sponsored youth in Ecuador earn THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME

Early in 2024, six youth from Guayaquil won a national performing arts competition in Ecuador, earning a trip to the United States to compete on an international stage.

Having participated for nearly a decade in core programs through Children International, such as tutoring, arts, computer skills and other life skills, these ambitious teens were equipped with the tools and confidence to successfully seize the opportunity of their young lives.

Given their economic disadvantages and the recent violence and turmoil that has engulfed the country — and especially the area where they live — their journey to compete in Destination Imagination’s global contest in Kansas City, Missouri, has been a truly impressive achievement. Creating their own skit, plot, characters, dialogue and props, these youth told the story of a young migrant worker and her struggles to support her family. It’s a story that represents many of the realities they see and encounter in their lives and their communities.