Mission accomplished!
Mission accomplished - more or less! This morning Vito, the man who makes our uniforms, came to collect me in his pick-up truck at 8:30 - slightly later than planned. We went to pick up the towels and toiletries and then started to make our way up to San Senito. As today is Saturday, it is market day at La Cancha so there was no point in even trying to take that route so we took the alternative which skirts the Alalay Lake.
Vito's truck is not so new so the journey took a while and we reached San Benito just before 10. Most of the families who live in San Benito and the surrounding area were already there but those who had to come down from Chaki Kh'ocha, Lobo Rancho and other more distant places had not arrived so we waited a little to give them a chance.
The Town Hall sent along a representative who is the councillor for Human Development. Sister María Olga, the headmistress of the school run by Dominican nuns also came along. Each one was able to say a few words as did Primo and then it was my turn. I stressed the effort that the children of St. Peter the Apostle school in Glasgow were making to sponsor five children because it is important that people realise that the people who support them are not rich but just ordinary people.
With the help of the town councillor and Sister Mª Olga, we were able to hand out all the things in quite a short time: first the school materials, then uniforms and schoolbags, then socks and finally toiletries. The children whose drawings were included in the calendar all received a copy for themselves and they were delighted with it. The vitamins donated by LABCATAL were distributed to the children we regarded as most in need of them which means the children from Chaki Kh'ocha in particular.
The three boys who are now in higher education received the money for certain items such as transport, lab fees etc. Alissandro Torrico is now in his final year of teacher training and it was heartening to hear him say to everyone gathered there that if it had not been for the help he had received from the project he would never have been able to get as far as he has and he will never forget this. Marco was not able to attend as he had classes this morning but his father signed for him.
The majority of the new beneficiaries are children starting school this year and they were all delighted to receive their uniforms and school books.
Before breaking up boxes of "empanadillas", a kind of turnover with various fillings were distributed to everyone and they all drank their favourite treat - the dreaded Coca Cola. The poor village dogs smelled the food and came in in the hope of being able to scavenge some leftovers. I think they did get some and some of the children gave them a piece of their turnovers.
Vito's truck is not so new so the journey took a while and we reached San Benito just before 10. Most of the families who live in San Benito and the surrounding area were already there but those who had to come down from Chaki Kh'ocha, Lobo Rancho and other more distant places had not arrived so we waited a little to give them a chance.
The Town Hall sent along a representative who is the councillor for Human Development. Sister María Olga, the headmistress of the school run by Dominican nuns also came along. Each one was able to say a few words as did Primo and then it was my turn. I stressed the effort that the children of St. Peter the Apostle school in Glasgow were making to sponsor five children because it is important that people realise that the people who support them are not rich but just ordinary people.
With the help of the town councillor and Sister Mª Olga, we were able to hand out all the things in quite a short time: first the school materials, then uniforms and schoolbags, then socks and finally toiletries. The children whose drawings were included in the calendar all received a copy for themselves and they were delighted with it. The vitamins donated by LABCATAL were distributed to the children we regarded as most in need of them which means the children from Chaki Kh'ocha in particular.
The three boys who are now in higher education received the money for certain items such as transport, lab fees etc. Alissandro Torrico is now in his final year of teacher training and it was heartening to hear him say to everyone gathered there that if it had not been for the help he had received from the project he would never have been able to get as far as he has and he will never forget this. Marco was not able to attend as he had classes this morning but his father signed for him.
The majority of the new beneficiaries are children starting school this year and they were all delighted to receive their uniforms and school books.
Before breaking up boxes of "empanadillas", a kind of turnover with various fillings were distributed to everyone and they all drank their favourite treat - the dreaded Coca Cola. The poor village dogs smelled the food and came in in the hope of being able to scavenge some leftovers. I think they did get some and some of the children gave them a piece of their turnovers.
Labels: Bolivia, Cochabamba, La Esperanza Bolivia, LABCATAL, San Benito
posted by Mary | 9:43 PM
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