Students from deaf community in Santo Domingo empowered to act and advocate for responsible tourism

With its nearby forests, rivers and natural reserves, Santo Domingo is a popular tourist destination in Ecuador. Last fall, around a dozen students from the deaf community enrolled in the Ecotourism programme (a 6-month programme offered in Spanish with accreditation by the Pontificia Unversidad Javeriana Cali) to learn how to promote responsible tourism that allows the generation of income, while preserving the community's fragile resources.

Among them are  Rosario and Gabriela, two young women who completed their secondary schooling with Fe y Alegría. As members of the deaf community, they struggled to access higher education until, one day, they heard about JWL and the Ecotourism programme.

Gabriela’s primary motivation was the desire to keep learning more about her country  and to be “able to share it with others, and have a broader vision since we have a very rich culture, and our country is very diverse.”

A similar feeling was expressed by Rosario: “The knowledge I gained in the process allowed me to raise awareness among my family and friends about ecotourism, why it’s important, and how it relates to economic, cultural and social fields.”

The  learning platform includes audio content – which posed a challenge for the group – but interpreters provided by Fe y Alegría supported them by sharing videos in sign language which enabled them to better understand the programme content.

Steadfast in their desire to successfully complete the programme, Gabriela, Rosario and their peers perservered and – with just a little extra support from JWL, Fe y Alegría, and their families – they succeeded. “Despite the challenges faced in the process, I worked hard and I’m grateful for this experience,” said Rosario.

Students will gather to celebrate their achievement at the upcoming graduation ceremony. What next for Gabriela and Rosario? Both are determined to seek opportunities to gain deeper knowledge of the field of ecotourism and to keep sharing their knowledge, skills, culture and environment with others, advocating for responsible tourism.