In Quito, around 23 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. The south of Quito is very poor and the food people eat lacks diversity. The consumption of products such as vegetables, fruit, meat and fish is far below the recommended amounts. Limited access to nutritious food and drinks and a lack of healthy awareness form the root for the nutritional problems. According to the INEC, no less than 23% to 42% of Ecuadorians live in extreme poverty. Quito is a city of almost 70 kilometers long and only 4 kilometers wide with enormous differences in living standards, well-being and food supply. The north is rich and developed but the further you go south, the poorer the area gets. In some of the city’s poor (southern) neighbourhoods like Guamani and Chillogallo there are large shortages of nutritious food and drink.
During childhood and as a adolescent, good nutrition is essential for emotional, social and cognitive development. Macro and micronutrient deficiencies have a direct impact on a child’s attention and understanding. In poor sectors, emphasis must be placed on guaranteeing adequate nutrition for children that is necessary for learning and development. Malnutrition has negative consequences on various aspects of life such as health, education and economic effects (such as public costs and productivity). It leads to problems with social integration, an increase in poverty and emergency aid among the population, creating a vicious circle of vulnerability to malnutrition. To break the cycle of poverty, it is important that the child can develop well and use his or her talents to create a better future for his or her future family.