Identifying enormous need in a rural community.

Today I visited El Corozal.  This involved a long bumpy ride along a mostly unmade road riding pillion.  I can now feel where every bone in my body is situated! Hora nica now seems to have shifted to an hour early rather than an hour late, as Francisco came to pick me up at 8am instead of 9am! Fortunately I was ready. I made a quick video call to Marvin, not a gòod idea at this time of day as I caught him having a bath! Anyway Elvis picked him up soon after and we arrived in plenty of time. There were stunning views en route of the lake and the volcanoe Maderas. Apparently the road gets flooded frequently in the winter and about 25 years ago the school was washed away by a landslide and a new one built. The families are scattered across the hillside and children and students walk several kilometres to arrive and return.


Marvin and I had a walk round while preparations were afoot. Firstly we noted a toilet with no door which appeared to be disconnected.

Then further toilets in a very bad state. We discovered various pipes and connections were missing.  The path was falling apart, the grounds were bare.

We later learned from the teachers that only one small room had electricity, there were no fans, or even curtains, so three year olds swelter in summer temperatures of 40°.  Also if they are sent out to the rather dreadful outside toilet they go missing. I think I'd run away if I was sent to one of those.  And in any case there is nothing for them to do inside. There was an alphabet and nothing more, oh  a pile of little plastic chairs in the corner.  I wish a few more people were prepared to read the detail here as it's all too easy on Facebook to click like and move on. Well actually I don't like and I'm determined to make something better even if I have to spend my own cash!


We were treated to a display of dance from primary children, poetry from secondary students, prayers, songs and speeches.


These are the flag stands we paid for, made by a student, I was asked to present his payment.

There was a strong message of how good the government is in building peace and giving free education that the children should take advantage of.  I haven' nt seen any Nicaraguan news channels or a newspaper. But there are very strong nationalist messages. I imagine most teachers are government supporters or they would lose their job. I think they have to have a party ticket.

I gave a little talk, encouraging lifelong learning, and promising to help as long as I am able.

Later we shared lunch, and then one by one the teachers talked whilst I collected two pages of urgent needs. The two schools work together in the same building, primary during the week and secondary on Saturdays. All the items we donated have been shared. I discovered that only two of the secondary teachers have full time jobs, the others work in the fields, one is a priest.  I was shown a cupboard made by the same student who had made the flagholders, everything we had donated was locked in and guarded like gold dust.

We struggled to get away, there was so much they wanted to say. Clearly they do feel forgotten.

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