Summary of Proyecto AEXCID - Asociación de Turismo Comunitario Mashpi (Ecuador)

The video highlights a community tourism project in the rural area of Quito, Ecuador, specifically in the Mar Community located on a mountain slope within the Andean Chocó Region. The project aims to improve tourism services and the quality of life for local inhabitants through community collaboration and sustainable development.

Key Lifestyle and Community Development Tips:

Community Organization: Strong local organization is essential to overcome marginalization and lack of access to basic services such as water, sanitation, health, education, and transportation.
Participatory Design: Involving community members in the design and construction process ensures that projects meet their needs and encourages ownership and sustainability.
Use of Local Materials: Bamboo (Guadua Cane) is used as a sustainable, locally sourced building material.
Collective Labor (Mingas): Community members contribute labor and materials collectively to build and improve infrastructure.
Pooling Resources: Combining individual and project resources enables improvements that would be unaffordable alone.

Tourism and Infrastructure Improvements:

Accommodation: Renovation and expansion of homes to provide lodging for tourists, including building new bathrooms and additional rooms.
Food Services: Upgrading dining areas to be more attractive and comfortable for visitors.
Tourist Attractions: Creation of new attractions such as:
- A Herbarium showcasing medicinal plants for tourists to learn about and try.
- A mushroom greenhouse for cultivating edible and medicinal mushrooms.
- A Butterfly House built on previously unused land to attract visitors.
Community Store and Information Point: Establishment of a space to promote and sell local products and provide tourist information, enhancing marketing and outreach.

Health and Environmental Aspects:

Promotion of medicinal plants and natural remedies through the Herbarium.
Sustainable agriculture and planting of native mountain plants.

Notable Locations and Partners:

Mar Community, Rural Metropolitan District of Quito, Ecuador
Andean Chocó Region
Río Más Vile Tourism Association: A group of 21 members, mostly young women, leading the tourism initiatives.
Central University of Ecuador, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism: Provides technical support and student involvement in design and construction.
Local Builders and Families: Skilled artisans who collaborate with architects using traditional and sustainable methods.

The project is a successful example of community-driven tourism development that empowers locals, preserves cultural and natural heritage, and creates economic opportunities.

Notable Quotes

— 13:55 — « It has been a good experience because it has allowed us to empower ourselves with this space. It is very important for our community to have an information point because at the moment it does not exist and now we have one. »

— 14:08 — « A community store where the products of the different partners that are part of the association can be displayed, promoted and the best and the biggest can be marketed. »

— 14:32 — « Together we always reach many distant places because if it had been individual it would not have been possible. »