Consulate News
Ambassador Heather Hodges Pays First Visit to Manabi
January 13, 2009
Ambassador Heather Hodges recently made her first visit to the province of Manabí. Her trip included meetings with local authorities and business leaders, as well as tours of two projects that receive support from personnel from the U.S. Military’s Forward Operating Location (FOL) in Manta.
Her first stop was at the Instituto Angelica Flores de Manta, which provides services to children and young adults with special needs. In 2008, personnel from the FOL, the U.S. Embassy’s Military Group and the Southern Command joined forces to raise a total of $23,000 to improve the facilities of the institution.
Ambassador Hodges also visited OSCUS, an institution that teaches professional skills to young adults in various fields. To support the work that the organization has been doing in Manta, FOL personnel have worked to improve their electrical system and have donated vehicles, machines, and chairs to the barbershop that OSCUS manages. While touring the facilities, Ambassador Hodges donated an additional $1000 to the organization.
In addition to assisting these two institutions, more than 1,500 volunteers from the FOL have donated various supplies and vitamins over the past ten years to different projects that work with the community of Manta.