Ecuador is a republic located in the northwestern corner of South America. Colombia borders it to the north and east, Peru to the south and east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west, and, as its name suggests, Ecuador straddles the equator.

The Sierraflor Foundation and Lasso, the community it serves, are perched at 3,100 meters above sea level, high in the Andes mountains that divide Ecuador in two. More specifically, Lasso is in the Province of Cotopaxi, 80 km south of Quito, Ecuador’s Capital City.

The area’s economy is based on agriculture and small-scale cattle ranching. The few industries that exist in the area are related to the production of food products, flowers, wood, and machinery.

The majority of the population lives in poverty and a large percentage is illiterate and does not have access to education. According to UNICEF, nearly 70% of Ecuador's 4.8 million children live in poverty. Approximately 430,000 children aged between five and 17 years of age work, and government-assisted early childhood development programs cover only 8.4% of eligible children.

These are nationwide statistics, the percentages are much worse in rural areas such as the one we serve. Moreover, most families lack access to basic services, such as potable water and electricity, and suffer from malnutrition, especially children, which inevitably leads to chronic health problems.