Network of Safe and Protective Schools in Esmeraldas

In the province of Esmeraldas, girls, boys, and adolescents face serious obstacles to exercising their right to education. School exclusion, educational lag, and dropout are exacerbated in a context of poverty, violence, and the presence of criminal groups that increase risks of recruitment, exploitation, and trafficking. To this are added the psychosocial impacts that affect their well-being and learning capacity, as well as persistent discrimination against black children and adolescents, whose identity and culture have been historically rendered invisible. Schools, which should be safe and protective spaces, are weakened by insecurity, infrastructure gaps, and lack of adequate pedagogical resources. This combination of factors threatens to perpetuate inequality, limiting the future of children and social cohesion in the territory.

Problem Areas:

• High school exclusion and educational lag.
• Context of violence and risk of forced recruitment.
• Social and economic vulnerability that drives dropout.
• Psychosocial impacts on children and adolescents.
• Structural discrimination toward the black population.
• Schools weakened in infrastructure, security, and pedagogical resources.

• Access: Reintegration of GBA into the education system through accelerated grade-level recovery services (NAP).
• Permanence: Through pedagogical support in schools with school support service.
• School well-being: Implementation of playful-educational spaces (playrooms) that promote learning and protection from violence.

The central purpose will be to contribute to each girl, boy, and adolescent accessing, remaining, and developing in safe, relevant, and protective educational environments, strengthening their learning and socio-emotional capacities. Actions are coordinated with communities, educational district staff, and local actors, as well as consortium partners themselves.

Educational Units:

• Creciendo al Futuro (Atacames)
• EGB Teodoro Morán Valverde (Esmeraldas)
• EGB Pedro Cornelio Druet (Esmeraldas)
• UE San Mateo (Esmeraldas)
• EGB Ana Elisa Pimentel (Esmeraldas)
• Tabiazo Educational Unit (Esmeraldas)
• León Febres Cordero School (Esmeraldas)
• Manuel Quiroga (Muisne)
• Heleodoro Saenz (Atacames)
• Gonzalo Pizarro (Atacames)

• NAP: adolescents aged 14 to 16
• School support: boys and girls aged 8 to 12

Consortium led by IRC (International Rescue Committee) and implementing partners DyA, Alas de Colibrí, and Educación Para Compartir.

Financed by ECHO (European Union).