JAMES DEAN BYRD
James Dean Byrd is an American who moved to Canoa, Ecuador, over 10 years ago. He was a local businessman in the community and is now retired.
Over the years, Jimmy quietly helped numerous poorer families in Canoa to send their children to school by paying their tuition, buying book and uniforms, etc.
In 2006 some of the parents in the village of Canoa approached Jimmy for help in starting a private school in hopes of improving the quality of the education for their children.
This was the beginning of the concept of the James Dean Byrd Foundation. Jimmy and Emily Fahle, a young teacher, volunteer and traveler, began the long process of obtaining land, permits, and official approval for the school, which opened in April, 2008.