Another day of shocks and surprises!
Well last night I had nightmares about locks and fraying ropes and danger, which I'm sure arose from the school visits. Allan dropped me off at Sintiope, yesterday, one of the satellite schools just iutside Urbaite. It is one of the rural schools attached to Rafaela Herrera. It is quite small, three buildings with four classrooms and a small admin area. We were met by Mayella, who was previously at Rafael at Herrera as deputy and another young woman who was teacher in charge. She showed us around.
Firstly there was a classroom with practically no door and the space stuffed with barbed wire. It had been broken down, as the front gates had no padlock. So that was the first two things on the list. In fact all doors were similar in that they couldn't be locked and unlocked. The only one with a functioning lock was opened from the inside by a parent entering the neighbouring classroom, clambering over a very unstable partition and opening it from the inside. The partition was another matter, separating the preschool class from the next class it was tied to a girder with a piece of inadequate string to stop it falling on the children. There were no functioning lights. It would be condemned in England, but here it is too far from the seat of government in Managua to register on the spectrum of interest.
There were no toys or equipment but they had received stationery from the boxes. I must label boxes for specific schools in future. However what struck me, was that if we have purchased uniform to enable children to attend, provided some stationery and cleaning materials, we must consider the children's health and safety before purchasing the frills.
The water tank is unstable, one set of toilets not functioning, just two latrines with no door locks, so cannot be secured. The roof over the administration block leaks, so the food for lunches gets damp ( rice and beans).
A further group of four orphans were identified for uniform. They had been missed as they were not at school on the day the lists were made. The next day I saw them at the shop with their teacher collecting their uniforms.
Next we walked to Las Pilas, a bit of a hike up the main road and along the dirt road, passing all the usual sights, people with their animals, people on motor bikes, walking, waves and greetings from local children.
We were greeted by a group of teachers whom we talked to about the project again. We explained what we were going to deliver for them, teacher stationery, cleaning material, general stationery. And we asķed for a tour of the building. Again, we discovered there were few working lights, several doors that couldn't be opened. I was concerned that the water tank we had discussed last year was still in the same state and that the children couldn't fill their bottles. The toilets were non functioning because of the water tank and the latrines were in an appalling state. There was a similar partition in need of repair for the preschool children.
I explained how I can send equipment which will arrive as and when but that the children's health and safety would for me come before computers. The head wants Rafaela Herrera to have the shared comouter centre, and there is suffivient equipment but the teachers here said they had not received the wifi code and were charged for copying. Now no income is showing on the reports, so I must get to the bottom of this. Another reason for being here longer, plus I am going to copy the signed agreement I made with the head and give to each satellite school. I don't want to undermine the head, but I do want things to be right concerning what we are giving and whom it is for.
The visit was finalised with a lunch which we weren't expecting, lunch having been organised at Jose's parents. So fortunately the teachers went off to work, I ate a little rice, wrapped up the chicken to take away for someone else and gave the beans to Marvin.
We returned to lunch with the family via the local shop with a few more things to add to the order. A great welcome as usual by the family and a visit to their new bathroom. Constructed of wood and plastic and still open to the elements, Anna swept the concrete floor for me and introduced me to the flushing toilet with its neighbouring shower. Quite a luxury here!
Silvia had helped prepare a tasty organic chicken soup with some interesting vegetables, most enjoyable. We then chatted with Pedro Antonio about the work to be done in the schools. He later visited the secondary school to make a start.
We returned to Marvin's house, prepared some bags of teacher stationery and headed off to the secondary school accompanied by Jose. He is helping us when he has finished work. Whèn we arrived we were ushered in as something was obviously being prepared. We were invited into another room to sit at a table prepared with gifts and the teachers were assembled. The headteacher spoke and thanked us, the speaker had been repaired and the school had received support during the year for the football team , a new shelf unit and a few small things. A national dance was performed and I was invited to speak. I explained a little about the project, what we had done and how I had raised funds. I told them how having been in education i understood their needs and aspirations. The teachers thanked us and said that like a grain of sand, small things made them feel appreciated and gave them hope. And that someone was thinking about them. They showed the trophy the children had won, then we had time to talk. I spoke quite a bit with the English teacher.
By this time Pedro Antonio had arrived and begun work on the doors, and Jefferson had arrived to start overhauling the printer and computer. The technician also arrived with a new lead for the speaker. I could see the motivation that this help was offering to the teachers who arrive each day to a building in a state of disrepair, broken equipment and needing to motivate their students.
We returned to Marvin's, and spent a considerable time awaiting my ride. Allan was stuck in Altagracia as he had no helmet and probably no papers and there was a police road block. I was assured it would go by 5 but at 6 it was still their. The jungle telegraph passing around the latest news. After 6 it was getting dark and we had to make a decision, so we paid Marvin's neighbour Elvis to take me home, Jordy being too inexperienced to make the return journey in the dark! I discovered thst Allan didn't get home til 8 and thst it was helmets they were checking.
I was shattered, so after a chat with Patrick, a quick supper of mushroom soup, I fell asleep, nothing else achieved but got up feeling refreshed.
Today was a day of more purchases and distribution. We caught the bus to San Jose, where we went to the builders' merchant, found another hose for Sintiope, and some more locks but had to order more as they had run out. So now we have bought up the locks in Moyagalpa and San Jose! We enquired about the cost of cement and sand and the tin panels, also discovered we can carry all this on the bus for a small charge!
As always we chatted about various things whilst we waited for the bus. I mentioned our Wi-Fi notices of bus times, Marvin talked about air conditioned bus stops in Dubai he had seen on tv.
The return bus was a bit quieter and we got back for lunch. Afterwards we sorted out the cleaning liquids for distribution. Marvin borrowed a handcart and we loaded everything up and delivered it to Rafael a Herrera, the secondary school and to Marvelli for el Corozal. Marvin, Jordy and Jose pulled and pushed the cart which wasn't easy on the dirt back roads where there are lots of bumps and holes. We laughed that we couldn't find a horse but Marvin was a good donkey!
On the way back to the house I popped into the shop and bought cake, so we could have afternoon tea, English style.....well not quite.
We then remembered there were four more bags of teacher materials to deliver so yet another walk to the secondary.
After that we checked the money box and call was correct, phew.
I returned to Miraflores at 5pm. One day I'll get a bit more time off. Perhaps at the weekend.
Firstly there was a classroom with practically no door and the space stuffed with barbed wire. It had been broken down, as the front gates had no padlock. So that was the first two things on the list. In fact all doors were similar in that they couldn't be locked and unlocked. The only one with a functioning lock was opened from the inside by a parent entering the neighbouring classroom, clambering over a very unstable partition and opening it from the inside. The partition was another matter, separating the preschool class from the next class it was tied to a girder with a piece of inadequate string to stop it falling on the children. There were no functioning lights. It would be condemned in England, but here it is too far from the seat of government in Managua to register on the spectrum of interest.
There were no toys or equipment but they had received stationery from the boxes. I must label boxes for specific schools in future. However what struck me, was that if we have purchased uniform to enable children to attend, provided some stationery and cleaning materials, we must consider the children's health and safety before purchasing the frills.
The water tank is unstable, one set of toilets not functioning, just two latrines with no door locks, so cannot be secured. The roof over the administration block leaks, so the food for lunches gets damp ( rice and beans).
A further group of four orphans were identified for uniform. They had been missed as they were not at school on the day the lists were made. The next day I saw them at the shop with their teacher collecting their uniforms.
Next we walked to Las Pilas, a bit of a hike up the main road and along the dirt road, passing all the usual sights, people with their animals, people on motor bikes, walking, waves and greetings from local children.
We were greeted by a group of teachers whom we talked to about the project again. We explained what we were going to deliver for them, teacher stationery, cleaning material, general stationery. And we asķed for a tour of the building. Again, we discovered there were few working lights, several doors that couldn't be opened. I was concerned that the water tank we had discussed last year was still in the same state and that the children couldn't fill their bottles. The toilets were non functioning because of the water tank and the latrines were in an appalling state. There was a similar partition in need of repair for the preschool children.
I explained how I can send equipment which will arrive as and when but that the children's health and safety would for me come before computers. The head wants Rafaela Herrera to have the shared comouter centre, and there is suffivient equipment but the teachers here said they had not received the wifi code and were charged for copying. Now no income is showing on the reports, so I must get to the bottom of this. Another reason for being here longer, plus I am going to copy the signed agreement I made with the head and give to each satellite school. I don't want to undermine the head, but I do want things to be right concerning what we are giving and whom it is for.
The visit was finalised with a lunch which we weren't expecting, lunch having been organised at Jose's parents. So fortunately the teachers went off to work, I ate a little rice, wrapped up the chicken to take away for someone else and gave the beans to Marvin.
We returned to lunch with the family via the local shop with a few more things to add to the order. A great welcome as usual by the family and a visit to their new bathroom. Constructed of wood and plastic and still open to the elements, Anna swept the concrete floor for me and introduced me to the flushing toilet with its neighbouring shower. Quite a luxury here!
Silvia had helped prepare a tasty organic chicken soup with some interesting vegetables, most enjoyable. We then chatted with Pedro Antonio about the work to be done in the schools. He later visited the secondary school to make a start.
We returned to Marvin's house, prepared some bags of teacher stationery and headed off to the secondary school accompanied by Jose. He is helping us when he has finished work. Whèn we arrived we were ushered in as something was obviously being prepared. We were invited into another room to sit at a table prepared with gifts and the teachers were assembled. The headteacher spoke and thanked us, the speaker had been repaired and the school had received support during the year for the football team , a new shelf unit and a few small things. A national dance was performed and I was invited to speak. I explained a little about the project, what we had done and how I had raised funds. I told them how having been in education i understood their needs and aspirations. The teachers thanked us and said that like a grain of sand, small things made them feel appreciated and gave them hope. And that someone was thinking about them. They showed the trophy the children had won, then we had time to talk. I spoke quite a bit with the English teacher.
By this time Pedro Antonio had arrived and begun work on the doors, and Jefferson had arrived to start overhauling the printer and computer. The technician also arrived with a new lead for the speaker. I could see the motivation that this help was offering to the teachers who arrive each day to a building in a state of disrepair, broken equipment and needing to motivate their students.
We returned to Marvin's, and spent a considerable time awaiting my ride. Allan was stuck in Altagracia as he had no helmet and probably no papers and there was a police road block. I was assured it would go by 5 but at 6 it was still their. The jungle telegraph passing around the latest news. After 6 it was getting dark and we had to make a decision, so we paid Marvin's neighbour Elvis to take me home, Jordy being too inexperienced to make the return journey in the dark! I discovered thst Allan didn't get home til 8 and thst it was helmets they were checking.
I was shattered, so after a chat with Patrick, a quick supper of mushroom soup, I fell asleep, nothing else achieved but got up feeling refreshed.
Today was a day of more purchases and distribution. We caught the bus to San Jose, where we went to the builders' merchant, found another hose for Sintiope, and some more locks but had to order more as they had run out. So now we have bought up the locks in Moyagalpa and San Jose! We enquired about the cost of cement and sand and the tin panels, also discovered we can carry all this on the bus for a small charge!
As always we chatted about various things whilst we waited for the bus. I mentioned our Wi-Fi notices of bus times, Marvin talked about air conditioned bus stops in Dubai he had seen on tv.
The return bus was a bit quieter and we got back for lunch. Afterwards we sorted out the cleaning liquids for distribution. Marvin borrowed a handcart and we loaded everything up and delivered it to Rafael a Herrera, the secondary school and to Marvelli for el Corozal. Marvin, Jordy and Jose pulled and pushed the cart which wasn't easy on the dirt back roads where there are lots of bumps and holes. We laughed that we couldn't find a horse but Marvin was a good donkey!
We returned to the shop to collect the cleaning tools and set off again; everything was received with thanks, and Pedro Antonio was continuing to work on the repairs.
On the way back to the house I popped into the shop and bought cake, so we could have afternoon tea, English style.....well not quite.
We then remembered there were four more bags of teacher materials to deliver so yet another walk to the secondary.
After that we checked the money box and call was correct, phew.
I returned to Miraflores at 5pm. One day I'll get a bit more time off. Perhaps at the weekend.
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