Fundación Don Bosco: education, care and new opportunities for children

The story of Fundación Don Bosco began before its formal establishment. In 1995, Ernst and Sissi Pöschl founded the Ecuador Luz y Sombra Association in Germany, an initiative that marked the beginning of social work that would later extend to Ecuador. Their support was instrumental in making it possible for Fundación Don Bosco to be formally established in Quito years later.

In the mid-1990s, the Pöschls became acquainted with different social realities across the country and eventually arrived in Calderón, an area that at the time faced limited infrastructure, informal settlements, and scarce employment opportunities. There, they identified a specific need: many mothers had to travel several hours to Quito for work and needed a safe place to leave their children. The initiative began by serving around 25 to 30 children and, on March 6, 2002, Fundación Don Bosco was officially established.

Jonathan Arturo Vivas Herrera, the organization’s director and legal representative, explains that its work expanded as the needs of families changed. What initially operated as a childcare center later incorporated homework support, academic reinforcement, values education, and other forms of assistance.

Today, the Calderón location serves 120 children and, for the 2026–2027 school year, the foundation plans to reach 170 beneficiaries: 110 within the childcare center and another 60 through its non-formal education project. This work is complemented by Fundación Don Bosco’s presence in Chillogallo, where it runs a Non-Formal Education project that provides the same benefits to 75 children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 17.

“More than providing services, the foundation seeks to ensure that every child grows up with care, education, healthcare, and a sense of belonging.”

Support beyond the classroom

The challenges families face are not limited to a lack of financial resources. The foundation works with households sustained by informal employment, large families living in precarious conditions, people who struggle to access healthcare services, and children whose education may be affected by their household’s economic needs. In response, the organization maintains two main lines of work: early childhood care and non-formal education for children and adolescents.

Its support includes education, meals, health monitoring, and psychological care. In Calderón, health checkups may be carried out once or twice a week, while periodic examinations are conducted in Chillogallo. At the latter location, the Non-Formal Education project serves 75 beneficiaries between the ages of 8 and 17, expanding the foundation’s presence into southern Quito.

The goal is not only for children to have a place to stay during the day, but also to provide them with a safe environment that supports different aspects of their development. This work is based on the principles of the Salesian preventive system and also involves families through a model of shared responsibility.

One of the organization’s most significant milestones was the construction in Calderón of a building valued at approximately $1.3 million, referred to by donors as the “Children’s Palace.” The space was designed so that beneficiaries can learn, eat, play, and interact in appropriate conditions of care.

Partnerships that expand impact

Sustainability remains one of the foundation’s main challenges. According to Vivas, nearly 95% of its resources come from international donations, while around 5% consists of contributions agreed upon with families to cover immediate needs. Along this journey, the support first provided by Ernst and Sissi Pöschl and the Ecuador Luz y Sombra Association has been fundamental in sustaining and expanding work that today reaches children, adolescents, and families in different areas of Quito.

In this context, partnerships with other institutions have become an important tool for expanding services and creating new opportunities.

Universities and higher education institutes participate through internships and community engagement projects that have helped support beneficiaries, paint facilities, repair playground equipment, and improve resources for the dining area. This is complemented by “Sinfonía Primer Movimiento,” an initiative developed together with Orquesta Sinfónica del Mundo, through which between 25 and 30 children aged 8 to 12 began learning the violin with instruments and a teacher provided by the partner organization. Those who develop a particular interest in music may later be eligible for full scholarships to continue their training.

“Impact is built when partnerships become real opportunities for children and their families.”

Health, education, and opportunities

The foundation has also promoted health-related campaigns. Two dental outreach days revealed that nearly 60% of the children who received care had dental problems. In addition, through an outreach initiative, around 20 people who did not have social security coverage were able to undergo surgery in Guayaquil free of charge.

Beyond the figures, Fundación Don Bosco’s work can be seen in everyday situations: a mother who can complete her workday knowing her child is in a safe place; a child who receives meals and academic support; a family that finds psychological guidance; or a student who discovers a new calling through music.

From the initiative launched by Ernst and Sissi Pöschl in Germany to the work now carried out in Calderón and Chillogallo, the foundation has built a support network that seeks to respond to the needs of children and their families. Its work aims to turn assistance into opportunities for development and to support children and adolescents on multiple fronts, based on the understanding that protecting, educating, and caring also means opening possibilities for the future.