Success 2019!

I returned from my second project visit to Ometepe Island,  Nicaragua, at the end of February 2019, after spending 5 weeks there.  The project originally was inspired by a conversation with my guide Jose Antonio in 2015, when on holiday there.  During the five weeks,  I was able to use the funds, so kindly donated by supporters, working to support two schools with The Forgotten Children of the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes. The aim is to improve educational facilities and access to education, as an investment for the  future.

Re-entry into the world of plenty is always a culture shock after the simple life in Ometepe, where animals roam the dirt streets, children run barefoot and houses use water sparingly with outdoor kitchens and toilet facilities. Yet the people have big and generous hearts and will help as they can and always have time to talk.

One of the poorer families we visited.  We later returned with a food parcel on Valentines Day.  It seemed a suitable day to give some love.

An expression of gratitude.  This grandmother looks after several children due to death or abandonment of their parents.  There is no income. Three children received uniform and a food parcel was delivered.

This year we supported two schools, The Rafaela Herrera Primary school and its three satellite schools (260 pupils), and Santa Teresa primary school (61 pupils).

Santa Teresa school is situated in a very rural location towards the lake.  Parents fish or work in the fields.

Tilgue is a small rural satellite school 

Las Pilas is in a small village near Urbaite.

At Rafael Herrera with Hemer (the headteacher) and Jose.

 Santa Teresa received a computer, printer and speaker, and a small office corner was constructed in classroom; all children received exercise books and pens and some received uniforms. 

 Santa Teresa school office, the headteacher said it was a dream come true!

In Rafaela Herrera we overhauled their audio and ICT equipment including donated laptops that arrived courtesy of the Peace and Hope container, to make best use of their existing equipment. This created a small ICT facility for teachers, pupils and the community.

We found a local computer company called Computer Service Ometepe.

  Across the two schools around 60 pupils received new uniforms, and more are available for distribution from the containers. We also bought cleaning equipment as the pupils and teachers clean the school themselves, and stationery for the teachers to make displays and do their daily work. I am grateful for the support and hospitality of the two headteachers, Hemer Luisi Ortiz Villanueva and Yasmina Hernandez.

Mops and brooms result in big smiles

'Free' stationery for the teachers.  

Children were playing with the table tennis bats and balls sent out last year and now they have proper footballs too. There are some toys for the preschool children and some new musical instruments have been provided for their marching bands. 

Grateful thanks to Peace and Hope;  we collected 18 boxes from Managua including two laptops.

Last year's donations being used.

This year's donations being distributed.

The children run up to me in the street to say thank you for their uniforms and the parents showed such gratitude for the uniform, giving me gifts of bananas, avocados and oranges, all they had to offer.  We gave food parcels to the poorest families, where extended families live with a single adult trying to support their needs, with no income other than catching fish, collecting firewood or collecting fruit from the countryside.

When I met this little family in the street, I heard that the older siblings had received a uniform and would be going to school that afternoon.  However little Ronnie has been left off the list as the youngest child.  Hard choices had to be made by the school staff, within the available budget. 

But that was addressed later when we took Little Ronnie along to the local shop, he looked a little bemused by the event.

All funds are directed at the needs of the school and community.  I pay all my own costs. Funding has come from generous individuals and some local organisations.  The latest addition to these is Craig Knight from The Coffee Cup.

This year I have also been helped by Marvin, Allan, Lourdes, Jesus, Marlon and Fanor;  a trusty team is establishing itself on Ometepe Island! 

I plan to return next year; ongoing needs are uniforms, stationery, pens, pencils books, preschool toys, shoes, laptops, mobile phones, the list is endless. As Peace and Hope are able to transport in their containers again, please contact me if you wish to check.

Financial donations are also most useful particularly monthly donations which can be made via the Peace and Hope website, to my donations page (see Peace and Hope web address below) or through their page (donate monthly)  marked ‘Gibbs-Ometepe Project’.   Cheques can be sent to the address on their webpage.  We hope to support a number of teachers and young people with university fees at a cost of around £25 per month as a new venture. 

gibbs125@btinternet.com

07810565226

http://www.peaceandhope.org.uk/

Look out for our 2019 fundraising events to be published soon.