In Ecuador, most conservation projects focus on wildlife or exclude local communities from active participation. However, community engagement is essential for fostering collaboration among key stakeholders, including local communities, academia, and NGOs. The CEPF project “Amphibian Conservation Strategies in the Sangay-Podocarpus Corridor” serves as a model for promoting gender equality and social inclusion by shifting the perception of women from victims to agents of change. The GESI approach enables meaningful integration and involvement of rural communities in conservation efforts. In this framework, rural women are learning sampling techniques and actively contributing to research and conservation initiatives.