Ecuador is one of the most unequal societies in the world. Over the last 10 years, the differences between rich and poor have been exacerbated by major political and economic upheaval. Around 35% of Ecuador´s 13.5 million people live on less than $2 a day – even though the average family of four needs US$508.94 a month to cover their basic needs.

Guayaquil, Ecuador´s most populated city, is surrounded by urban slums. These communities are plagued by extremely high levels of violent crime and lack even the most basic services, such as paved roads, safe drinking water and sewers. Although electricity is available, the supply is very dangerous as it drawn illicitly through makeshift devices which are little more than wires thrown over the mains. Most of the houses in these slums are made of cane with zinc rooves. Even when they have built a house, residents often do not have any rights to the land on which their homes stand.

Street-working children - those who work on the streets but who go home to their families at the end of the day - make up the majority of the street-involved child population in Guayaquil. These children are exposed daily to the risks of accidents, violence, sexual abuse, drugs and assaults. The increase in lawlessness and acute economic recession in Guayaquil has also led to increased levels of violence both within the community and inside the home.

Many of the children work from the age of four, and are on the streets unsupervised for up to 13 hours a day. Their chances of gaining an education are diminished by the long hours they work, the poor standard of local facilities and the high cost of going to school (money must be found for uniforms, registration fees, transport and school materials).