In esmeraldas, ecuador, commercial activity has taken a toll on water and soil, affecting the quality of life of afro-ecuadorian residents and making IT one of the poorest provinces in the country

The Inter-American Foundation (IAF), under its Assistance for Overseas Programs (CFDA 85.750), awarded a $232,175 project grant to the Asociacion De Mujeres Afroecuatorianas Timbire En El Futuro (AMATIF) in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. This 3-year grant supports community-led initiatives to address environmental degradation, economic and social exclusion, and gender-based violence impacting Afro-Ecuadorian residents. AMATIF is training women cacao producers to improve agricultural yields for food security and income generation, while also increasing production and sales of chocolate products. The grant also funds the establishment of a community foundation to support small local development projects in the Rio Santiago Cayapas region. This award advances the IAF's strategic objectives to promote sustainable agriculture, expand economic opportunities for marginalized populations, and strengthen grassroots philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The price of cacao and bananas plummeted in the wake of covid-19, and the need to sell to intermediary buyers also depresses farmers? Incomes. The IAF supports community-led solutions to address the consequences of environmental degradation and economic and social exclusion. We also strengthen the ability of local philanthropic organizations to do effective programming and unlock additional public and private resources for long-term development. Our grantee the association of afro-ecuadorian women timbiré in the future (AMATIF) is training women cacao producers to improve the quality and increase the quantity of their agricultural yields to achieve food security and generate income while fomenting gender equality and eliminating gender-based violence. The producers are also increasing production and expanding sales of their chocolate products and establishing a community foundation to fund small community projects in the RIO santiago cayapas community of esmeraldas. This grant advances the IAF?S strategic initiatives to support community-led efforts to mitigate and prevent chronic violence and to expand the resources available for grassroots development by promoting locally-rooted community philanthropy. IT also advances initiatives to promote the economic and social inclusion and human rights of historically marginalized populations, and to promote sustainable agriculture by strengthening food security efforts and supporting viable livelihoods.