01
THE FILM
In 2016 Ecuador developed an educational program to attract international teachers to Ecuador to teach English.
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It was named 'Time to teach' and was an education program focused within Ecuador to improve the low level of English proficiency.
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Employing 1000’s of English teachers from abroad to help the poorest and most disadvantaged students however after 18 months the project was abandoned because of a lack of funds.
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​When I heard that the Ecuadorian government’s Time to Teach program left more than 1600 volunteer teachers without housing, stipends, or a home, it struck a chord and I felt compelled to tell their stories.
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Some teachers came from other developing nations and had no personal savings to turn to.
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Many of these volunteers were forced to live on streets, stay in the bus terminal or beg for help.
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Worse still is that a few teachers still remain in Ecuador illegally, never having received official work visas, their tourist visas long-expired.
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The kind-hearted nature of these teachers served to cover a well-laid plan to steal millions.
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Essentially the world needs to know about this story especially Ecuadorians who need to hear how a few elected officials conspired with the foundation 'Edificar' to steal more than $7.5 million dollars intended to better educate their children.
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Moreover, every volunteer who was abandoned, deserves to have his or her story told in full.
02
THE FACTS
Corruption at every level of the program
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Possible ties to drug cartels by the foundation tasked with managing the program.
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More than $7.5 million US Dollars stolen, with a higher percentage invested in the pockets of those with odious plans which accounted for more than 50% of the entire Time To Teach budget.
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This fraud led to teachers suffering tremendously and left many:
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· Without legal work visas
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· Without stipends for living expenses
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· Without the necessary health insurance
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· Without the guaranteed return ticket home.
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· Without a place to live and left homeless
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Furthermore, people who tried to do right were harshly punished:
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The foundation sacked lawyers for finding discrepancies in the financial accounting.
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The local police arrested some teachers in prison for protesting the unfair treatment.
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Interpol being contacted to resolve the situation due to the abuse of the teachers by the authorities.
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The president of Ecuador having to resolve this personally.
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03
THE MISSION
The documentary focuses on 7 areas
1. The time to teach program, what is was and what it was supposed to do.
2. The teachers’ stories and what has happened to them since the project ended.
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3. Trying to help those stranded and assist them getting back to their countries.
4. Those who were involved within the government, the ministers who initiated the project, the levels of bureaucracy involved in financing and implementing the Time 2 Teach program. More importantly investigating the foundation Edificar, which had a much bigger role overseeing everything.
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5. A strong emphasis on where the money went, how it was stolen the levels of corruption that are evident in the project and ways that the money was taken.
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6. Showing how 'Time 2 Teach' like other governmental projects routinely have finances diverted away from their actual purpose.
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7. Finally, How has this affected all of those involved including families, The Schools and the students.
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