Community In Action - Las Delicias

Another rewarding morning. Yeni, Edel and I left at 7.15 to take two more computers to Las Delicias. They have over 40 students now meeting in Trinidad's house. Six of those students come from a neighbouring village a couple of kilometres away. I hope you find that as exciting as I do.

Setting up

Ready to roll - opportunity for more than 12 students

This week, Trinidad was in the office wondering how to get a classroom built so that students could study without having to be in his tiny house or on the porch. We talked about options. In the end, he said that he would organize the students to make adobe blocks and go ask the mayor of the region for money for roofing. We promised to find some money to help with odds and ends - that will be another challenge.

Adobe blocks curing and more adobe being mixed for molding

The beginnings of the new school

Today we saw where they have started digging space for the classroom and using the soil, mixed with long pine needles, to make adobe blocks. They need about 800 blocks so are well on the way. It is so wonderful to see a community beginning to take their future into their own hands. They are talking about setting aside a plot in the community for starting demonstration projects in sustainable agriculture as well.

Bags of pine needles used for binding the adobe

We talked about the school plans. They are considering building an African concept latrine.  That would be exciting for me. Maybe they will put a fish tank at one end to use the rainwater from the roof.  Trinidad is just the type of person to try new ideas.

African Concept Latrine - no doors, no water needed, no breakable parts

TTYL

BB

Yojoa School - Two Computers

Friday the 13th. A good day to take two computers to the Yajoa learning centre. José Luis Del Cid, the coordinator of the group has been working hard. There are now fifty students of all ages studying. They have had access to two laptops owned by students but nothing else. That has not stopped them from being creative. They used a projector to shine the lessons on to a wall and have been studying that way.

Alyssa, my daughter, brought two computers with her in her luggage. They were, originally, a gift from a medical clinic in Camrose. Today she got to see them installed and put to use.

Alyssa and Manuel watch Edel set up the computer

Two mothers try a computer for the first time in their lives

Dressed up to learn - lots of hair gel

Obviously José Luis had told a few people we were coming. Two mothers who are studying with us and several children had dressed in their best to welcome the computers. We set them up in the back of José Luis' classroom watched by thirty eager primary students. They were supposed to be concentrating on handwriting but not a whole lot of work was being done.

Students from other classrooms were peeking in the windows to check things out as well. Talk about an abundance of advertising. There are going to be scores of homes hearing about our program tonight. They will also know that 'so and so's mother' was running the computer and showing others how to use it. Exciting stuff for the village ... and for us as well.

José Luis the facilitator talks with Manuel

The "student" becomes the "teacher" after twenty minutes of practice. Imagine her self-esteem level at that moment.

Yesterday, Alyssa and I taught English to a class of teachers. Ines, the principal (read Superintendent) of Santa Cruz has been wanting to find a way for her teachers to start learning English. I agreed to teach two sessions a week. About fifteen teachers - now students - showed up. We had a lot of fun learning a few phrases and practising them. The 'exam' for the day was an open sesame exam (they were not allowed to leave until they 'passed' (ample prompting being provided - the teacher not wanting to stay longer either). They had to say, "My name is ... . I live in Santa Cruz. I am a teacher. I have x brothers and y sisters."

That is all for today. Will let a few pictures speak for themselves.

TTYL

BB