Anghelo has a lot of determination to succeed at whatever he does. He has begun to play the guitar, and practices for two hours every day. He also sings in the school choir. Apart from music, he is keen on mathematics and would one day like to become an accountant. He is close to his immediate family and likes to spend the weekend playing with his cousin.

Sebastian lives with his mother, step-father and two siblings; his father has a regular but low-paid job, but his mother only has irregular work. Sebastian likes to play the guitar. He is also enjoying learning the Quichua language at school. In the future, he is hoping at the moment to work in gastronomy.

Brenda lives with her mother and two older siblings. Her mother struggles to support them through her low-paid work. She started to learn to play the violin in her primary school and is now continuing to have lessons through the Condor Trust. She loves playing the violin and would like to become a great violinist.

Magaly lives in a small village on the outskirts of Quito with her mother and two sisters. Her mother does not have a stable job.

There are 8 people in Johnny's household: his mother and father, five brothers and sisters, and himself. Johnny calls himself number four - he has three older and two younger siblings. They all live in a large village in the mountains in a house with three small rooms and a patio. His father, mother and older brothers earn a living locally in agriculture, but the work is seasonal and insecure. Johnny has been doing well at school. He's particularly keen on maths but likes anything technical. His dream is to be able to qualify as an electrical engineer. When he's not at school or helping at home, he likes to play the guitar.

Jennifer is a lovely girl, and very mature for her age. This is probably because she has to take charge of all the household chores. Her mother abandoned the family, leaving Jennifer with her father, an ill man, and a younger sister to look after. She has a strong character and a great will to overcome her difficulties and realize her dreams.

Genesis lives with her mother and an elder sister, who is 20. They live in a small house built by the government but had to take out a loan for it, which they are now working to pay back. Genesis is a very bright student and managed to get a place at one of the best state secondary schools in the city. This means a long daily journey from her house on the outskirts, as the school is in the middle of the city, but she says she doesn't mind this (most days!). She enjoys most subjects at school, and is also very fond of animals. This is why she would one day like to become a vet.

Anita has so far had a very difficult life. She is an only child, although this wasn't always the case. A younger brother died of cancer four years ago and her father also died a few years previously. At the moment Anita lives with her mother. She is very dedicated to her studies. When she first came to the Condor Trust two years ago, she was very sad and shy, but this is changing little by little. Now she is beginning to dream about the future and what she might be able to do.

Cynthia lives with her parents and three younger brothers, aged nine, five and two, in a small rented house in a village in the mountains. Her father works on the land. His income is erratic: at times he cannot find work and at other times the severe mountain weather prevents him from working. Cynthia goes to the local school, although she will have to change schools at the end of the next academic year as her present school does not cater for the last three years of secondary education. This will mean a fairly long daily journey for Cynthia, as the nearest suitable school is several miles away. At the moment, she is happy with her friends in the local school. She particularly enjoys maths and eventually hopes to be able to find a job working with computers.