Profile
- Name of the diaspora organisation:
Association for Sustainable Development and Cooperation in Latin America - NEZLA e.V. (2021)
- Partner country:
Ecuador
- Head office of the organisation:
Leipzig, Germany
- Funding period:
2025 – 2026
Why is NEZLA e.V. involved in Ecuador?
In the project region, women face significant gender inequalities, and agriculture relies heavily on fertilisers and pesticides. Mushroom cultivation offers a way forward: it is a low-cost, income-generating opportunity that gives Indigenous women a path to financial independence. Grown on plant biomass without pesticides, mushrooms are also an environmentally friendly crop. They are rich in nutrients and a more affordable alternative to meat, which benefits both health and the climate.
What is planned?
Training for 30 rural women on mushroom cultivation, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and the development of value-added mushroom products, using an artisanal production method adapted to the local context.
Awareness-raising on climate change and the negative effects of agrochemicals on health and the environment.
Training and support for the commercialisation of mushrooms and the development of sustainable income-generating activities.
Provision of initial equipment for mushroom production and use of locally available plant biomass as a raw material for cultivation.
I feel very excited. I love projects that say, ‘Yes, let’s do this.’ Having someone else’s support is very important because it gives us a sense of confidence. [... ] Why not? If others can, we can too.
Further information on the offers available to the Ecuadoria diaspora can be found below.