| Doña Paula |
We did an evaluation with the nuns here in the community to see how our projects were going. I will try to give a low-down of what happened. We are changing our objectives to focus wholely on community development, so economic development takes back seat as it is really just a small part of community development. (This was obvious for a while, it just took us a while to get it straight in our heads). The reason for this is that we are really doing community development work, meanwhile our objectives were still talking about doing economic development. i.e. we changed our actions but our thinking was still focused in the old direction.
Another problem was the friction between us and the teachers, a lack of our understanding the culture. This was especially evident early on, although not so much now. It was decided that we should not coordinate projects directly, they should be coordinated by someone local from the barrio, who can understand the culture better and also learn the management/leadership skills which are important in many areas of life. So next year we may hire Silvio, one of the teachers in the morning, to coordinate the program. This is part of ensuring the sustainibility of the project, putting the community in control of it.
Our philosophy is now more flexible as well, doing whatever is necessary for the community project (called Generando Vida or Generating Life, by the way), to help in any way we can. One of my new jobs will be to drive the truck 2 days a week in the morning. The previous driver has starting drinking again, so right now he is not fit to continue.
Also, we're offering our money to the nuns for the community projects, without strings attached. Before we always said that money had to go to a specific project, but now the money will be received and go to wherever it's needed in the projects. It's also part of viewing the projects not as "ours" but as belonging to the community. It gives more autonomy to the community to decide where the money goes and what projects are benefitting the community more. Also, it's part of viewing the project as a whole, not as pieces or programs. It's the project as a whole that is important and the people involved in it. That there is only one project and we are participating in it, rather than thinking in terms of having our own projects. We still participate in the project decisions, but only as much as anyone else in the community, and mainly we'd prefer the community members to make the decisions.
Some corrections/clarifications from the last updates:
In view of our new philosophy of viewing the projects as a whole, I will discuss different programs each month, especially ones we are directly involved with, or ones that experience changes, or new programs.
The education program, as previously mentioned, is a program that runs for 2.5 hours in the morning and another 2.5 hours in the afternoon, tutoring kids so they can advance in their studies. There are currently three paid teachers, and about 5 volunteer teachers. About 50-60 kids are involved in the program which costs them one cordoba per week ($0.11 US). They come in either the afternoon or the morning, and go to the regular school the other half of the day. I continue to volunteer as a teacher in the afternoon.
The year is winding down and the kids now mostly know whether they will pass or not. In my class of 9 kids, only one did not pass, and a couple don't know yet. So, now we have to enter into the "repair" part of the year, where the kids who fail have a chance to write a make up exam. In the afternoon, Jorge left as he got a new job and Lorena started to come. Lorena is now another of our paid teachers along with Manuel and Silvio.
We had another pinata a week ago. This one was organised mostly by Manuel, so the poor guy learned by fire how tough it is to organise things. In the end, the pinata went off fine, just with a lot of running around at the last minute to finish things. A pinata is a clay pot filled with caramels/candies decorated as an animal, clown, etc. The kids then smash the heck out of it. Then they all jump in a mad pile trying to get the candy that has fallen. They love it, even though they often end up with bruised and scraped limbs.
A new Cuban doctor is coming twice per week. She continues to offer services under the medical insurance program in addition to the regular services provided.
Doña Paula is the woman who is in charge of the Comedor or Nutrition program for kids. She works every weekday all morning, preparing food, with the other women volunteers in the community, for the approximately 85 children who come daily for a nutrious boost. She works cooking and cleaning the centre.
She also volunteers to cook in other occasions, such community parties and meetings. Also, she buys food and supplies in the market every week. She's a busy woman!
As well, she has her household duties to consider, with 4 children living in the house and no other adults. But fortunately, Felix and Flora are both in their teens, so they can help considerably, especially in caring for Pedrito, son of Paula's daughter that no longer lives at home. So, in total she has three children and one grandson to take care of.
In her life she has suffered a lot and learned a lot about herself. Her husband, who beat her, is long gone, so she had to support herself and her kids by taking in laundry, until the job in the Comedor became available. She loves her work in the Comedor, working with the children and the other women in the community. When offered another job that paid more, she refused, she enjoys the Comedor and the community work too much.
No big tourist trips to report this time, although we did go to Volcan Masaya and Catarina near Masaya on day trips. It's really picturesque out there, the lake at Catarina especially.
Things in the community are really fun now, the end of the year is coming and all the projects are wrapped/wrapping up, so we're mostly into parties and fun things at year end. Not too much is happening. One thing we're doing is finishing the walls in the house and painting. Gretchen decided that the grey stone blocks were too ugly and we had to do something, so we hired a community member to cover the walls with a new layer of cement and we are now painting. The house looks a lot bigger and lighter now.
La Purísima is a celebration that takes place the seventh of December every year, to celebrate the conception of the Virgin Mary. It's a tradition in Latin America that goes back many years. There are nine days of prayers and devotion to the Virgin leading up to the event, and on the last day, gifts of sugar cane, bananas, lemons, candy are given out to the children (and adults). Also very popular at this time (and many others) are firecrackers in long chains. The people here love it! It's a lot of fun, especially for the kids.
Skills needed for the education, health or other programs:
Medical (Doctor, Nurse), Teachers (Carpentry, Electricity, Baking, Sewing, Sports, Music, Haircutting/styling, Painting), Social Worker, Psychologist, Librarian, Chaffeur.
one year commitment. Spanish required.
Naturally, we still need money for the projects. Any help is appreciated.