AVSI received the “Impacto en Acción” recognition in Ecuador.

AVSI participated in the Kumbre de Sostenibilidad 2026, organized by Grupo Ekos in Quito, Ecuador. The event brought together more than 120 representatives and experts from the public, private, and academic sectors, along with international organizations and civil society, with the aim of discussing concrete solutions to the country’s environmental, social, and economic challenges.

Over two days, the Kumbre established itself as a space for exchange among multiple stakeholders, coordination, and the promotion of initiatives oriented toward a more sustainable Ecuador.

Within this context, AVSI presented the experience of Laboratorio Verde, a community and productive urban garden created in 2024 within the framework of the “Integrados” project, funded by the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. The initiative integrates environmental sustainability, social cohesion, strengthening of productive capacities, and the rebuilding of social ties in the La Ferroviaria neighborhood of Quito, a priority area due to the presence of migrants and refugees in vulnerable conditions.

Participation in this forum made it possible to share an experience that translates sustainability into concrete territorial interventions, placing people, relationships, and local development opportunities at the center. The initiative also highlights the value of collaboration with public institutions, through work with the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion via the Integrated Family Space of La Ferroviaria.

The project is currently managed by the local community and led by Marco Flores, a community leader trained during its implementation. This reflects the strengthening of local autonomy and skills through processes of capacity transfer and shared responsibility.

The space also features an intergenerational approach, enabled by a methodology that makes it accessible to different audiences.

From a technical and social perspective, Laboratorio Verde goes beyond the concept of an urban garden. It is designed as a space for environmental education, community gathering, and hands-on learning, through sustainable practices including organic fertilizers, crop rotation, rainwater harvesting, solar energy use, and material reuse.

The program also includes training sessions on composting, seedbed preparation, medicinal plant benefits, biological pest control, harvesting techniques, drying and dehydration, along with workshops focused on strengthening entrepreneurial skills. In this perspective, Laboratorio Verde contributes to environmental care, capacity development, and the creation of opportunities through a community-based approach.

With a budget of USD 15,000, the main results achieved include the construction of the space’s infrastructure and the training of 20 community leaders.

From a social perspective, the initiative creates a safe space where migrants, refugees, and members of the host community can strengthen relationships, build a sense of belonging, and take part in social cohesion pathways. From an economic perspective, it opens learning and productive opportunities in agriculture, environment, and sustainability-related sectors.

This approach is aligned with the themes discussed during the Kumbre de Sostenibilidad 2026, particularly the need to connect vision and action, strengthen partnerships across sectors, and promote solutions capable of generating tangible impact. In this sense, the experience presented by AVSI Ecuador highlights how a localized community intervention can contribute to broader challenges related to resilience, sustainability, and human development.

For AVSI, sustainability gains meaning when it is connected to people’s daily lives and to concrete processes that strengthen communities.

Being present in this space not only allowed the organization to share an experience, but also to contribute to a national conversation about the type of development the country needs, helping build safer, more resilient environments capable of sustaining long-term development processes with lasting impact.