A Migrant Assistance Center was inaugurated in Santo Domingo, Ecuador, a city in the country’s north-central region that has become a transit point for thousands of families. Organizers said the center was created to respond to urgent needs among people in situations of human mobility, including access to basic services, guidance, and support during transit.

ADRA Ecuador is supporting services at the center through its HOPE project, funded by the European Union, providing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) assistance. According to organizers, services include access to toilets and showers, laundry and drying areas, hydration stations, and the distribution of hygiene supplies. The initiative aims to help reduce health risks and strengthen minimum conditions of dignity and well-being for migrants traveling through the city.

Collaborative work and institutional recognition

Organizers said the center was developed in response to needs identified in the region and is the result of cooperation between the Decentralized Autonomous Government (GAD) of Santo Domingo, the Cantonal Council for the Protection of Rights, and multiple international cooperation partners. Representatives from ADRA Ecuador, FUDELA, HIAS, the Cantonal Council for the Protection of Rights, the Santo Domingo GAD, and the German Cooperation (GIZ) attended the inauguration ceremony.

During the event, the Municipality of Santo Domingo—through the Cantonal Council for the Protection of Rights—presented ADRA Ecuador with a certificate recognizing its work related to the protection, defense, and promotion of the human rights of people in situations of human mobility.

Voices from the event

During the event, Nahomy Faubla, country director of ADRA Ecuador, highlighted the humanitarian agency's years of organized work to benefit vulnerable people in the region.

“ADRA Ecuador has provided humanitarian assistance to thousands of families in situations of human mobility since 2018. Our commitment does not stop: we work tirelessly to support those who need it most, being the hands of Jesus and remembering that, even in the midst of difficulties, there is always hope,” Faubla emphasized.

From the public administration perspective, representatives of the local government emphasized the importance of developing collaborative projects.

“Today, this is an issue that requires responsible public policy, put into practice with the support of inter-institutional cooperation,” they stated.

Likewise, a beneficiary of the center shared their testimony: “I think that this space helps all of us who are in a situation of human mobility, migrants, not only to maintain our dignity, but also to have a place where we can be cared for and find a helping hand.”

ADRA Ecuador reaffirms its commitment to continue working in close collaboration with local authorities and international cooperation, strengthening humanitarian responses that prioritize human dignity and promote safer living conditions for those in situations of human mobility, demonstrating that when hands join together, it is possible to bring hope and transform lives.

About ADRA Ecuador

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its work empowers communities and changes lives around the world through sustainable development and emergency and disaster relief.

The original article was published on the South American Division Spanish news site.