July 2022 will be a special time for AUF Inc. and our beloved community of Guasmo Sur; it will be the first group back in person since the onset of the pandemic. Guayaquil has been the epicenter for both COVID care and economic distress in Ecuador. In 2020, Ecuador took the public health approach to focus the vast majority of hospital based COVID care to the public hospitals and clinics of Guayaquil. This led to significant and systemic overwhelm of the healthcare system in the port area of Guayaquil. Already stressed clinics and hospitals, starting without adequate resources, were drowning under the waves of disease.

The Dispensario Mariuxi Febres Cordero, fondly referred to as “El Sub Centro” de Guasmo Sur, has remained one of the few available clinics open to provide preventative and acute care for the community. As part of community driven ideas for change, AUF has partnered with the Ministry of Health to modernize and expand El Sub Centro. When finished the clinic will have four spacious exam rooms with running water and hand hygiene stations, an on site bathroom, integrated plumbing system, and installation of reliable electricity and air conditioning.

AUF board and committee members will travel to Guasmo to share in this vital enhancement of foundation public health infrastructure. Excitement is building to be in Guasmo Sur to strengthen and re-energize the bonds created over the last 20 plus years.