REPORT OF VISIT TO L
REPORT OF VISIT TO “LA ESPERANZA” PROJECT
March 2006
As my arrival was delayed by 24 hours, I missed Saturday’s programme. Fortunately Primo Castro had gone ahead and picked up the school materials and the uniforms from the suppliers who aready know me and who were confident that payment would eventually be forthcoming. On Sunday morning (March 12th) we made a trip to the Cancha market in Cochabamba where, despite the fact that most of the stalls were closed, we managed to purchase the socks for all the children.
On Monday March 13th we set off at 7 am for the MANACO shoe factory (a subsidiary of Bata) where the shoes had been ordered in advance and were awaiting collection and payment. The order was checked and paid for and we were able to take the three large boxes away with us. Last year the factory transported the merchandise into the centre of Cochabamba, but this time we had to organise the transport ourselves. Fortunately we did manage to get that sorted out in good time and reached San Benito for our 10 am appointment with the children and their parents.
In previous years I went around the various schools to hand over the uniforms and materials but this year we decided that a better strategy would be to invite all the beneficiaries and their families to San Benito. One of the main aims of this exercise was to foster a sense of belonging to a single community of “La Esperanza” rather than simply individual beneficiaries in various communities dispersed around the countryside. I think this was a positive decision.
The children and their parents gathered in the church patio where there is sufficient space to accommodate everyone and to store the goods. The head teachers of the various schools (except Lobo Rancho) attended as well as the education officer from San Benito Town Hall and the district education officer.
Speechmaking is a favourite occupation in Bolivia so each official representative was given his or her say. When my turn came, I took the opportunity to spell out what I expect from the students and their families this year.
The major commitments set out from the beginning were reiterated, namely that children must attend school regularly, do their homework and achieve to the best of their ability. They are also required to wear their uniforms, and parents were admonished of the consequences of selling the clothes and shoes and of keeping them for “good”.
It was pointed out that La Esperanza has no vested interest in increasing the number of beneficiaries for the sake of it. Our aim is to empower the children and young people by making a contribution to their education so that they will be in a position to improve their own situation and that of their families in the future. It was stressed that we would rather work with 5, 10 or 15 truly committed students and families, pooling the resources of more than one sponsor should this prove necessary as the children grow and their requirements increase, rather than spreading resources thinly aiding students and families with little interest in self-betterment.
As a stimulus the children and their parents were informed that at the end of each term they should send a copy of the child’s school report and a letter or drawing (depending on the age of the child). If these requirements are not met, the children will be withdrawn from the programme. I think that all the families understood what was being asked of them. I ensured that all these points were translated into Quechua for greater clarity, particularly for the families from the puna community of Chaki Kh’ocha.
The mothers had prepared a lunch of chicken and rice which we all ate together. Before leaving most people asked for a date to be fixed towards the end of the first term so I feel that my words did not fall on deaf ears. It remains to be seen which families will carry through till the end of the year.
The major task still remaining was to pay for the school materials and the uniforms so we visited both suppliers and I paid my debts.
The following day I had some business to attend to investigating the circumstances of some children that I knew when we lived in the Chapare whose mother had put them into an institution. I visited the place with their father. It turned out to be a school run by Swiss and German nuns. We reached the conclusion that the educational level there was undoubtedly higher than in the Chapare and that if the children wished to continue their education they would be well advised to remain there. The two older children recognised this and decided to remain. The smaller child wanted to go home with his father but for the time being he will also remain at the school to see if he will adapt. One of the major sticking poins is the food, but I could see that the problem is probably that the school diet is more varied than the diet they are used to in the Chapare – based on rice and yuca – and they have not got used to the new tastes and textures. Greater discipline and orderliness are also probably a problem but I felt that the long term benefits of them remaining there are undoubtedly considerable, not least in the field of greater hygiene and manners. It remains to be seen whether their father will be able to do without them, but that is another matter ...
I also met with david, the young boy whose mother had cancer. Margarita is remarkably well. The illness seems to be in recession and Margarita has found a new job. Her pay is only Bs 150 (€15) per month and they do not pay her either punctually or regularly but she is making the best of things. David now lives with his mother again but he decided, wisely I think, to travel down from Qlisa to Cochabamba so that he can continue to attend the same school as before where the educational level is higher than in the villages.
Those of you who can read Spanish will see the magnitude of the problemn of educational levels quite clearly when you see the teacher’s reports. Many of the teachers are barely literate themselves.
I feel that the visit was profitable and positive and hope that both parents and children will fulfil the requirements throughout the course of the year.
March 2006
March 2006
As my arrival was delayed by 24 hours, I missed Saturday’s programme. Fortunately Primo Castro had gone ahead and picked up the school materials and the uniforms from the suppliers who aready know me and who were confident that payment would eventually be forthcoming. On Sunday morning (March 12th) we made a trip to the Cancha market in Cochabamba where, despite the fact that most of the stalls were closed, we managed to purchase the socks for all the children.
On Monday March 13th we set off at 7 am for the MANACO shoe factory (a subsidiary of Bata) where the shoes had been ordered in advance and were awaiting collection and payment. The order was checked and paid for and we were able to take the three large boxes away with us. Last year the factory transported the merchandise into the centre of Cochabamba, but this time we had to organise the transport ourselves. Fortunately we did manage to get that sorted out in good time and reached San Benito for our 10 am appointment with the children and their parents.
In previous years I went around the various schools to hand over the uniforms and materials but this year we decided that a better strategy would be to invite all the beneficiaries and their families to San Benito. One of the main aims of this exercise was to foster a sense of belonging to a single community of “La Esperanza” rather than simply individual beneficiaries in various communities dispersed around the countryside. I think this was a positive decision.
The children and their parents gathered in the church patio where there is sufficient space to accommodate everyone and to store the goods. The head teachers of the various schools (except Lobo Rancho) attended as well as the education officer from San Benito Town Hall and the district education officer.
Speechmaking is a favourite occupation in Bolivia so each official representative was given his or her say. When my turn came, I took the opportunity to spell out what I expect from the students and their families this year.
The major commitments set out from the beginning were reiterated, namely that children must attend school regularly, do their homework and achieve to the best of their ability. They are also required to wear their uniforms, and parents were admonished of the consequences of selling the clothes and shoes and of keeping them for “good”.
It was pointed out that La Esperanza has no vested interest in increasing the number of beneficiaries for the sake of it. Our aim is to empower the children and young people by making a contribution to their education so that they will be in a position to improve their own situation and that of their families in the future. It was stressed that we would rather work with 5, 10 or 15 truly committed students and families, pooling the resources of more than one sponsor should this prove necessary as the children grow and their requirements increase, rather than spreading resources thinly aiding students and families with little interest in self-betterment.
As a stimulus the children and their parents were informed that at the end of each term they should send a copy of the child’s school report and a letter or drawing (depending on the age of the child). If these requirements are not met, the children will be withdrawn from the programme. I think that all the families understood what was being asked of them. I ensured that all these points were translated into Quechua for greater clarity, particularly for the families from the puna community of Chaki Kh’ocha.
The mothers had prepared a lunch of chicken and rice which we all ate together. Before leaving most people asked for a date to be fixed towards the end of the first term so I feel that my words did not fall on deaf ears. It remains to be seen which families will carry through till the end of the year.
The major task still remaining was to pay for the school materials and the uniforms so we visited both suppliers and I paid my debts.
The following day I had some business to attend to investigating the circumstances of some children that I knew when we lived in the Chapare whose mother had put them into an institution. I visited the place with their father. It turned out to be a school run by Swiss and German nuns. We reached the conclusion that the educational level there was undoubtedly higher than in the Chapare and that if the children wished to continue their education they would be well advised to remain there. The two older children recognised this and decided to remain. The smaller child wanted to go home with his father but for the time being he will also remain at the school to see if he will adapt. One of the major sticking poins is the food, but I could see that the problem is probably that the school diet is more varied than the diet they are used to in the Chapare – based on rice and yuca – and they have not got used to the new tastes and textures. Greater discipline and orderliness are also probably a problem but I felt that the long term benefits of them remaining there are undoubtedly considerable, not least in the field of greater hygiene and manners. It remains to be seen whether their father will be able to do without them, but that is another matter ...
I also met with david, the young boy whose mother had cancer. Margarita is remarkably well. The illness seems to be in recession and Margarita has found a new job. Her pay is only Bs 150 (€15) per month and they do not pay her either punctually or regularly but she is making the best of things. David now lives with his mother again but he decided, wisely I think, to travel down from Qlisa to Cochabamba so that he can continue to attend the same school as before where the educational level is higher than in the villages.
Those of you who can read Spanish will see the magnitude of the problemn of educational levels quite clearly when you see the teacher’s reports. Many of the teachers are barely literate themselves.
I feel that the visit was profitable and positive and hope that both parents and children will fulfil the requirements throughout the course of the year.
March 2006
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