Ecuador - Casa Gabriel

Students: 8
Where HOPE is given: Academic support for residential home
Began partnering with E=H: 2006

Casa Gabriel is not only a place to live, but a program to intentionally train and equip young men. Their vision is to see at-risk youth become successful leaders in their home, community, and world. Casa Gabriel’s work began when two men were burdened by the boys that they saw living on the street and began to offer meals, a change of clothes and a Bible study one or two days a week. Eventually, a residential home was formed, as a haven for these boys to grow up in a family-style atmosphere. Later, as regulations were changing in Ecuador, Casa Gabriel’s staff began to re-evaluate the program and the vision. They saw that as former street boys turned 18 and were pushed out of the child protective system, many returned to the street due to a continued lack of education and family support. They decided to officially make the transition from a home for children to a home for young adults.

Education Equals Hope provides the entire academic budget for Casa Gabriel, including general school needs and the salary for an in-house academic coordinator. Many former street boys dropped out of school at an early age, so intensive academic sessions allow them to graduate from high school, working at an accelerated pace to rejoin their peers.