A Long Line of Women

The last several days we’ve witnessed something that had us puzzled. On our way from our home to the Departmento de Aviacion Civil to conduct our English classes, we pass the old Simon Bolivar Airport here in Guayaquil. It is the passenger terminal that has been replaced by the new Juaquin Olmedo Airport about a kilometer farther down the Avenida de las Americas.

The last several days we’ve seen an impossibly long line of Ecuadorians, seemingly mostly, if not all, women. Each day there were hundreds, probably thousands of people stretched in an impressively long line from one end of the terminal all across the front of the massive building. They stood there patiently in this slow-moving line, even in the over 80 degree heat and near 100% humidity. There had been talk that the old airport would become a new conference center for Guayaquil. Chris broached a theory that it might be people applying for jobs.

Yesterday I mentioned this to a few of my students. No, not jobs, they said. The Ministry of Health had a program for medical care for poor women with children. They were in line to apply for a special $35 benefit they could get.

Standing in that long, slow-moving line for a $35 a month benefit?

Yes, and very happy to do it.

Third World Economics 101.