Inclusion for Special Needs Children in Ecuador

For all of us at Nova, it is truly a pleasure to maintain constant communication with you, Mr. GlobalGiving, as we deeply value your ongoing interest and support for our work.

We are pleased to inform you that, thanks to a recent fundraising campaign carried out with the invaluable support of the Heart’s of Gold team, we have been able to rebuild the school bathrooms. This improvement benefits many of our students, especially those diagnosed with autism or on the autism spectrum, who often find it difficult to use restrooms located indoors.

This has been one of our most significant achievements, and we are delighted to share this milestone with you.

We remain committed to our inclusive mission and are enthusiastically preparing an event of great social and educational importance: “Camp Nova 2023.” This activity will take place at the end of the month and represents a unique opportunity for our children, as it is uncommon to organize experiences like this for students with such diverse characteristics, customs, and learning styles.

We will continue striving to create spaces that promote the integral development of our children.

Sending you all a warm embrace.

During the second quarter of the year, our educational community has experienced a very special time marked by the closing of the school year, the achievement of new goals, and the beginning of a meaningful transformation for our older students. With joy and pride, we celebrated the graduation of our seventh-grade students, who have completed their basic education at Nova.

This moment has been more than a farewell  it has been a new beginning. Our students are now embarking on a new journey as part of INCLUNOVA, a youth project specially designed for them. INCLUNOVA was created in response to an urgent need: to provide continued educational and personal development opportunities for adolescents with disabilities, who are often left out of the school system without the tools they need for adult life.

Since April, we have begun implementing the program with pilot activities and preparation sessions aimed at strengthening their autonomy, self-esteem, and practical life skills. Through this project, we aim to help young people develop independence and everyday life skills, gain training in entrepreneurship and job readiness, learn to advocate for their rights and make informed decisions, and dream of a productive future  free from limitations imposed by their condition.

We know that outside of our space, inclusive pre-employment training opportunities are extremely limited or financially out of reach. That’s why INCLUNOVA represents a real and accessible opportunity for these adolescents to build a dignified and sustainable life project.

This quarter has also been a time of institutional strengthening, closer engagement with families, and personalized support for each student, ensuring that no one is left behind.

We are deeply grateful to all those who have accompanied us on this new path. Your commitment to inclusion has been key in ensuring that these young people are not left out, but instead become agents of change in their homes and communities.

Thank you for continuing to believe in inclusion with love, and for being part of a transformation that never stops.

With gratitude,
Priscila Morales