The Community - Atucucho

Atucucho means "Cave of the Wolf", and in many ways, this is the truth. The community is full of all kinds of evil: drugs, gangs, prostitution, thievery, and other social vices are present. Since parents must pay for their children's secondary education (high school) many of the young people cannot attend. The poverty of the people, in combination with the problems of society prevent the posibility of change or hope.

Environment: In this sector, the most common source of contamination is garbage, and in spite of the existence of recollection vehicles, the inhabitants have not given up their bad habit of throwing garbage on the street corners. The trash accumulates and becomes a potential source of many serious illnesses which are transmitted by insects.
Economy: In reality there is no true economy in the immediate community, as far as industries or large businesses. There are, however, and abundance of small businesses such as: bakeries, produce stores, clothing shops, small convenience stores, and copy and printing shops. Most of the men in the area work in construction. The women make a living as street vendors, selling domestic necessities. The Children that do not attend school make a living by shining shoes and selling small items in the markets or on busses.

Health: The most common illnesses in the area tend to be colds, since the climate is so cold. Malnutrition is also a persistent issue. Since the drinking water is not purified, all of the children, as well as the rest of the population, have parasites. In the sector there is no health center, other than the state run facility. It is not a particularly good institution, but the majority of people in this area still rely on it since the next closest state run health center is in Cotocollao. There are several other health institutions that bring health and social services into the community, normally by the means of health campaigns which last for, at the most, two or five days. The people which attend these campaigns receive some of the medical attention they need, as well as free medications. There is also a Red Cross group, made up of people from the district. Their main work is to offer services to the community in times of personal or family tragedy, or when there is a special program in the area.
Housing: Nearly 80% of the housing in the area is self-owned. The material predominantly used in building is cinder-blocks, followed by brick and adobe. The number of rooms per house varies between two and three. The most common foods are potatoes, rice, beans, and grains, but very few families have vegetables. 45% of families have a refrigerator, and only 4% own a computer. 65% have a kitchenette, and in very few cases, a full kitchen.
Free Time : Men in the area dedicate most of their free time, especially on the weekends, to playing soccer, volleyball, and drinking with their friends. The women, for their part, spend most of their time taking care of the home. Almost every saturday in the sector there are dances or art presentations which tend to draw out most of the teenagers and young adults. The most popular type of music is National, followed by Reggae, Cumbias, and Vallenatos.
Church: There are six churches in the community, of which three are of Evangelical denominations and three are Catholic.