Blog

Development can mean many different things. For large international donor institutions and the countries they support, development often means increasing GDP, creating infrastructural improvements, and expanding markets. Our approach at REDI is quite different. For us, development as all about improving the livelihoods of the individuals we serve. To this end, we engage in projects with a local impact. We work directly with local-level community organizations to identify needs and to support the most vulnerable individuals in the communities where we work. Children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are supported through our projects. These projects take the form of financial support for rural education initiatives, providing food subsidies for elderly individuals and those with disabilities, providing emergency medical funding, and addressing a myriad of community needs that merit our support.

REDI provided holiday food baskets to 50 individuals in need, purchased and donated materials for school classroom expansion, provided funding for a holiday initiative for individuals with disabilities, and provided support to individuals with medical emergencies in 2025. In short, while we are small, our impact is significant.

Our commitment to improving livelihoods continues as we move into 2026. Check back for details and updates.

Each year REDI works with dedication to support families and individuals in need in rural coastal Ecuador. While our mission continued in 2020, the need was greater than ever and we encountered circumstances that were unlike anything we experienced previous. COVID-19 put a halt to the local tourism and fishing industries in late March and it was not until July that things began to improve, albeit only minimally. Tourism continued to suffer with a near complete decline in international tourists, and a significant limited presence of Ecuadorian tourists. As is the case the world over, people in coastal Ecuador have adapted to life during the global pandemic. However, there is still a long way to go until people can enjoy a renewed sense of normalcy. This makes our commitment that much more important. December 2020 differed from previous years as this year the REDI team provided holiday food baskets to more families than ever before. Additionally, baskets were delivered as opposed to the hosting of a small reception with music and food as in past years. Despite the changes, the goal remained the same; to provide to families and individuals in need and more importantly than ever to bring positivity during such trying times. As we move into 2021 we will continue to work to support those in need and to have a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.

Things are slowly returning to a sense of relative normalcy in rural Manabi. Fishing is back in full swing and tourism is picking up. As we continue to provide relief for COVID, we look to extend our impact to new areas. Most recently, this includes providing food distribution to inland regions that have limited access to ocean resources. Fresh fish are a rare treat in inland communities in the same way pork, chicken, and goat are generally reserved for special occasions in villages with direct access to the ocean. With this in mind, our team purchased fresh fish on the beach and delivered fish along with additional food rations to residents in inland regions of multiple communities in southern Manabi.