Blue Guardians has strengthened the connection of 20 women from San Cristóbal with marine and coastal ecosystems through training, lived experiences, and community leadership.
The project has built a network of women committed to marine conservation who share what they have learned with their families and communities, multiplying their environmental and social impact across San Cristóbal.
Participants in alphabetical order:
Angie Rivas Romero, Blanca Orellana Pacheco, Cloris Díaz González, Dana Román Mantilla, Denisse Agama Loor, Eladia Castro, Elizabeth Criollo Oña, Elita Vernaza Bernaza, Gissella Peña Beltrán, Jenaira Cordova Sandoval, Jenny Carchipulla Sisalima, Lorena Quijosaca, Fernanda Dueñas, María Sanchez, Nancy Jimenez, Nelly Cagua Vergara, Rocio Yauly, Sandra Gonzales Romero, Silvana Falconi Díaz, and Sylvia Sotamba Caiza.
The names on this list were chosen by each Blue Guardian exactly as she wishes to be recognized.
Blue Guardians incorporates a gender, inclusion, and human rights approach that acknowledges the diverse realities shaping women’s participation in their families and communities. All the women in the group take on caregiving responsibilities. Among them, half have a direct connection to disability — either as caregivers of a family member with a disability, or because they themselves live with a disability.
In keeping with this approach, the project partnered with Asociación Corazones Unidos, an organization that promotes the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in San Cristóbal. Concrete measures of shared responsibility were also put in place — including childcare services during activities — reducing barriers to participation and ensuring real conditions for access.