Gregoria Gavin Córdova is a dedicated farmer from Laime San Carlos, a small rural sector in Guamote canton, Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. Every day, she works tirelessly – caring for livestock and cultivating crops to sustain her and her family’s livelihood.
As a beneficiary of ECLOF Ecuador, Georgia received two loans of $2,500 each, which enabled her to grow her agricultural enterprise. But financial support was just the beginning.
Georgia also took part in training workshops organized by ECLOF Ecuador in collaboration with Partners Worldwide. These workshops focused on dairy cattle management to improve production.
Partners Worldwide (PW) is a global Christian network of business professionals who aspire to end poverty. They train and coach entrepreneurs through partnerships with local organizations like ECLOF, thereby helping build strong business networks in communities that face high unemployment and poverty. In 2023, ECLOF International signed an MOU to introduce PW’s micro-entrepreneurship curriculum across the ECLOF network
With ECLOF’s encouragement and support, Gregoria joined the dairy cattle management workshop, where she learned to better care for her animals, prevent diseases, and share her knowledge with others in her community. Over the course of the three-month training program, she gained valuable knowledge and practical skills, including:
- Identifying common cattle diseases like milk fever, which can be caused by poor diet or dehydration
- Safely administering injectable and oral dewormers to improve animal health
- Detecting bacteria in milk during the milking process
- Practicing more hygienic and efficient milking techniques
As part of the practical training, Gregoria and her peers visited the communities of Totorillas, Gramapamba, Sablog, and Sanacaguan to apply their new skills and exchange experiences with other local farmers. Today, Gregoria’s business has grown, with improvements both in income and productivity.
At ECLOF, we work with like-minded partners like Partners Worldwide to support micro-entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers like Gregoria. Her journey shows how access to credit and technical training can empower small rural producers to thrive. ECLOF Ecuador remains committed to reaching more disadvantaged communities and promoting sustainable development.
