Strengthening Early Childhood Development in Ecuador

Project HOPE and UNICEF have partnered to address the critical rates of chronic childhood malnutrition in the Chimborazo province of Ecuador. The initiative aims to strengthen services in support of caregivers, families, and communities to promote the comprehensive development of young girls and boys during their early years, especially in rural and Indigenous areas of Chimborazo.

Early childhood, defined as ages 0-8, is a decisive stage for physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Therefore, the intervention is guided by the nurturing care framework, which integrates good health, adequate nutrition, early learning opportunities, and responsive caregiving for mothers, fathers, caregivers, communities, and primary care services.

Within this framework, UNICEF continues to support national and local efforts to strengthen institutional and community capacities related to early childhood. Since December 2025, Project HOPE has served as an implementing partner in Chimborazo supporting a sustainable, locally relevant approach that addresses geographic, cultural, and operational barriers.

“Reducing chronic child malnutrition is a national strategic objective for Ecuador,” said Ramiro Proaño, Country Representative for Project HOPE in Ecuador. “By aligning our technical expertise with UNICEF’s framework, we are creating a model that not only improves health services but also empowers Indigenous and rural communities to protect their children’s future.”

“To reach their full potential, children need access to quality health services, adequate nutrition, protection, nurturing care, learning opportunities, and a healthy environment. By investing in early childhood, we not only protect children, but also secure the country’s human capital,” stated Arturo Romboli, UNICEF Representative.

The intervention includes promoting parenting spaces and practices for frontline public servants, strengthening coordination between public institutions and local governments, driving social and behavioral change strategies, strengthening community capacities to identify warning signs and facilitate referrals to public services, and providing technical support to primary health facilities to improve the quality of services for pregnant women and children.

In addition to preventing chronic child malnutrition, the partnership focuses on creating comprehensive conditions so that children can access essential services, and so that caregivers and families receive greater support during the early years of a child’s life.

For press inquiries, please send an email to media@projecthope.org

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About Project HOPE in Ecuador
Project HOPE brings over 20 years of experience in Ecuador to this project, with a multidisciplinary team of experts in public health, logistics, and community development. Its work in the country has included maternal and child health, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and training health promoters.

About UNICEF
At UNICEF, we promote the rights and well-being of every child and adolescent in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate this commitment into practical actions to benefit all children, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded worldwide. Web: http://www.unicef.org/ecuador