As immediate danger for a women and her children occurs, a trained network of helpers will rescue the woman in pre-planned action. In communities where partnership with police is not possible, our own staff rescues the women/children from immediate danger.

Our after care shelter is located in a secret location outside of Cuenca. The shelter can accommodate 15 families at a time and is a warm, safe and welcoming place for traumatized families.

Women and children often come bearing the impact of violence and trauma (PTSD). Professional counseling and medical evaluation is part of the initial administration process. Ongoing counseling is available.

Under the guidance of a staff cook, 3 women cook meals for all families at the shelter. Both women and children come to the shelter with health challenges from undernourishment. We educate them on the importance of nutrition and they participate in growing vegetables in our existing greenhouse.

Foundation Casa Maria Amor's partner organization called Mujeres Con Exito (Women with Success) consists of three small businesses. Women receive job training and profits are paid directly to them. They learn to save and several women now have their own fruit cart and can sustain their life outside the shelter.

Women we help are often unaccustomed to the freedom of making their own financial decisions. We help them establish micro-savings accounts and they learn monthly budgeting and goal-setting.

Through Mujeres Con Exito women receive training in cooking (catering), bookkeeping, restaurant hostessing and serving, and laundry. In the future we would like to offer more advanced training in partnership with local businesses.

Women leave the shelter to restart their lives knowing they have a support network. They can always return to Casa Maria Amor and attend weekly counseling and support meetings, team up with other women/children and receive additional training.