forever flowers
The Santiago Partnership exists to serve underserved communities in Ecuador by transforming the lives of at-risk children and their families. A central part of our mission is achieving local self-sustainability—both financially and in leadership. We are committed to increasing the resources generated within Ecuador, so our projects rely less on outside aid, while also empowering Ecuadorian leaders to guide and manage every aspect of the work. The Forever Flowers social enterprise represents the next major step toward these goals, creating dignified income opportunities and strengthening the project's long-term sustainability.
The Problem
All around the world, we’ve seen the same pattern: when international projects depend on foreign aid, they rarely last. They flourish for a season, but once outside funding or outside leadership fades, the work often collapses. We refuse to let that be the story in Cayambe.
As the U.S.-based 501(c)(3) behind the Santiago Partnership, we recognize that it’s time for us to step back so the Ecuadorian team can step fully into the leadership that already exists on the ground. From the beginning in 2014, our goals were clear:
Open the Medical Clinic — done.
Open the Home for At-Risk Children — done.
Support the project until it becomes fully self-sustainable — in progress, and within reach.
We don’t want this to be another example of a well-intentioned international project that was “great while it lasted” but ultimately didn’t endure. We want it to be a story of long-term transformation—led by Ecuadorians, sustained by Ecuadorians, and rooted in the community it serves.
The Solution
From the very beginning, our goal has always been full self-sustainability for the project. But because we were starting from scratch, we knew we first needed to build the ministries themselves—laying a strong foundation before expecting the work to sustain itself. Even so, the team has been steadily moving toward sustainability from day one. You can see this progress reflected in the growing percentage of the project’s budget now covered by funds generated within Ecuador, a percentage that has increased year after year.
We had already taken important steps toward sustainability, but we were ready for something bigger—something that could accelerate the project’s long-term stability and expand opportunities for families in our community.
Enter: the Forever Flowers initiative.
Our model is simple but powerful: start small, grow high‑quality flowers, and then equip others to grow the same beautiful varieties. By producing together, we can increase our volume, strengthen our local economy, and sell in higher quantities. Once we’ve established a strong and reliable revenue stream through domestic sales, we’ll take the next step—introducing our flowers to the international market.
You can support the Forever Flowers Initiative by clicking Donate below and marking your donation for “Forever Flowers.”
At Forever Flowers, our unwavering commitment lies in environmental stewardship. We uphold sustainable flower production practices that encompass the use of organic fertilizers and eco-friendly materials, all under the vigilant oversight of seasoned horticulturists. These practices not only ensure the absence of biological risks to our workforce but also align with and adhere to the stringent regulations and protocols set forth by the Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador.
In our pursuit of social responsibility, we have woven a tapestry of opportunity within the indigenous community that serves as the Forever Flower's home. This endeavor has created employment opportunities, fostering an environment where both novices and seasoned professionals can grow and flourish together. Our commitment to diversity and inclusivity is evidenced by a workforce that is equally composed of women and men, each enjoying equitable compensation—a testament to our dedication to wage parity and gender balance.
Updates to Forever Flowers
December 10th, 2020 - A pickup truck with a cooler was purchased for Forever Flowers.
February 24th, 2021 - Received the emission of the updated legal paperwork for FACE (our local NGO).
March 11th, 2021 - Esther Moreira was hired as the Forever Flowers Administrator.
July 24th, 2021 - Shipping container half-filled with farming equipment to be shipped from Minneapolis was approved by the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis.
August 31st, 2021 - The land for Forever Flowers was officially purchased and put into the name of FACE.
September 12th, 2021 - The ground was broken for the first time on the land with repairs being made to the entrance and the first tilling of the soil.
September 15th, 2021 - The shipping container was shipped to Ecuador from the port of Seattle.
October 8th, 2021 - The shipping container arrived at the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador.
November 19th, 2021 - A new initiative Forever Flowers 2 - Extending into the Commmunity was started.
November 29th, 2021 - Construction on the Forever Flowers Greenhouses began.
December 3rd, 2021 - A Container filled with supplies for the farm arrived to Cayambe.
January 15th, 2022 - The construction of the Greenhouses was completed.
April 3rd, 2022 - A new Reservoir was dug on the Forever Flowers farm.
May 11th, 2022 - The Irrigation System and the Reservoir were completed.
June 12th, 2022 - The Alstroemerias were planted.
July 8th, 2022 - The Baseroots for the Roses were planted.
September 6th, 2022 - We welcomed Karolína Nováková to the Forever Flowers team.
September 21st, 2022 - The Rose Varieties were grafted into the baseroots so our first rose cultivation is complete.
November 20th, 2022 - We harvested our first 150 alstroemerias.
January 22nd, 2023 - We completed our first sale of alstroemerias.
February 6th, 2023 - We harvested our first roses.
February 14th, 2023 - We completed our first sale of roses.
February 15th, 2023 - Construction was started on the Forever Flowers’ Business Center.
September 20th, 2023 - The Ecuadorian government approved the new statutes of FACE
February 14th, 2026 - First International Shipment of Forever Flowers
All these updates with more detail can be found on our Blog.