Verein CIELO AZUL

About us

CIELO AZUL is an independant, non-political and non-religious NGO and works towards improving education and the everyday life conditions of disadvantaged children and families in rural communities in Ecuador (South America). In 2000 CIELO AZUL began its work in Ecuador. In 2004 it became an official non-profit organization.
CIELO AZUL finances itself from public events in Switzerland such as movie nights or bazaars, by selling arts and craft from Ecuador and donations and membership fees. CIELO AZUL connects people from different cultures.
Until now various projects in over 20 indigenous communities have been initiated and realized in the canton of Otavalo. Our work supports and improves educational chances for indigenous children, focuses on health prophylaxis and gardening. It is orientated on the right to education.

Our projects are initiated and implemented under the guidance of our coordinator on site and with the involvement of the local population, children and teachers. This way, we can ensure that “learning” and “experiencing” go hand by hand and become long-term.

Projects:
• School Gardens: In this project, the knowledge and rituals of the ancestors of the indigenous population, the chakras, are used for the cultivation of self-managed fruits and vegetable gardens. CIELO AZUL, together with the students, is currently running gardens in seven schools in the area of Otavalo.
• School Carpentry Pijal Alto: At the school “Provincia de Loja” in the community of Pijal Alto, CIELO AZUL has installed a complete carpentry workshop. This includes a training room for teens, children and apprentices to teach the various craft techniques with wood.
• Dental Hygiene: CIELO AZUL organizes workshops for the children twice a year in cooperation with the volunteers. Depending on the age of the kids, topics such as the development of caries and other illnesses as well as the difference between healthy and unhealthy food are treated at different levels of difficulty. At the end, each child receives its own toothbrush, with which the correct tooth brushing is practiced.
• Scholarships: Every year, ten to twelve students from our schools are selected for a six-year school scholarship in order to pursue and complete their education. This degree is either a professional exercise or the admission to study.
• Women Empowerment: Ten women from the municipality of Agato (Ecuador’s highlands in the province of Imbabura) were inspired by the CIELO AZUL-supported farm project. Women are empowered to become more self-reliant for their families by learning to grow in an environmentally friendly and traditional way, to provide children with a more balanced diet, and thus to be financially less burdened.
• Christmas Event: Each year, we bring a Christmas atmosphere to all the children in the schools working with CIELO AZUL (around 650 children, aged four to eleven). On the one hand the volunteers put together a program (music, theater, dance, etc.) and on the other hand each child will receive a Christmas bag and a small and meaningful present.
• Football Tournament: Each spring, volunteers organize a one-day football and skill tournament with all schools working with CIELO AZUL ECUADOR. CIELO AZUL organizes the transport, the food, the animation and the prizes (trophies and medals).
• Music Lessons: With the project “CANTEMOS A LIFE WITH THE CHILDREN”, as the project is called in Spanish, an indigenous music teacher employed by us regularly teaches music lessons in some schools. Music lessons consist of singing, making music together, music theory and rediscovering old music and traditional songs.

Monika Senn is the President of the NGO CIELO AZUL.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.