Antonio is a 12 years old boy from Ambato, who has three brothers. He belongs to a large indigenous family, with their origins in a mountainous community where they lived from farming. The parents of Antonio, together with his uncles and aunts and around 25 cousins, decided to move to the city to get better education for their children. Both Antonio's parents had day jobs: on the market selling agricultural products or chewing gums, or carrying stuff for other vendors. His dad sometimes worked in construction or as a truck driver. Even though they showed a lot of initiative and worked very hard, it was still difficult to cover all the costs necessary for the basic needs of their children. That is why we admitted them to the fund.
Antonio is a bright child and very eager to learn. In May 2009, he finished primary school. Around that time, a wonderful opportunity was presented to the family. In the DCF Child ’N Family center in Ambato, we had a vacancy for concierges and told José, the father of Antonio. He presented himself as a candidate and after a selection procedure we chose him as one of the two caretakers. They are responsible for security and maintain the grounds, gardens and houses of the center. DCF offered José a contract including social security. This means he has a steady job now and a secure income!
We are very happy that his family has now a different, more positive connection with DCF. A professional working relationship is so much healthier than a link where one is dependent on the other! Thanks to his stable salary, José can now offer stability to his children. Antonio will be able to continue studying and will have the chance to contribute to his family's development in the future.
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