FFGE Spring 2026 Newsletter
May 8, 2026
For Future Generations, Ecuador
Spring 2026 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
There is a lot to share…a lot going on with For Future Generations, Ecuador!
First, an update on the students. We now have 25 students, 9 graduates with 3 more to graduate this summer! We are also going to add 5 more scholarship slots to bring us to 30 total scholarships! This is a big step of faith for us. The demand is great, even from just the Parish of Guangaje these days, because more students are graduating from high school, delaying marriage or childbearing and aspire for a professional career, which is a way for them to improve their standard of living. This is a HUGE change in expectations and culture for the families and the young people in the indigenous communities.
Our graduating students are:
· A young man who attended Universidad Central in Quito with a major in Environmental Engineering.
· A young man who attended ESPE University, studying Mechanical Engineering, and
· A young woman who attended Universidad Tecnica de Cotopaxi, in Latacunga, studying Agricultural Engineering.
Three new engineers are intent on contributing to the building up of the Guangaje communities!
Hugely successful Gala Fundraiser!!
On April 17 FFGE hosted a Latin Dance Gala as a fundraiser for our scholarship fund at the local Johnson City Country Club. This is the first time we have done anything like this, and we took it on with trepidation and the great encouragement and vision of our board member, Paulina Mosca. It was a group effort with Julie Wood, Paulina Mosca, Katie Silva (our daughter who is local) and Connie Whitaker forming the Planning Committee. They did a wonderful job of decorating the JC Country Club with Ecuadorian Roses and bringing Ecuadorian crafts for sale in the Silent Auction. We had an Emcee, Ashley Echeverria, who kept the event moving, volunteer dancers from the local dance club (who were GREAT) and a DJ, BJ Golliday, who kept the 180 guests on the dance floor! There was a lot of energy, joy and fun that evening.
Dr. Paulina Mosca
Paulina Mosca, MD, our board member and friend, gave a very powerful testimony to the transformative power of college scholarships. She was enrolled in medical school in Ecuador (medical school and other professional careers start right after high school) but had to come to the US because of a family need. This interrupted her training, and she had no resources to start over. However, she got a full-ride scholarship to University of Central Florida. This allowed her to ultimately continue her medical studies after college and become a family physician. This experience is why she is so passionate about helping those less fortunate get the help they need to attend college.
Dr. David Wood
Dave gave a brief presentation (using Power Point of course) giving a history of For Future Generations, Ecuador. He then focused on 3 of our scholarship students using a video that was put together by Rodrigo Ilaquiche (see enclosed video link). The video beautifully describes how the 3 students come from subsistence farming families, often the only one from their family to go to college. They show the students helping their families on weekends (once, when I asked a group of our students in Quito what they did on the weekends, it drew stares. They then explained that they go home to help their families every weekend!). The video also shows the students’ energy, desire to learn and commitment to apply their knowledge in service of their families and communities.
Sr. Cesar Lutuala
Dave also told the history of Cesar Lutuala, who Julie and Dave have known for 15 years. He is from Tingo Pucara, a small community his father founded 50 years ago, and he has 5 children. As a child, he had to work on the land and could not go to school. However, through perseverance, dedication and help from a non-profit organization, he was able to get a high school degree at 35 years of age through a correspondence school. Because of his education, he is a leader in the Guangaje Parish and has helped many others improve their economic standing. He and his wife are committed to their children’s education as well. 3 of his children have graduated from college (2 were our scholarship students). His story is a powerful example of the desire the indigenous possess to better their economic situation through education, having been denied an education for centuries. They now have the right to an education but lack the resources. Thus, our program helps meet that need and helps them realize their dreams.
Because of the success of the Gala Fundraiser, we plan to expand the number of scholarships from 25 to 30. We hope to expand the number of scholarships in the future, as funds allow. The demand is there. There are many young people who need support to realize their dreams of a college education.
Please donate to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable and indigenous youth in Cotopaxi, Ecuador!
Mail: Checks can be made payable to For Future Generations, Ecuador and mailed to 179 Glass Road, Johnson City, TN 37615
Online: at www.forthefuturege.com, select the DONATE NOW icon Consider sponsoring a student for $180/month.
Thank you!
Dave & Julie Wood
cell: 904-236-8311