 3000 personas de 85 países. El objetivo de sus proyectos es establecer bases para experiencias Inter-culturales reuniendo a profesionales de todo el mundo quienes comparten cultura, ideas y conocimientos. Entre los temas esta el civismo e integración de minorías y artes escénicas para juventud en riesgo.

For many of us, Ecuador Mi País (EmiP) is a vehicle to make a difference in a country we love. Ecuador is a small country, moving at its own pace towards “development”. A beautiful country full of contrasts and inequality; education is one of the most obvious areas where this inequality manifests itself. Education is an area where we believe we can make a difference; an area where we must make a difference.

Even though technically education is a constitutional right, quality access is limited to only a small percentage of the population. Furthermore, access to higher education becomes even more difficult and the quality lags behind other countries in the region, particularly in the public arena. As we have witnessed through many of the projects we are currently involved in, rural schools and universities have monumental deficiencies and fail to provide students with the tools needed to think creatively and become active contributors to the country’s advancement.

The task of changing education in Ecuador is monumental. It might seem that volunteering to combat such a daunting problem is an exercise in futility. It sounds utopist. However, members of EMiP volunteer and hope you volunteer because it won’t just help improve the educational system, but in the process it will also change you. When you with your heart, to work passionately towards an unselfish goal, to grasp others people needs as your own, you grow as a person. We believe it is vital for us as human beings to dream beyond our reality, to push our creativity towards finding new solutions to old problems, to train our minds and hearts to add value to the important things in life, and to put our hands to work. Once this is achieved we provide the tools to begin to lay bricks on a foundation for a better world. In a recent presentation, the Dalai Lama said that we all must exercise our compassion, as we do our muscles. Idealistic initiatives are high class gyms for our soul.

We have been volunteering for EmiP for several years and we have, with your help, supported the education of over 90 students per year. We are convinced that we can and we will make a bigger difference in the future. We are continuously planning for our next step. We want to design a project that will change the lives of thousands of people. We want to invite you to dream with us. Dream about a large group of people with a strong bond amongst them working for a fair and just cause, dream of a better Ecuador, dream of a way to help people realize their own dreams. Make it happen. EmiP needs your dreams, your actions and your talent. Volunteer. Join us.

The following volunteer positions are open in the Washington DC chapter:

1. Projects Vice-President (2 Positions)
2. Cultural Vice-President (2 positions)
3. Executive Vice-President (2-Positions)
4. Communications Director Vice Presidency (2-Positions)
5. General Event Coordinator Vice Presidency (2-Positions)
6. Information Systems Vice President (2 positions)
7. Finances Vice-President
8. Fundraiser Vice-President

To apply, please send your resume to voluntariado@ecuadormipais.org indicating to which position you are applying.

—————–

Fundraiser Vice-President

Job Purpose

Obtain monetary and non-monetary resources for the organization.

 

Duties and responsibilities essential to the functions of the job include:

1. Participate in Board Meetings and provide direction and overall perspective on future initiatives of the organization

2. Design online and onsite fundraiser campaigns to collect funds for the Organization

3. Contact all members of the Organization to procure funds for the organization

4. Create campaigns to generate more members

5. Manage all online resources and social networks to collect funds

6. Mail children profiles and thank you gifts to the donors

7. Maintain close communication with donors and members

 

Reports to: Chairman of the Board/President.

 

Position Requirements:

1. Undergraduate degree in fundraiser or liberal arts preferred. Masters degree is a plus.

2. Experience desired but not required. Experience may be considered in lack of educational degree.

3. Languages: Excellent written English and Spanish required

 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

1. Ability to lead and work in teams

2. Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of the organization;

3. Excellent organizational skills

4. Excellent communication skills

 

Compensation: 

This is a paid position

—————————-

Finances Vice-President

Job Purpose

Direct the finances of the Organization. 

 

Duties and responsibilities essential to the functions of the job include:

1. Participate in Board Meetings and provide direction and overall perspective on future initiatives of the organization

2. Maintain transparent and accurate financial records

3. Prepare quarterly and annual budgetary statements

4. Oversee budgets of official EMiP events

5. Track donations using Paypal, Network for Good, and Google Checkout

6. Create financial reports

7. Facilitate money transfers between EMiP and our projects in Ecuador

8. With the help of Legal VP, you must file and maintain proper licensing for EMiP

9. Keep track of EMiP’s banking and investment accounts

 

Reports to: Chairman of the Board/President.

 

Position Requirements:

1. Undergraduate in Finances or Accounting. MBA or CPA a plus.

2. Experience not required, but preferred

3. Must speak English and Spanish

4. Must be honest. 

5. Must have experience with Microsoft Excel or any other accounting program.

 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

1. Ability to lead and work in teams

2. Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of the organization;

3. Excellent organizational skills

4. Excellent communication skills

 

Compensation: 

This is a voluntary position

——————————

Information Systems Vice President (2 positions)

Job Purpose:

Provide general direction to the VP of Information Systems and manage all resources and aspects related to the Information Systems of the Organization.

 

Duties and responsibilities essential to the functions of the job include:

1. Participate in Board Meetings and provide direction and overall perspective on future initiatives of the organization

2. Maintain, develop, and align the mission and vision to the Organization’s website

3. Manage the email accounts of the members and directors of the Organization

4. Manage the databases that contain the members of the Organization

5. Develop and send all newsletters and other communications to the members

6. Manage and integrate all fundraising accounts and its resources with EMP’s information systems 

7. Design strategies to increment the traffic to EMP’s  website and collect more donations

8. Integrate all information systems of the Organization with the existing social networks

 

Reports to: Chairman of the Board/President.

 

Position Requirements:

1. Undergraduate Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or related field preferred. Master degree in related field is a plus.

2. Experience desired but not required.  Experience may be considered in lack of educational degree.

3. Languages: Excellent written English and Spanish required

 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

1. Ability to lead and work in teams

2. Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of the organization;

3. Excellent organizational skills

 

Compensation: 

This is a voluntary position.

———————–

General Event Coordinator Vice Presidency (2-Positions)

Job Purpose: 

To provide general event coordination and support including recruitment and management of event participants, sponsors and volunteers, implementation of event route logistical plan, execute plan for communication and active engagement with past event participants as well as 2009 registered event participants, fulfill the strategy for the distribution of event collateral materials across the DC Metro Area. 

 

Duties and responsibilities essential to the functions of the job include the following and other duties that may be assigned as needed:

1.  Create and implement strategies for the recruitment of event participants, corporate teams, sponsors, and volunteers for any EMP’s events;

2.  Initiate and maintain relationships with local volunteers, staff and businesses to support activities;

3.  Meet or exceed participant recruitment and retention goals for 2009;

4.  Establish a volunteer network for the distribution of event collateral materials among local nonprofits, multilateral organizations, and private businesses;

5.  Secure all necessary municipal permits, university contracts, legal and administrative support for all events; and

6.  Provide on going support for all event participant logistical needs.

 

Reports to: Chairman of the Board/President.

 

Position Requirements: Enthusiastic Leader.

 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

1.  Must have a high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations.  Position requires demonstrated poise, tact, and diplomacy;

2.  Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of the organization;

3.  Excellent organizational skills, event management skills, phone skills and willingness to make cold calls in support of the event.

4.  Sales, marketing, and/or non-profit event management experience preferred.

 

Compensation: 

This is a voluntary position.

———————–

Communications Director Vice Presidency (2-Positions)

Job Purpose

The Communications Director provides a broad range of support to Ecuador Mi Pais EMP. The work includes (but is not limited to): media relations and communications planning; developing corporate communications materials such as the internal and external newsletters; and managing the Web content of EMP’s Intranet and public Web site, www.ecuadormipais.org. These tasks strengthen EMP’s brand-name and improve internal operations by increasing the organization’s communication with its members.

 

Duties & Responsibilities: 

1. Develop, maintain and update content on EMP’s internal and external Web sites (prepare/post files; update bios/project descriptions) 

2. Develop and edit internal weekly newsletter

3. Develop and edit biannual external newsletter 

4. Develop and disseminate press releases bimonthly

5. Develop corporate reports for CEO and senior management as needed

6. Prepare and edit capabilities reports quarterly

 

Reports to: Chairman of the Board/President.

 

Position Requirements: Enthusiastic Leader.

 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

 

1. Must have a high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations.  Position requires demonstrated poise, tact, and diplomacy;

2. Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of the organization;

3. Excellent organizational skills, event management skills, phone skills and willingness to make cold calls in support of the event.

4. Sales, marketing, and/or non-profit event management experience preferred.

5. Ability to interact with project directors and other senior leaders

6. Must be a team player who can relate well with others along with ability to work independently 

7. Strong initiative to resolve problems and make recommendations

 

Compensation: 

This is a voluntary position.

——————–

Executive Vice-president Vice Presidency (2-Positions)

Job Purpose: 

The purpose of the Executive Vice-president is to lead Ecuador Mi País. The main role is to work on defining short and long term goals of the organization, as a whole. Furthermore, the Executive Vice-president will represent the organization, along with, and in absence of, the Executive President. Finally, the Executive Vice-president will be in charge of setting HR goals for the organization.  

 

Duties and responsibilities essential to the functions of the job include the following and other duties that may be assigned as needed:

1.  Define goals for the organization and align them to the vision and mission.

2.  Participate in Board Meetings and provide an overall perspective on future initiatives of the organization, coordinating time and resources across all operative areas.

3.  Serve as the visible point of contact of the organization in formal meetings and events.

4.  Generate strategies to improve outreach and grassroots development for the organization

5.  Manage internal relationships and interactions within the organization, promoting and nurturing a constructive and inspiring work environment. 

 

Reports to: Chairman of the Board/President.

 

Position Requirements: Strong community leader, committed to community development..

 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

1.  Must have a high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations.  Position requires demonstrated poise, tact, and diplomacy;

2.  Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of the organization;

3.  Must possess solid leadership skills and ability to interact with high-rank officials and develop long-lasting relationships.

4.  Must have ability to inspire people and align them towards a common goal.

5.  Must be able to promote the organization’s cause to individuals not familiar with its vision, mission and/or goals.

6.  Must be able to manage conflict and solve disputes.

7.  Human Resources experience is a plus.

 

Compensation: 

This is a voluntary position.

———————–

Cultural Vice-President (2 positions)

Job purpose:

Promote the Ecuadorian culture in the United States.

 

Duties and responsibilities essential to the functions of the job include the following and other duties that may be assigned as needed:

1. Demonstrated interest and commitment to the Ecuadorian culture and traditions.

2. Coordinate, assist in the planning and logistic of cultural events.

3. Identify and cultivates relationships among key cultural and advocacy organizations.

4. Update the cultural page on the EMiP website 

 

Reports to: Chairman of the Board/President.

 

Position Requirements: 

1. Strong community leader, committed to community development.

2. Spanish-English 

3. Education: Undergraduate in Liberal Arts preferred

4. Experience: 

• Ideal candidate should have a background in cultural/arts programs
• Fundraising experience for cultural events is a plus

5. Skills

• Ability to create and propose cultural projects financed with a short budget.
• Outgoing and sensitive to different backgrounds 

 

Compensation: 

This is a voluntary position.

————————

Projects Vice-President (2 Positions)

Job Purpose

Direct, assign, and supervise funds to education projects in Ecuador. 

 

Key responsibilities

The Projects Vice President will be responsible for the development of proposals to improve access to good quality education for underprivileged children in Ecuador.  These proposals will be developed in coordination with other offices, especially the one present in Ecuador.  He/she will be responsible for coordinating all the efforts to develop the grants and present them to funding agencies to look for financing.  The Projects VP will work closely with the Resource Development VP to compete in different grant opportunities that this office detects available.

After the funding is secured, the Projects VP will coordinate the implementation of the Project and supervise it closely, lead an evaluation committee to make adjustments and will be responsible for the presentation of reports as required by the funding agencies and/or the Board of Directors.

This person will also oversee the evaluation of small ongoing scholarship projects in Ecuador along with the office in Quito and will make recommendations regarding the extension of the support provided to the different organizations to the Board of Directors.

 

Ideal qualifications or requirements

Ideally, the Projects VP will have experience in grant writing and/or project management.  Fluency in English is required and good writing skills are a must.  The candidate must show ability to work as part of a group and adjust easily to function as a member or as a group leader depending on the situation.  College degree is required and graduate level studies are preferred.

 

Compensation: 

This is a voluntary position.

Some may call me over confident, extreme optimistic, maybe even naive, but see, I like my optimism. This optimism deeply rooted in my nature is what makes me believe in many things, amongst them, the ideal of Ecuador Mi Pais.  

Sometime ago, while starting to build the dream of Ecuador Mi Pais, I was asked why would I care for others instead of dedicating my full time and energy to care for my family and those who are really part of my world? Why would I do something that I am not required to do, instead of leaving it all to those who are supposed to be working “for the people”, i.e. the government? Well, the thing is, I want to believe that if we decide to act, our hand may influence and impact the near future of many in a great way. So, I believe it is from all of us that little by little, something bigger may be built. After all, criticizing poor government performance, poor political strategies to win followers, etc, has not given the desired results either, as to correct the failures we complain about. 

And yes, most times I read or listen to the news I also have a feeling of disappointment, as it happens to many, but I have chosen to believe that those bad news are starting points for what can be transformed in an inspiring journey. So, in trying to overcome disappointment when reading the newspaper and discouragement of those who do not support our cause – or for what matters, any cause – I find that just as there is so much negative information to discourage us from fighting the good fight and investing our time to favor others (political crisis, economic crisis, natural disasters, pandemic viruses and some other really bad news), if we look a little beyond what the headlines say, we can find so many encouraging and inspiring stories that will awake the desire to keep believing and to give our best.  Take for example, the great artists singing for the fight against poverty (see http://www.playingforchange.com/ very nice videos) , or those who actually pay just to get the opportunity to volunteer at a campaign in a third world country (see http://www.i-to-i.com/), or those fighting for the rights of those more vulnerable (see http://www.amnestyusa.org, Volunteer Leadership Opportunities), and so the list goes on and on full of people donating their time, their money, their knowledge. So I smile. I smile because there is still people who have faith in humanity and I want to be like them. I want to help make a difference through Ecuador Mi Pais.  

Now here we are, we may not have great voices to sing for a change or enough political influence to alter the course of government decisions, but we are concerned about the future, and that concern leads us to act in support of what we believe.  And the truth is that each one of us can give a little something to help bring the change we need, and I keep finding people who wants to give it all, so my faith remains intact. 

Despite discouraging news, despite bad economies, despite the lack of free time, I keep believing in the ever lasting generosity of people who give as much as they can. I keep believing that if we put our time, our ideas, our courage, the generations to come will find a better world to live in.  A place where people will have their basic needs as human beings satisfied, and that amongst those, education will be one, to teach children to think, to dream, to create, to build a better country for everyone around them. I keep believing that volunteering may be the key to transforming the future of a society or of a country as a whole. This is the dream that makes me believe in Ecuador Mi Pais and that keeps me going, even though the direct beneficiaries are not part of my family and even though I am not required to volunteer.

Vanessa Bustamante

La ciencia siempre llamó mi atención. Cuando era pequeño quería saber como funcionaban mis juguetes, y muchas veces los desarmaba para luego volverlos a armar. Debo confesar que esta empresa no siempre era exitosa, ya que más de una vez, terminaba con una o dos piezas que siempre parecían sobrar. En una ocasión trate de construir un pequeño telescopio utilizando un tubo de PVC y las lentes de varias lupas que tenía mi papá. Como podrán imaginarse mi “telescopio” no funcionó, pero eso nunca me desanimó para seguir explorando el mundo.  Esta curiosidad me motivó a estudiar química y gracias a eso hoy me encuentro realizando un post-doctorado en uno de los institutos biomédicos más importantes del mundo.

 

Ciencia, esa palabra que circulaba por mi cabeza cuando era solo un niño, hoy está presente en todas partes en nuestras vidas y nuestro país no es la excepción. Últimamente se ha hablado mucho en Ecuador sobre la importancia de la ciencia y tecnología, pero….. cuál es la contribución real de nuestro país en el ámbito científico? Hace un par de meses leí un interesante reportaje publicado en uno de los principales diarios ecuatorianos, su titulo decía: “Cada cinco años, hay 4 publicaciones”. Encontré el título alarmante y decidí leer el artículo que fue usado para obtener la información suministrada en el reportaje. 

 

La publicación reporta que en promedio, desde 1965 hasta enero 2009, el país publicó en total 66 artículos en  revistas científicas internacionales por año (artículos revisados por editores e investigadores especializados e independientes),  Cuando realicé una búsqueda rápida en una base de datos (Scopus) sobre el número de publicaciones de universidades y escuelas politécnicas, encontré que aproximadamente el 61 % del total de publicaciones reportadas tienen su origen en la investigación realizada en esas instituciones. Esto significa que cada año, entre todas estas instituciones de educación superior, publican aproximadamente 40 artículos. De acuerdo al Conesup (organismo que regula las universidades), el Ecuador tienen 73 universidades y escuelas politécnicas  registradas. Después de un simple cálculo matemático, se puede concluir que cada una de esas instituciones en Ecuador contribuye al ámbito científico con un promedio de 0.5 publicaciones cada año, es decir MENOS DE UN ARTICULO ANUAL!!!!!!. Entre los investigadores siempre se dice, “investigación que no se publica no existe”. Si analizamos el alarmante déficit de publicaciones científicas reportadas, terminamos preguntándonos, que pasa con toda la investigación que se realiza en el país?  

 

Desde mi punto de vista, la investigación en el Ecuador aún no se ha desarrollado. En el pasado el país vivió en una burbuja donde la gente no sabía lo que pasaba afuera. La información bibliografía con que se contaba era muy limitada y desactualizada y la cantidad de doctores (PhDs) era muy baja, yo diría que mínima. Esto sumado al casi nulo interés por parte de las autoridades de turno y las universidades por investigar ha hecho que esta actividad no se haya desarrollado en el país. Sin embargo, en la actualidad el país cuenta con profesionales mejor preparados, las universidades cuentan con más doctores (PhDs) en su planta docente, y gracias al Internet, (que ha probado ser una gran herramienta) ahora es más fácil saber lo que sucede alrededor del mundo, es más fácil conseguir información actualizada y hacer contactos con otros investigadores, lo que antes resultaba bastante difícil. Eso ha permitido que el número anual de publicaciones científicas haya aumentado considerablemente en los últimos años. 

 

Un análisis más detallado de la información muestra que de las 73 universidades y escuelas politécnicas registradas, solo 11 publican sus investigaciones. Desafortunadamente, cabe anotar, que dentro de ellas, son solo unos pocos miembros de su planta docente los que se dedican a realizar investigación como parte de sus tareas académicas. Esto es algo por lo que hay que preocuparse.

 

Mi búsqueda en Scopus también mostró un incremento sustancial en el número de publicaciones, especialmente en las últimas 3 décadas, desde un promedio de 4 publicaciones anuales en los 80`s, 18 en la década de los 90`s hasta 89 publicaciones entre 2000-2008. Eso es un aumento en un 2225 %, y puede ser considerado un dato muy alentador, pero no es suficiente. Si comparamos con el promedio de artículos publicados, entre 2000 – 2008, en otros países de la región (Brasil = 20041, Argentina = 4293, Chile =2974, Venezuela = 1121, Colombia = 1121, Uruguay = 377, Perú = 220, Bolivia = 43 y Paraguay = 18) se puede ver que solo lo estamos haciendo mejor que Bolivia y Paraguay. 

 

Todavía hay un largo camino que recorrer, no podemos quedarnos atrás y estar esperanzados en beneficiarnos de lo que otros logren a través de la investigación. Tenemos que producir, tenemos que desarrollar, tenemos que investigar, solo así podremos generar riquezas y estar mejor preparados para los desafíos que un mundo cambiante nos obliga a enfrentar. Muchas cosas tienen que cambiar para poder hacerlo y los ecuatorianos tendremos que poner mucho trabajo en ello, especialmente la gente más preparada. Nosotros compartimos la visión de que la educación es muy importante para el desarrollo de un pueblo.  La educación ayuda a que la gente sea más productiva y por lo tanto aumenta sus oportunidades de una vida mejor. Si lográramos aumentar el nivel educativo de la gente en el país, no solo que en el futuro aumentaría el número de publicaciones científicas, sino también, el estándar de vida. Apoyar la educación es pensar en un futuro mejor para nuestro pueblo.

 

Jorge Heredia

I was always attracted to science.  When I was a child, I wanted to know how my toys worked, and many times, I would separate them into their components and assemble them later.  I must confess that this enterprise was not always successful, and more than once I ended up with one or two pieces that I could not find a place for. I tried once to build a small telescope using a pipe and several of my dad’s magnifier glasses.  As you may guess it did not work, but that never discouraged me to continue exploring the world. This curiosity motivated me to study Chemistry, and thanks to that, today I am doing a postdoctoral fellowship in one of the most important biomedical institutes in the world.  

 

Science was a word that went through my head when I was a little child and today it is present everywhere in our lives and our country is not an exception. Lately a lot has been said in Ecuador about the importance of science and technology, but….. What is the real contribution of our country in the scientific field?  A couple of months ago, I read an interesting report published in one of the main Ecuadorian newspapers, its headline read:  ”Every five years, there are 4 publications”. I found the headline itself, alarming and decided to read thoroughly the article that was used to get the information supplied in the report.   

 

The article reported that in average, from 1965 until January 2009, the country published a total of 66 papers in international scientific journals per year (articles reviewed by publishers and independent investigators specialized in the field).  When I performed a quick search in a database (Scopus) about the number of publications of universities and technical colleges, it showed that approximately 61 % of the total papers came from research made in these institutions.  This means that every year, all of these educational institutions publish approximately 40 papers.   According to Conesup (Organism that regulates universities), Ecuador has 73 registered universities and technical colleges. After a simple mathematical operation, it can be concluded that each of these institutions in Ecuador contributes to the scientific field an average of 0.5 papers every year, that is to say LESS THAN ONE PAPER ANNUALY!!!!!.  Among researchers it is always said, “research that is not published does not exist”.  If we analyze the alarming deficit of scientific papers reported, we end up asking ourselves, what happened with all the investigation that is carried out in the country?  

 

From my perspective, research in Ecuador has not developed yet. In the past, the country lived inside a bubble where people did not know what was going on outside.  The bibliographic information available was very limited and out of date, and the amount of PhDs was very low, I would say minimum. This added to the almost null interest of the authorities and the universities about doing research caused a lack of development of this activity in the country. However, currently the country has better prepared professionals, the universities have more PhDs working as faculty, and thanks to the Internet, (it has proved to be a great tool) now it is easier to know what is happening around the world, get up to date information and make contacts with other investigators, which was not easy before. This has allowed the annual number of scientific publications to grow considerably in the past years.  

 

As previously mentioned, Ecuador has 73 universities and technical colleges.  A more detailed analysis of the information shows that only 11 of them publish their research.  Unfortunately, it has to be added that inside these universities only very few members of their faculty are investigators who actually do research. This is something to worry about.

   

My search in Scopus also showed a substantial increase in the number of publications, especially in the last 3 decades, from an average of 4 annual publications in the 80´s, 18 in the decade of the 90´s to 89 papers between 2000 and 2008.  That is an increase in a 2225 %, and can be considered very encouraging data, but it is not enough.  If we compare with the average of papers published, between 2000 and 2008, in other countries in the region (Brazil = 20041, Argentina = 4293, Chile = 2974, Venezuela = 1121, Colombia = 1121, Uruguay = 377, Peru = 220, Bolivia = 43 and Paraguay = 18) it can be seen that we are only doing better than Bolivia and Paraguay.  

 

Still there is a long way to go, we can not remain behind and just hope that we can benefit of what others achieve through research.  We must produce, develop and investigate; as this is the only way we will be able to generate wealth and to be better prepared for the challenges that a changing world will force us to face. Many things need to change to be able to do this, and Ecuadorians will certainly need to put a lot of work into it, especially the more qualified people.  We share the vision that education is very important for the development of a nation.  It helps people to be more productive and therefore expands their opportunities.  If we were able to increase the educational level of people in the country, not only that the number of scientific publications will raise in the future but also the standard of living.  Supporting education is to think about a better future for our people. 

 

Jorge Heredia

Handling all the issues related to the Projects VP for the past three years has been a wonderful experience for me.  During that time, I have never been able to go to Ecuador to meet our scholarship holders or the people who run the different projects we support.  Although I have only been able to contact them by e-mail and sometimes by phone, even that brief contact has been a fulfilling experience.

This time working with Ecuador Mi Pais, has given me hope that things will always get better, even though they seem very tough at times.  This renewed hope definitively comes from the dedication that I can see in the kids who receive our support and are able to develop their skills at school every day.  It also comes from knowing all the dedicated people who work very hard trying to change the destiny of a number of children who hope education will provide them a way out of the circle of poverty and despair that their parents have gone through.  This includes each one of you, our supporters, who although so far away from a country that you hardly ever hear about, are there for those children who desperately need you.  Those Ecuadorians who left their country for one reason or another and still care about the future of kids they have never met and probably never will.  I wish I could have the time and unlimited space in this article to let you know about each one of the children, their stories, and the hard situation they face to go to school every day.  But most important, I wish I could tell you about their increased faith in themselves knowing someone far away cares about their future and believes they can succeed.  Their little thank you notes are specially filled with gratitude and pride over their achievements and they are always hoping and wondering if we will continue to support them.  We always tell them we are not doing this for charity, and that we see this as an investment towards a better future for our country and that makes them feel very important.

We have certainly increased the number of kids we are supporting and are actually helping more than 95 kids go to school every year and also making sure their parents understand the importance of letting them do so.  The current financial situation is forcing us to be a bit more cautious this year and unfortunately, we will not be increasing the number of scholarships for next year but we will certainly maintain the ones we have committed to so far.

I believe that our biggest challenge is yet to come; we have reached a point where we need to dream big and give shape to a larger and more ambitious project that will allow us to make significant changes to education in Ecuador.  This will require a tremendous effort since we will have to work together with other organizations having different strengths and experience; but we believe this is the right time to do it.  If you are interested in being a part of this dream and making a contribution to this effort, please, contact us.  We certainly could use some help and different points of view are always welcome since they promote a healthy discussion.

I definitely feel very lucky that I have had the opportunity to help in this organization and have been able to see it grow throughout the years.  I know life changes very rapidly and you never know if you will be doing the exact same thing one year from now.  But do I know for certain that I have grown both spiritually and emotionally as a result of this work that we have been doing.  I hope in the future more of our members will want to participate in a more active way to make sure our efforts continue in behalf of the children.  I am sure that just like me, they will never regret the time they share with this organization.

Gaby Viteri

When I first started as a volunteer for Ecuador Mi País I knew I wanted to do something meaningful with my life, with my work, and with my skills. My paid job at the time was completely boring, meaningless, monotonous, but paid the bills. I knew I needed a challenge. I knew I needed a change, but my monthly paycheck was like an intravenous needle that was barely keeping me alive drop by drop without letting me live fully. When I found Ecuador Mi País I knew I found the solution. Working for this Organization would allow me to have the excitement of taking decisions, have work challenges, find new co-workers, new friends, and help people with my work; thus changing my life and the world in the process.

The options when I first joined the Organizations were not much, but I knew that the organization needed a presence in the Internet. I had some technical skills working with databases, utility programs, and had done my thesis for my MBA in electronic commerce, so I had an idea about how websites work, but I had never done one in my life. Anyway, that was my challenge! I signed up to create the first website of the Organization and to put it in the Internet. I have to admit that I was lucky, or as the famous writer Paulo Coelho puts it: “when you do things for the first time, the universe confabulates itself to let you succeed”.

We collected one dollar per person at the first meeting of the Organization and bought the domain. Later, Roberto Andrade came up with the first design of the website, and I had a friend that had a server, so I asked him if we could borrow some space to have our first website online. To make the story short, I got a copy of an html editor and not much later I was managing and maintaining the official website of the organization that was live to the world. It was like a dream come true. I had all the challenge that I needed and I felt that I was doing something meaningful for me and for the kids from Ecuador that cannot go to school because of lack of funds. A few months later we were able to collect donations through the website and were sending money to Ecuador to fund education projects.

Then, I got so interested in the work that I was doing for Ecuador Mi País that I decided that I needed to pursue a Masters in Information Systems. That is how I immediately applied, got accepted and enrolled for a Master ’s Degree at George Washington University and a few months later I got the opportunity to start my own company based on the new knowledge and skills that I had. Obviously I took that opportunity.

At that time, the economic depression came and my entire division at my paid work was closed, so I was laid off. However, Eruditos, the company that I just created was starting to sell and I got a scholarship at the University, so losing my job was completely uneventful. In fact, at last I had the feeling that I had been able to pull that intravenous needle from my body and I was starting to live freely and fully.

Bernardo Darquea