03-10-2024 | di COOPI

Ecuador. INSPIRA project: generating opportunities for youth and peace

Progress in the INSPIRA project: “Integrating services to promote inclusive reception, empowerment of protection networks and economic development for Venezuelan and Colombian migrants and refugees and their host communities in Ecuador.”

A key day for the project, implemented by AVSI and COOPI-Cooperazione Internazionale and funded by the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), took place on 3 October in the community of Mapasingue. The PRM visit aimed to update the participatory assessment to identify challenges related to the integration and protection of local and migrant youth. The visit helped to strengthen community networks and outline concrete actions to promote peacebuilding

The event was attended by Yissela Zambrano, AVSI’s Territorial Leader in Guayas; Fanny Jiménez, Community Leader of Mapasingue; Belén Ramos, COOPI’s Country Coordinator, and COOPI’s territorial team in Guayas. The PRM delegation joined a discussion focusing on youth challenges and proposed solutions to improve their living conditions.

COOPI led the Opportunities Generation thematic table, providing a space for young people to share their interests in livelihoods and propose innovative ideas for their economic integration. These proposals will become part of the INSPIRA Project’s strategy, which aims to establish a Youth Innovation Lab to strengthen social cohesion and community resilience.

COOPI will also offer support activities for young participants in the cultural peacebuilding programs. These activities will prepare participants to start small businesses or secure formal employment. The Community Development Centers (CDCs) will play a key role, with the launch of Creativity and Innovation Labs in four CDCs that were upgraded during the Integrados project. These labs will provide collaborative spaces where young people can work together, develop ideas, and learn new skills.

The updated assessment reaffirms COOPI’s commitment to align its interventions with the real needs of the Mapasingue community, which faces challenges such as unemployment, insecurity, and limited access to essential services. The collaboration between COOPI, AVSI, and PRM ensures the implementation of sustainable actions that promote inclusion and holistic development.

COOPI has been operating in Ecuador since 1967, carrying out projects focused on poverty reduction and emergency response, guided by the principles of human rights, gender equality, interculturality, and governance. Its work has addressed child protection, water and sanitation, infrastructure development, livelihoods generation, and sociocultural integration. The INSPIRA Project reflects this long-standing commitment, creating opportunities for young people to become agents of change and contribute to building more just and peaceful communities.