US embassy cable - 05QUITO599

UNCLAS QUITO 000599 
 
SIPDIS 
 
State, pass to Peace Corps. 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, PHUM, EC 
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADOR LAUNCHES CHILD LABOR PROJECT AND VISITS 
PEACE CORPS 
 
 
1.  Summary:  On March 11, the Ambassador went to Cayambe, a 
flower-producing area north of Quito, to attend the inauguration 
of a U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored project to combat child 
labor in the banana and flower industries through an improved 
quality of education.  The Ambassador then paid a welcome visit 
to the newest class of Peace Corps Trainees in Ayora.  End 
Summary. 
 
Ambassador Launches SOY! (Support Our Youth!) Education 
Initiative 
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2.  The Ambassador went to the flower-producing town of Cayambe 
in Pichincha Province on March 11 to inaugurate a U.S. Department 
of Labor (USDOL)-sponsored project to combat child labor through 
education.  USDOL has provided a $3 million dollar grant, to be 
used over the next four years, to Catholic Relief Services (CRS), 
the project's executing agency.  The project targets up to 17,000 
people including children employed in the banana and flower 
industries, their parents and teachers in the provinces of Los 
Rios, Guayas, El Oro, Pichincha and Cotopaxi. 
 
3.  With estimates of nearly one-quarter of all children in 
Ecuador engaged in some form of child labor, many children do not 
receive the education that would otherwise allow them to succeed 
as adults.  This has detrimental effects on entire communities 
and hinders Ecuador's economic growth.  Thus, the project intends 
to promote community awareness, education initiatives to keep 
children in school, and ensure the successful transition of 
children to the secondary grades. 
 
4.  The Ambassador reiterated American support for the project 
and its goals, stressing continued U.S. assistance provided along 
many fronts, including Peace Corps volunteers, SOUTHCOM mobile 
medical brigades, and student exchanges.  Other speakers present 
included the Minister of Labor, the Mayor of Cayambe, the CRS 
Country Representative, a flower industry representative and 
children from the affected communities.  The television and print 
media were present in force, and the Ambassador gave a short 
press conference afterwards.  Coverage was highly visible and 
favorable, thereby effectively promoting one of the project goals 
of raising community awareness of child labor in Ecuador. 
 
Ambassador Welcomes Peace Corps Trainees 
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5. The Ambassador then went to visit the newest class of Peace 
Corps Trainees (PCTs) at the Peace Corps' Community Based 
Training (CBT) site in Ayora.  The 38 trainees are currently 
enrolled in an 11-week language and technical training program. 
The Ambassador, as she has done on prior occasions, demonstrated 
mission support for the important work volunteers are engaged 
with in the field emphasizing that their "people-to-people" 
diplomacy paid off in spades. 
 
Comment 
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6.  Combating child labor through education in affected 
communities is cost-effective and productive.  Child labor 
provides only short-term, modest income.  An educated child, 
however, helps guarantee the long-term success of the family, the 
community and the country's greater economic prospects.  Peace 
Corps Volunteers are an excellent source, as well, to help 
promote the message of the importance of continuing education. 
This demonstrates one way in which Peace Corps training, 
activities and work can be integrated into the larger goals of 
the U.S. mission. 
KENNEY