Warmi VIVAMENTE: Building community and well-being among women students

A review of the Warmi VIVAMENTE project was recently published, written by the professors who lead the initiative, along with reflections from the students who participate as community liaisons. The text captures the experiences from the project’s first year and the lessons learned along the way.

Completing a university degree is not just about studying and passing exams. It requires mental health, support networks, and dignified living conditions. When we talk about women who study far from home, these challenges become even more significant: distance from family, the caregiving roles that still fall heavily on them, the need to adapt to a new city, and feelings of insecurity all directly impact their well-being. 💭

After a year of implementation, Warmi VIVAMENTE has demonstrated something essential: when students have access to supportive spaces, they can build a real community. Participants have formed bonds that act as a mutual support network, especially in difficult moments. 🤝💜

What stands out is that this project is neither expensive nor complicated. It is interdisciplinary, easily replicable in other universities, and places its focus where it truly matters: on student well-being. Because university education does not happen only in classrooms — it also takes shape in how we support one another, how we eat, how we navigate the city, and how we sustain our emotional health. 🌱📚

The success of Warmi VIVAMENTE lies in the integration of three key elements:

• Urban orientation to move through the city with confidence and safety 🚶‍♀️🗺️

• Emotional support to recognize and accompany everyday experiences 💬❤️

• Daily meals as essential care, not a luxury 🍽️✨

  
  

What has been achieved is both simple and profound: a living community. And in university life, that makes all the difference. 🌻

You can download Telar magazine #5 at this link: https://editorial.ucuenca.edu.ec/omp/index.php/ucp/catalog/view/178/395/896

Photo credits: Josué Orozco y Dirección de Comunicación UCuenca