The Forgotten Children of the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes

To read about the origins of the project, click here. Origins of the project Sunday was spent with José's extended family at the beach at Santa Teresa. There was lots of relaxing, chatting, a BBS and some fishing, and the children from the family received their uniforms. There are many private thank you's but also people tell me their current aspirations and I know they hope for more help. I don't jump in quickly but put the information aside for later. On Monday I met the new head teacher Hermers Luisi. I was able to explain the background to the project and the principles as I see them, and to talk about how it could be managed with accountability to donors. We agreed that everything provided was for all the staff, and chikdren and where appropriate should be accessed by the community. I was impressed by his efficient and pro active stance. He had already begun to clean up the office and out of his own money, and with his family's help was dividi...

I arrived Thursday to my welcome committee in Rivas, and we had lunch together before the ferry journey and travel to my hotel. Jose, Marvin and Jordy The approach by ferry.  En route we dropped off one suitcase containing only items for donations and collected my motor cycle gear. This time I shall just be riding pilion, mostly with Allan, who has offered his services. My hostel this year is superior to last year although the same amazing value and almost opposite. It has access to the beach where I have walked a couple of times, although they seem anxious to keep it closed.   There is a lovely flower garden in the centre and my room is cleaned daily.   However, I mistakenly left a banana today and came back to find a gheko, feet upwards and lots of ants coming from behind the socket. The owner swept and sprayed, I wiped with bleach wipes and finished off with a squirt of repellent! But further ants corpses have appears in the night. So f...

I arrived Sunday evening for an overnight stay in Las Mercedes , Nicaragua.  Travelling on to San Juan la Concepcion, it was difficult to imagine the enormous crisis that has occurred this year. The city looks much the same, with hotels, shopping malls and those dreaded flowers. My couple of days at La Mariposa Spanish School, was partly to catch up with old friends Allison and Paulette and partly to learn more about their projects. Paulette s energy and commitment amaze me, with an ever increasing range of projects in a financially challenging situation which would keep me awake at night! But her ecohotel is a simple and ecologically inspirational concept, which sadly lacks clients in the current situation. We visited El Panama, a project support children's education and English in a very rural community, in the hills close to the Massaya volcano. Here the buildings are damaged by the fumes, tiny splinters of glasslike minerals fall on all surfaces risking damage to skin,...