https://doi.org/10.37955/cs.v6i1.239

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eISSN: 2600-5743

Impact of a new linkage strategy to

improve the quality of life of the

Jujan community

Impacto de una nueva estrategia de vinculación para

mejorar la calidad de vida de la comunidad de Jujan

Francisco Javier Tafur Méndez

Master in Technology and Educational Innovation,

Instituto Tecnológico EuroAmericano

ftafur@euroamericano.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5501-3675

Mayra Lorena Zambrano Chamba

Master in Education

Instituto Tecnológico EuroAmericano

mzambrano@euroamericano.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6612-3087

Joffre Javier Vásquez Del Rosario

Commercial Engineer

Instituto Tecnológico EuroAmericano

jvasquez@euroamericano.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5171-9045

Antonio Marques Firmino

Master in Educational Management

Instituto Tecnológico EuroAmericano

amarques@euroamericano.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9761-4065

ABSTRACT

The linkage projects represent an advantage in the development

processes of communities in a state of poverty or vulnerability, since

they work systematically to achieve objectives that serve as a solution

to the problems that afflict the people who live in these places. On the

other hand, linkage projects are also recognized as a useful tool for

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educational institutions to have real approaches with the

communities, and that these experiences can contribute to the integral

formation of their students. For this reason, the main objective of this

study is to propose, through the Instituto Superior Tecnológico

EuroAmericano, a linkage strategy focused on the case of the Jujan

canton. In order to determine which is the ideal strategy for the case

studied, the method of bibliographic review was used to study similar

cases where strategies that allow the economic development of this

type of communities have been applied. Based on the information

found, it was determined that the best option in the case of Jujan is to

focus the linkage strategies on animal husbandry projects in the homes

of the families in the community.

RESUMEN

Los proyectos de vinculación representan una ventaja en los procesos

de desarrollo de comunidades en estado de pobreza o vulnerabilidad,

ya que trabajan de forma sistemática para alcanzar objetivos que

sirvan como solución a los problemas que aquejan a las personas que

habitan en estos lugares. Por otro lado, también se reconoce a los

proyectos de vinculación como una herramienta útil para que las

instituciones educativas tengan acercamientos reales con las

comunidades, y que estas experiencias puedan contribuir a la

formación integral de sus estudiantes. Por esta razón, el objetivo

principal de este estudio es proponer a través del Instituto Superior

Tecnológico EuroAmericano una estrategia de vinculación enfocada al

caso del cantón Jujan. Para determinar cuál es la estrategia idónea

para el caso estudiado se usó el método de revisión bibliográfica para

estudiar casos parecidos en donde se hayan aplicado estrategias que

permitan el desarrollo económico de este tipo de comunidades. A

partir de la información encontrada se determinó que la mejor opción

en el caso de Jujan es enfocar las estrategias de vinculación en

proyectos de crianza de animales en los hogares de las familias de la

comunidad.

Keywords/Palabras clave

linkage with society, animal husbandry, entrepreneurship, quality of

life, vulnerable communities.

vinculación con la sociedad, crianza de animales, emprendimiento,

calidad de vida, comunidades vulnerables.

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Introduction

The linkage projects that are developed in educational institutions are

of great importance for the improvement of many communities, some

of these belonging to the productive sector. The linkage work that is

done through union and cooperation makes it possible to improve the

living conditions of the people involved (Novillo, 2019). For this

reason, this can increase the income of producers and rural workers,

and as a consequence, improve the quality of life of these communities.

These projects are also vital for students in their professional and

academic development. Thus, the actions of students in terms of

linkage projects are intended to make them useful individuals for

society, with competencies that allow them to share their knowledge

and their results to be disseminated to the community through skills

and experiences that are of benefit to those who contribute and

intervene in that process (Polaino and Romillo, 2017).

The Instituto Superior Tecnológico EuroAmericano aims to be

recognized thanks to its good academic quality, its attention to current

needs and contribution to the improvement of the living conditions of

the communities in the region. In this sense, the overall quality of the

institution and its processes is built from the intertwined linkage with

the continuous improvement, mission and vision of the institute

(Pérez et al., 2020).

This will be possible through constant activities that involve

innovation, research and community outreach, through student

support of all the careers present in the institute. For this reason, the

Instituto Superior Tecnológico EuroAmericano has developed an

agreement with the Fundación Amigos Salesianos (FAMS), in order to

meet the objectives of linkage proposed in its academic programs and

obtain new knowledge for the entire university community.

We proceed to propose a linkage strategy to improve the quality of life

of the inhabitants of the community of Jujan, the community where

one of the FAMS headquarters is located. In addition to this, it is taken

into account that Jujan has 36% of poverty by consumption (Molina et

al., 2015); therefore, it is beneficial to work in terms of finding

solutions to the economic problems that arise there. In this way, it is

expected that the development of this strategy will guide the students

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in their linkage process and provide effective solutions for the people

of the community and for its productive sector.

The proposal of a linkage project is resorted to, since they allow the

creation of an interaction between the academic body and the

communities, being of benefit to both parties. According to Granados

(2020) "The linkage with society is a substantive function and key

process that generates capabilities and knowledge exchange according

to the academic domains established by the institution" (p. 91). In this

way, these processes generate necessary skills for students and

generate new knowledge for the entire academic community.

The linkage work will be carried out in four localities of Jujan: 4

Caminos, Pajonal Sur, La Porfía and La Otilia, where the communities

present will be instructed through training given by students of the

Instituto Superior Tecnológico EuroAmericano. The main objective of

this study is to propose a suitable strategy to improve the productive

processes in the community of Jujan and thus help in its

socioeconomic development.

It should be noted that Jujan's economy is based mainly on agriculture

and livestock. Thus, Jujan is defined as a mainly agricultural canton,

in which its population has been dedicated to agriculture. In Jujan,

rice, sugar cane, cocoa, corn and bananas are grown. In addition,

activities such as artisanal fishing are also recognized, which is also

part of the work that represents the daily livelihood of each of the

inhabitants. However, it is considered a fragile system due to the

scarcity of opportunities presented or poor management, either

because public or private entities in the area have worked individually

and for a short time, leaving the inhabitants dissatisfied. For this

reason we seek to propose a different strategy to support the

socioeconomic development of Jujan, which will benefit the selected

families and the community in general.

By practicing outreach, different important areas for the development

of societies can be addressed. For this reason, linkage activities with

society involve participatory processes, community building, actions

focused on information networks, assistance and attention to new

coexistence strategies, cultural, educational and integral development

interventions (Alcívar, 2020). Thanks to this, we work in a versatile

and dynamic process, which can be adapted to the needs of each

community and can serve as a basis for future linkage actions.

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Linkage is a recommended strategy in projects of a social nature where

work is done with vulnerable communities, since they are necessary

for empowerment to be generated in them and a change in knowledge

and in the structuring of ideas of students (Gonzales et al., 2018). For

this reason, linkage activities are an ideal strategy in many situations

where change and development actions are needed. These types of

projects will always be characterized by their horizontality, respect and

listening in favor of the community (Estudillo, 2018).

The linkage projects are based on the progressive improvement of the

quality of life of the intervened subjects and their surroundings.

According to Paredes et al. (2020) "quality of life is the state of

physical, social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and occupational

well-being that allows individuals to appropriately satisfy their

individual and collective needs" (p. 7). Thus, it is understood that

quality of life encompasses several dimensions of human life and that

this is why it can be related to the breadth of actions of the linkage

projects.

Apart from being composed of several dimensions, it can also vary

depending on the stage of life of the subject in question and is

influenced by other factors, such as socioeconomic factors, health

conditions, the place where he/she lives, personal satisfaction and the

social environment in which he/she lives (Hernández et al., 2020).

Quality of life is understood as a set of factors that influence the overall

well-being of the person. Regarding this Razo et al. (2018) explain that

"quality of life would be divided into physical, psychological, social and

environmental aspects" (p. 63). For this reason, the improvement of

quality of life will depend on efficiently addressing the different needs

present in the mentioned variables. This should be taken into account

when defining and planning a linkage strategy so that it can be a useful

solution and support for the communities involved.

Materials and Methods

For this study, a literature review was carried out in an attempt to

associate and synthesize the results obtained through specific case

studies of productive sectors in vulnerable communities and their

characteristics in order to have an overview of the strategies to combat

socioeconomic problems in situations such as those raised with

respect to Jujan.

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This analysis is based on current knowledge about Jujan and the

factors that influence the development of productive activities. The

total area of Jujan is distributed for agricultural, livestock and forestry

use, and there are also rest lands, uncultivated areas and areas

corresponding to housing. However, although many of these people

are dedicated to the production and sale of rice, lately this has been a

difficult task due to climatic changes and economic conditions in

which local farmers are not bought to see good results after production

(Goya, 2021).

First, the case of "Development of home gardens by older Guabeño

adults in the province of El Oro, Ecuador", a research conducted by

Estrada and Escobar in 2020, was studied. This research studied how

home gardens have allowed people to have a tool for food sovereignty

and security through healthy agricultural production, which can

guarantee food for people and contribute to improving their living

conditions. This project was carried out as a linkage strategy, as a

teaching-learning resource that instructs people about food culture

and processes, specifically in older adults. After applying surveys and

observing the problem, the results showed that it is possible for older

adults to develop family gardens in their homes and that these can

contribute to their quality of life.

The second study taken into account was conducted by Lepe et al. in

2020, entitled "The raising of backyard domestic animals in the

communities of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala". This research studies how

backyard animal husbandry occurs, which serves as a livelihood

support for the subsistence of vulnerable communities. The authors

investigated the case of animal husbandry of a group of women of

indigenous origins. These animals were housed in stables built with

low-cost materials and treated against diseases by means of medicinal

plants. On the other hand, the animals were fed with nixtamal water,

a dough made from cooked corn and household waste. These authors

also point out the importance of paying special attention to the

prevention and treatment of diseases that could affect the animals.

On the other hand, Vázquez and Calderón (2017) explain in their

research that "backyard domestic animal husbandry is part of the

global strategy to produce food for families living in poverty in rural

and peri-urban areas" (p. 16). This is mentioned in their research

entitled "Diversity and practices for raising domestic animals in

backyards of indigenous communities in Guerrero, Mexico", where

they mention that in this type of situation they have a large number of

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resources for agroecological practices and bases for adaptation to the

environment by the animals, strengthening sustainability and self-

sufficient food production. This is of great importance for the integral

development of small communities where there are not enough

resources to undertake certain types of projects and more simple and

viable methods are required so that these people can improve their

quality of life by working from their homes with resources that they

can easily obtain.

Results

The research studies presented situations similar to the one seen in

Jujan, where people have limited opportunities for their

socioeconomic development and resort to strategies that can be easily

implemented from their homes and with affordable materials. This

allows us to have an idea of what proposals can be given as a solution

to the problems faced by the community of Jujan, taking into account

the characteristics that make up this community.

It can be seen how the linkage projects not only seek to support people

through the material elements necessary to carry out the proposed

production activities, but also through the necessary information so

that these communities can carry out their production projects

efficiently, making the most of the resources and executing all the

processes in an adequate manner.

Considering that agricultural projects are something that in some

cases have not given good results for communities on the Ecuadorian

coast, especially rice in the case of Jujan, the option of production

through animal husbandry is considered. By proceeding with animal

husbandry, the inhabitants of Jujan can benefit from the products by

selling and consuming them.

In addition, this project can be carried out jointly, through pairs of

families who are assigned the necessary materials to carry out the

project and can thus support each other in its development. In this

way, collaborative work and the search for better results is encouraged

through organized teamwork.

This type of project allows for sustainable processes and the

production of healthy foods that improve the eating habits of the

inhabitants of the Jujan community. In this way, better products are

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also offered to the community through their enterprises and the

consumption of locally produced food is encouraged, as well as the

development of the family economy.

The study of the different cases mentioned above allows us to have a

clearer idea of how to provide solutions to different problems

presented by communities or people in vulnerable situations. In this

way, it is also possible to identify the advantages and disadvantages of

each option and adapt these solutions to the needs of the individuals

to whom the linkage is applied. For this reason, in order to improve

people's quality of life, it is necessary to recognize which factors should

be taken as a priority.

In this case, approaches were studied where home-based production

projects are developed to improve people's quality of life; however,

there are other types of strategies that can be applied to support the

socioeconomic development of vulnerable communities such as Jujan.

These strategies can also be oriented to tourism activities, services or

the reinforcement of the commercialization of handicrafts and

cultivation, which are already existing activities in this community. In

this way, the construction of new forms of entrepreneurship and the

strengthening of Jujan's economic activities could be evaluated.

It would also be relevant to study in detail the care and maintenance

techniques to be followed in each process by the families that have

these enterprises based on animal husbandry, as well as the specific

management strategies of the enterprise in the areas of accounting,

advertising, service and other relevant aspects for the correct

operation and growth of the business.

Conclusions

The current situation in Jujan demonstrates that it is beneficial for its

inhabitants to propose to improve or implement new strategies that

can enhance socioeconomic activities and develop new solutions to

improve the quality of life of these people. Through new proposals it is

possible to learn more efficient ways to obtain resources, to produce

and to commercialize. In this way we can have a variety of options that

adapt to the current needs of this community.

According to INEC data from the 2010 Census, the urban area of Jujan

is inhabited by 32.33% of men, while in the rural area 67.67% of the

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same gender is concentrated, likewise 34% of women are in the urban

area, while 66% reside in the rural area. These data reflect the

importance of generating solutions for people in rural areas, where

access to more types of jobs can be more complicated.

Considering the situation of the Jujan Community, the approaches of

some of the authors mentioned above may be the ideal solution to

improve the productive processes and show a new way of working to

these people.

The first research study, proposed by Estrada and Escobar, advocates

the ease of productive activities through projects developed from the

participants' homes. This represents an advantage for the inhabitants

of the Jujan community since it is much easier for them to have the

sources of economic development from their homes, taking into

account where most of the population resides. Estrada and Escobar's

study also points out that these types of activities are adaptable and

appropriate for the elderly, which is useful for promoting inclusion

within families and the community in general.

Another of these authors, Vásquez and Calderón, suggest the use of an

animal breeding system to propose it as an option for the main

economic activity of people living in poverty or vulnerability,

explaining that it is not very complicated to obtain the necessary

resources to carry it out. This is very useful for the inhabitants of Jujan,

since these people do not have many resources to sustain their

enterprises.

The animal husbandry option proposed by Lepe et al. indicates that

animal husbandry is a good option as a method of socioeconomic

improvement in this type of community. These authors mention that

the animals can be fed with food made from household waste and

treated for illnesses with medicinal plants. These procedures represent

an advantage in view of the scarce economic resources that can be

allocated for the development and maintenance of the projects

undertaken.

The implementation of new linkage strategies related to animal

husbandry among families in vulnerable communities can bring great

benefits to the people residing in Jujan. From these strategies, local

trade of the products coming from them can be encouraged and the

food security of the community is supported (Cedeño et al., 2017).

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These practices represent an important contribution to the

community, at the same time that they become learning tools (Ortiz,

2019). This is a way in which institutions can have a closer contact with

the communities that are being intervened and allows a

multidisciplinary group of students to lead and participate in outreach

activities. On the other hand, it is also important to take into account

the role of training aimed at these communities in relation to the social

problems they face on a daily basis (Mendoza et al., 2020).

To carry out these outreach activities, the Instituto Superior

Tecnológico EuroAmericano proposes to follow a process in which the

institute donates the initial materials and resources so that the families

of Jujan can begin their productive activities focused on raising

animals in the homes of the residents of Jujan. On the other hand, the

institute will also direct students who will participate in outreach

activities through training to the families who will have the

enterprises. These students will be in charge of explaining the basic

procedures for raising animals and will also explain topics related to

the careers they are pursuing at the institute that may be useful for the

development of production and marketing activities.

The Instituto Superior Tecnológico EuroAmericano through this type

of linkage strategies can provide a useful solution to the socioeconomic

difficulties faced by the inhabitants of rural or vulnerable communities

and also contributes to the academic and professional development of

its students through a real approach to the problems that afflict today's

society.

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