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Sharing, discussing and learning from successful and less successful experiences is the ultimate goal of all learning organizations. Since 2001, with the support of IFAD, a Latin American training organization specialized in rural development has promoted an innovative learning approach known as ‘learning routes’. Participants of a learning route on market access in poor rural territories visited the business enterprises of five associations in Ecuador and Peru and took valuable lessons back to their own activities and communities.

"Es útil aprender a criar cerdos -afirma Katiuska Lord-, pero lo mejor ha sido reunirse con otros jóvenes de la zona". Katiuska, de19 años de edad, es una de los 57 jóvenes de ocho comunidades del Valle del Río Portoviejo, de la provincia de Manabi, en Ecuador, que ha participado en un proyecto de porcicultura puesto en marcha por TeleFood.

My name is María Ernestina Pilca Cholango, I come from the community of Los Andes, in Cayambe. I represent the kichwa nationality. I am 19 years-old and I study at the school “Dolores Cacuango”. Like Mama Dulu, I think we the indigenous people should get trained and keep this participation process. Our voices should be heard, and that’s the reason we are working in my community with children, and also with young people and adults, to keep moving forward.

My name is Sinchi Chimba, and I am 11 years-old. I am a migrant child from Otavalo. Now I am studying at the school “Yachi Huasi” in Quito. I think it’s important that we children know our rights and learn how to respect our culture and our territory.

When Andrea, 20, discovered that her husband had HIV/AIDS, she immediately got tested. Already five months pregnant, she discovered that she was HIV-positive. Andrea was frightened, but her mother stayed by her side throughout the ordeal. “She was scared too, but she supported me immediately”, Andrea recalls. There are many women like Andrea who run the risk of transmitting HIV to their children.

"Now we work with a sense of community and the word "enterprise" has a meaning for us.  Before we didn't know what it meant to have natural resources, now we value our forest, our rivers and that's why we do organic farming.  We feel empowered, and are no longer afraid to speak up"

"My name is Oscar Zavala. I am 12 years old and I am currently in the sixth grade. My school's name is Camina del Inca (Inca Trail) and it is located in the southern part of Quito, the capital of Ecuador".