The Voices That Drive Ecuador
- Crea Tu Espacio
- Aug 3
- 5 min read
Move, Move: Sixteen Years of Transforming Radio Through the Eyes of Migrant Children.
Once upon a time, there was a city (Cuenca) in the Andean heart of Ecuador, where twenty children and adolescents in situations of human mobility decided that silence was neither a valid nor a dignified option. It was September 2009, and amid borrowed microphones and huge dreams, “Muévete, Muévete” was born—a radio program that not only broke communication barriers but also gave a voice back to those whom the system insisted on silencing.
Today, sixteen years later, that small studio at Radio Católica Cuenca has become a movement that resonates every week on more than thirty-five frequencies across the country. It’s not magic. It’s collective effort, deep conviction, and the unwavering certainty that a child with a microphone can change the world.
The story of “Muévete, Muévete” cannot be understood without first grasping what it means to grow up far from home. Thousands of children and adolescents who arrive in Ecuador fleeing situations of violence, extreme poverty, or family breakdown face a barrier that is rarely clearly articulated: imposed silence. These are people who are rarely asked questions and even less often listened to. This radio program stepped into that void to demonstrate that communication is also a way to assert dignity and claim the right to exist within the collective narrative of a country that welcomes them. “Communication is a powerful tool for building a more inclusive world. Muévete, Muévete is not just a radio program; it is a space where children continue to dream” — Program archives, 2009–2025.
From its very first broadcasts, the program embraced a model that remains uncommon in the world of media: participatory production in which children and adolescents themselves serve as hosts, scriptwriters, interviewers, and content editors. They are neither guests nor mere window dressing. They are the true protagonists of each episode. This approach was no accident; it stemmed from a deep conviction: that children and adolescents in situations of human mobility have perspectives, talents, and stories that deserve to be heard without filters or adult intermediaries who interpret or reduce their reality to a statistic of vulnerability.
It didn’t take long for the program to gain traction. After its first year on the air, CORAPE (the Coordinating Body of Popular and Community Radio Stations of Ecuador) opened its network of thirty-two community radio stations so that “Muévete, Muévete” could reach rural areas, indigenous communities, and corners of the country where migration also causes pain and brings about change. Later, La Voz de Zamora and Radio CENEPA joined the effort, expanding the chorus of those who believed that children and adolescents deserved their own space on the airwaves, free from conditions or institutional paternalism of any kind.
Currently, the program airs weekly on Radio La Voz de Ingapirca, Radio Silvería Stereo, and 32 community radio stations through CORAPE, building an audience that spans provinces, languages, and cultural boundaries. It has been on the air continuously for sixteen years—a figure that would be remarkable in any media industry, but which, in the context of social communication with migrant children, represents a historic milestone that Ecuador should recognize with much greater institutional support.
Life Story
Among the faces that bring this project to life is Lusney, an 11-year-old Venezuelan girl who arrived in Ecuador without really knowing what lay ahead. But “Muévete, Muévete” offered her something the system took longer to provide: a place where she could be exactly who she was, without having to apologize for it. Her Caracas accent—which in other settings might have been a reason for exclusion—became her distinctive and unmistakable trademark.
The audience recognizes her, appreciates her, and looks forward to seeing her week after week. Lusney is not the exception; she is the living symbol of what this program has built over more than a decade and a half of constant work.
The model behind “Muévete, Muévete” is equally valuable from an educational perspective. Participants don’t just learn to speak into a microphone. They develop confidence, the ability to present arguments, research skills, proficiency with audio technology, and, above all, they learn to listen to one another with genuine respect. Many of those who have gone through the program have discovered vocations they never knew they had: storytellers, reporters, digital producers, and podcast creators. The program serves as a breeding ground for communicators who understand the world through their own life experiences, and that authenticity is irreplaceable.
The topics covered in each episode are as varied as the stories of its protagonists: the environment, culture, sports, human rights, migration, identity, diversity, and everyday life. There are no off-limits topics, only voices waiting their turn to be heard. What this program has understood better than many adult media outlets is that the interest lies not in the topic itself but in the person telling the story, and when that person is a child or teenager who is actually living through what they’re talking about, the radio takes on a completely different dimension: it becomes pure, unadorned truth.
“Muévete, Muévete” has been demonstrating for sixteen years that communication can be an act of social justice. That a microphone in the right hands—those of a child or teenager who has crossed borders—can change narratives, break down stigmas, and build bridges between cultures that seem distant but are actually deeply connected when given a real opportunity to engage in free dialogue.
Can your voice also make a difference in Ecuador?
The project isn’t looking for passive listeners; it’s looking for new voices, families who believe in their children, and communities willing to listen with genuine attention. If there’s a child or teenager in a situation of human mobility who has something to say—and they all do, always—Muévete, Muévete is the place for them. The studio doors are open. The microphones are on. Ecuador is waiting.
To join this communication movement that transforms real lives, simply send a message via WhatsApp to 0990117152 or visit the studio accompanied by a responsible adult. The movement continues. The story goes on. The next great voice to move Ecuador could be yours.
Escríbenos ahora →WhatsApp: 0990117152
Author: Fabian Bacuilima, M.A.
Bibliographic references:
CORAPE. (2025). Red de radios comunitarias del Ecuador. Coordinadora de Radios Populares y Culturales del Ecuador. https://www.corape.org.ec
Muévete, Muévete. (2009–2025). Archivo de producciones radiales. Programa de revista radial con niñez y adolescencia en movilidad humana. Cuenca, Ecuador.
ONU Mujeres. (2024, 27 de septiembre). Las mujeres migrantes en riesgo de violencia y explotación. https://www.unwomen.org/es
UNICEF Ecuador. (2023). Niñez en movimiento: desafíos de la movilidad humana para niños, niñas y adolescentes. https://www.unicef.org/ecuador
Gives Fernández, J., & Cardoso Ruiz, R. P. (2016). Migración ecuatoriana, género y retorno en el siglo XXI. Revista Internacional de Estudios Migratorios, 6(1), 109–144. Redalyc
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