By: TITO ASTUDILLO Y A. (El Mercurio - Cuenca)

We said in an earlier entry that the Two Hemispheres Tourist Route—which, following the line of the Equator, brings us to Quito along towns and Andean passages, cloudy and humid tropical forests—offered biodiversity, ethnocultures, large ranches, hostels, ecological reserves, archeological complexes like Tulipe, and community Ecoturism.

This is the case for the community of Yunguilla, 13 kilometers from Calacali, 26 kilometers from the road from Calacali to La Independencia, where we arrive after a spectacular ascent between villages, forests, and clouds; a [media agua?] of modern construction, stuck on the hillside at the entrance to the forest.

At this hour there is a lot of movement, and the leaders are in distress, because, since we arrive more than an hour late, they are occupied with a group of aforementioned tourists for an hour; a few come in to have breakfast, others leave to see the communal vegetable gardens and artisans’ workshops, others leave for excursions through the forest and we [rueda de prensa] and the previous breakfast to the rigorous visits.

It’s a pleasure to walk along its paths, visit its workshops, cross paths with tourists and student groups, talk with the people and listen to the conviction and pride that each person feels towards his community and his work.

Its charismatic leader, German Collahuazo, tells the story of the project, which is his story and that of the community. He talks about the moment of its initiation, of the will of the people, of the organization, of the training, of the leadership, of the perseverance and the participation of the community, “. . . because if we talk about a community project, it should integrate the entire community. . .” he affirms.

"Now we are developing productive activities: recycled paper, jams, organic horticulture, dairy products using the dairy resources from the zone, improving the livestock and the pastures, impulsive projects by groups of women; and Community Ecoturism, which involves the entire community,” he recounts with euphoria.

“We apply a European Union proposal in order to fortify all these activities, it’s an ambitious project that will make us grow and feel more pride in the community. Before we were ashamed of being from the countryside. Now we say with pride, ‘I’m from Yunguilla.’”

General facts:

Yunguilla: (Contraband route), peasant community in Calacalí.
Size: 2,600 hectacres. The ecoturism property: 27 hectacres at the bank of the Blanco river.
Altitude: 2,400-2,500 msnm.
Population: 50 families, approximately 300 people.
Activities: agriculture, animal husbandry, care of the forest, and Ecoturism.

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