THE FOUNDATION

San Francisco, a farm located in the Tisaleo canton, Tungurahua province, Ecuador, was acquired by my maternal grandparents at the end of the 18th century. This estate was worked with great effort and dedication by my beloved grandparents, GG and EA. After their passing, it was inherited by my dear parents, FP and JA and my three older siblings and I were born and raised in this idyllic place, at the foot of the snow-capped Carihuairazo volcano.

We enjoyed the wonderful natural surroundings, tending to various trees, the forest, short-cycle and aromatic plants, beautiful gardens, and fruit trees: apple, greengage plum, Mirabelle plum, blackberry, fig, and cucumber; vegetables: white onion, cabbage, lettuce, and spinach; cereals: barley, quinoa, and corn; root crops: potato, melloco, oca, garlic, and red onion; poultry, pastures and alfalfa, and livestock: cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, and the interesting raising of rabbits.

This allowed us to live comfortably and even dedicate ourselves to social work, both with the workers who were an active part of the development and growth of this beautiful property, and by actively collaborating with the Church and, especially, with public and private organizations and institutions in the execution of projects and activities for the benefit of the community.

Through the initiative of Engineer JGG, thanks to this variety of experiences, knowledge, and work ethic, with the support of his beloved mother “Paquita” and my sister “FM,” along with a diverse group of citizens from the area, contributions were made to the development of rural and marginalized communities, improving their social and economic living conditions.

Investigacion y Apoyo al Desarrollo Social Nonprofit Organization was organized and created at the San Francisco farm and was founded in Quito, Ecuador, in 1993, and is currently headquartered in the United States.