How should we engage the disenfranchised? The organization “Participación Ciudadana” is addressing this issue, aiming to involve Ecuadorian society in processes of social transformation. The approach is to inform citizens of news who are often forgotten about by the centric-national media. The project, Participación Ciudadana, is an electronic newspaper produced by regional news agencies in the provinces of Azuay, Guayas, Imbabura and Manabí. The newspaper is published online, featuring topics on politics, jurisdiction, legislation, elections, citizenry, the diaspora, and Latin America.

Participación Ciudadana allows the public to participate in the newspaper, accepting written articles, videos, forum discussions, and online surveys to stir debate in a society that struggles to find space for open criticism. The newspaper is deemed successful with its wide-range of readers seeking local information. A special feature that is popular is the live-streaming debates between experts and stakeholders on government policies.

Further steps are being made to keep the newspaper sustainable, by selling advertising space and seeking support from donors.