Additional information

What is family life like for a child living in the countryside?
The traditional Andean family in Ecuador normally consists of three or four children. The mother is entirely responsible for the children's welfare; the number of fathers involved in the upbringing of their children is very low. Normally only the mother has contact with the children's school.
Cases of children being abandoned by their parents are relatively common - normally it is the father, who is not forced by the law to fulfil his obligations. Many fathers have unstable jobs, meaning that it is difficult for them to be in touch with the financial and social well being of their children. There are also considerable numbers of single mothers, whose children have no paternal support whatsoever and the majority of whom don't even know their fathers.
Many children also have parents with mental or physical deficiencies such as speech impediments, deafness and other disabilities. Although they have not inherited these from their parents, their education often suffers as a result, because of impaired communication in the family and lack of parental involvement in their schooling.
Frequently the parents themselves have had very little or no education. They live in secluded environments in which the children have little contact with the world. As a result their language ability and general knowledge are severly underdeveloped.
It is normal for grandparents to live with the family, as there are no homes for the elderly. Many people have no social security, which forces them to live with their children and grandchildren in their old age. Single uncles and aunts also often live with relatives. The extended family is therefore an important source of emotional security for children.

How much does a person living in the countryside earn?

What are the living conditions for a rural family in the Ecuadorian Andes?

How much does it cost parents to send their children to high school or secondary school ?