Supporting Ecuador

On 16th April 2016 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the northwestern Pacific coast of Ecuador. This tragic event took the lives of hundreds of people and thousands were injured.

Many of the staff at Journey Latin America have travelled through Ecuador, made friends in Ecuador and created fond memories in Ecuador; we send our sincere condolences and best wishes to our colleagues, friends, and all those who were affected by this tragedy.

Where did this happen?

The epicentre was close to the town of Muisne, on the northwest coast of Ecuador. Most of the damage was felt in the coastal regions nearby, where many towns, villages and homes needed to be rebuilt.

The international airports of Guayaquil and Quito several hundred miles away were unaffected and much of the country beyond the northwestern coast, including Ecuador’s main tourist areas, were not severely affected.

How did Journey Latin America respond? 

Having established the extent of the damage on the ground and the safety of our clients and partners, we sought out a small grassroots organisation that we believd would have a quick and helpful impact in the worst affected areas.

Our trusted partners in Ecuador were in contact with colleagues from Nepal and, based on their experience of last year’s earthquake, it become clear that items such as water purifiers and access to solar electricity was vital for survivors of natural disasters such as these.

We therefore elected to support a local initiative aimed at providing portable solar energy kits to help some of those left without power, and made a donation to provide 12 of these kits on behalf of Journey Latin America.

If you also wish to donate, please do so via the link below. 

Donate here * >

* (This link will take you to an external donation website, not managed by Journey Latin America).

What else can I do to help?

One of the best ways to help Ecuador recover is by continuing to visit. Tourism is an important part of the country’s economy and it is essential in helping to rebuild Ecuador:  For every incoming tourist, approximately 7 jobs are created.

The funds generated from each visit can help keep Ecuador strong and ensure its growth and prosperity in the future.

The places visited by tourists have not been affected by these recent sad events, so we encourage you to continue visiting this beautiful country: by doing so you are supporting its people, creating jobs, and promoting its culture.

If you’ve already been then please spread the word: tell your friends and family how wonderful Ecuador is and encourage them to see it for themselves.