Growing Opportunities for Women in Rural Ecuador
Two Ecuadorian siblings decided that they want to make a real difference in their country of origin. They wanted nothing less than to break down entrenched patriarchal structures and help women achieve greater equality. To this end, they co-founded the company ‘Ayan Ec’.
Profile
- Name:
Daniel Chiriboga & Maria José Chiriboga
- Professional background:
Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation & Master’s degree in Architecture
- Business idea:
Social enterprise dedicated to producing premium-quality vanilla
- Company Name:
Ayan Ec
- Website:
- Main business site:
La Villega sector, Santo Domingo province, Ecuador
My mother is the engine of my life. This brave woman taught me so much and has always been an inspiration for me. Like myself she is an architect by profession. But unlike myself, she had to deal with a lot of discrimination during her work life. Not only on construction sites, but also in our male-dominated Ecuadorian society in general.“Ayan” means “Mother” in Tsafiki, the language of the Indigeneous Tsáchila people in Ecuador’s Santo Domingo province where the majority of people earn their livelihoods in agriculture. Yet, women have a harder time finding a decent job in this rural province burdened by poverty. Jobs on the banana, cacao and coffee fields are mainly given to men and many of these jobs are informal and far from secure.
Mariana de Jesus Samaniego, a 77-year-old woman who has dedicated her entire life to agriculture, was the one who came up with the idea to create an unprecedented project that would provide new and fair job opportunities for women. Women who, for the most part, haven’t had the chance to finish school are often restricted in their professional opportunities. Particularly in rural communities, this can lead to financial dependence on husbands. Inspired by Mariana’s wish, siblings Daniel and Maria José Chiriboga - two architects based in Germany-joined forces with Mariana’s grandchild and agricultural engineer Fausto Salinas to bring “Ayan Ec” to life.
“Ayan is not about making money, it’s about changing our patriarchal society,” says Daniel. His words reflect the serious social challenges in Ecuador, where gender inequality and violence against women remain critical issues. Collaborating with women from different rural communities, Ayan creates job opportunities for women and advances gender equality through sustainable agriculture.
Rural women are generally overlooked. They lack decent working conditions and fair pay. We want to change that and help create a new reality.Since Daniel, Maria José and Fausto didn’t want to produce just anything, but something special, they chose vanilla, one of the finest orchids in the international market. Daniel explains why: “We associate vanilla with the strength of a woman thriving in a harsh environment like the Ecuadorian countryside.”
Every vanilla flower is carefully hand-pollinated.
After the harvest, the vanilla pods are carefully washed.
Two years after its launch, Ayan Ec produces high-quality organic vanilla products – namely beans, powder and essence – and sells it on Latin American and European markets. Yet, Daniel avoids calling Ayan a business and prefers the term “family”. He says: “Everyone talks about the femicides that surround us, but few take action. Our Ayan family is the attempt to actually do something. It is a community project, a collective effort to confront deep-rooted societal issues and bring about real social change.”
At the moment Ayan consists of seven women and three men. The women are not only being trained, working in the project and getting a secure income, they also live close by with their families in houses that the project provides since commuting to this remote area would be difficult.
Empowering women creates a ripple effect that can transform entire communities. It is not just about individual change, it is about reshaping mindsets and breaking cycles of inequality in both men and women. “When women are empowered, their partners are also challenged to grow. They must, for example, understand that any form of violence undermines the dignity and stability of the whole family, and cannot be accepted under any circumstance,” explains Daniel. This is one of the rules in the Ayan family.
One of the women working and living in the Ayan family is Rosa Macías. She says: “Finding stable work was hard, especially with my son’s illness. Since joining Ayan, I have a safe and steady job working in greenhouses. I can balance work and family because of flexible working hours and there is also support with things like school supplies and work uniforms. But what is just as important: I have enough money to take care of my son’s expensive medication. Working at Ayan has really changed my life for the better.”
Another woman who gives an insight into her new life is Katty Torres: “At Ayan, I work with all my strength alongside an amazing group of women, I feel supported and heard. They’ve given me training and confidence to grow in my work with vanilla plants. Being part of Ayan makes me feel proud, knowing that what I do does not only help myself, but also my family and the community.”
Bringing in the harvest: Leonor Perez (l.) & Martha Espinoza (r.)
Vanilla pods are washed with clean water before the drying process.
Ayan embodies a business vision that brings together exceptional product quality, social impact, and international growth. As Ayan expands its presence in international markets and introduces Ecuadorian vanilla to the global stage, it is equally committed to ensuring that the women behind its products grow alongside the business.
Further information on the offers available to the Ecuadorian diaspora can be found below.