Posted by • Enviado por:
Silversard (---.prod-infinitum.com.mx)
Good Afternoon from Huatulco --
It has been our fortunate experience to connect with several local families in the Huatulco area who are joint participants with us in the securing and distribution of basic school supplies and sporting goods to outlying schools. In previous years, we purchased all of the supplies in USA and brought them down in an extra suitcase. However, this year our local contacts assisted us in purchasing the school supplies locally (with a substantial discount) thus saving us the difficulty of an extra heavy suitcase, AND we spent the funds in the local economy. I should also mention that the local families assisted in the purchase of the goods and the selection of the schools. Finally, I will add this is a “family to family” activity and not connected to any organization.
So, when we do “day trips” away from the Huatulo Tourist zone, we combine the day with fun and school supply distribution activity until our supplies run out. Last year, we found some schools on a road between old Santa Marie Huatulco and Pochutla. You can see photos of the distribution near the bottom of – [
tinyurl.com]
This year we thought we would try to go up into the mountains where the children do not benefit much from the local tourism industry and have many needs. We had heard about a waterfall not very visited by tourists and were advised that some of the very poorest and small schools would be on the same route. We were interested in finding small schools because the schools of the previous year were so large that we didn’t have enough supplies even though we had spent two years collecting supplies when we found them on sale. Here is a photo the route we took that is also the route of a great waterfall that I will soon write about in “Huatulco Paradise” Blog in Wordpress at -- [
tinyurl.com]
Of course, “the best laid plans” sometimes have to be changed because after we arrived in the mountains we found out the schools were not in session until the next day. So, when we arrived in a community we found one or two children or parents and asked them to “spread the word” that we would be distributing free school supplies to PRIMARY school children in about ten or twenty minutes . . . and the children came down from the hills and in about TEN minutes received their packets. The following is a photo of the first group of children.
Here is a photo of the packets. We packaged them in clear plastics bags so they could easily see the contents and also have a way to protect them. The plastic bags contained a spiral notebook, a plastic ruler, two #2 pencils, one eraser, a pencil sharpener, colored “map” pencils, some balloons, and some marbles. In last year’s packets, we had also included some small scissors.
We visited a total of four schools. Here are some photos from the second school we visited, Jose Vasconcel Primary School.
At the last school in the village of the waterfall of Gloria, we were greeted by both children and parents. I should mention that in all the locations the children were very cooperative and respectful. Sometimes they mentioned that also had a brother or sister. Also, a small number of parents received supplies for other children. Here are some photos of our last stop just in front of the gate to Gloria's coffee plantation and waterfall. In the photo, please notice the orange “ING” kickball. We bring these “kickballs” and “soccer balls” from the USA because “ING” sells them through their “online” store cheaply, and they ship them to you FLAT so they fit into a suitcase easily. We also buy air pumps from, yes, Walmart. We hope to bring even more of them next year, especially if I can convince “ING” to donate or discount them greatly. (No, neither I nor any member of my known family going back for 12 generations work for ING ;-)
I suppose some believe that such activities are like using a garden hose on a raging fire. Perhaps it does seem so to many. Nevertheless, it appeared the children who actually received the supplies were happy to receive the supplies and would make good use of them personally. Regardless, we plan to distribute more supplies this coming Sunday even “deeper and higher” in the mountains. And next time, we hope to be able to “dot” the mountainsides with “orange” soccer and kick balls, even if they do promote “ING” ;-)
Genuine Tourist, Stephen, Reporting from the field
Silversard -- [
www.Turista-Genuino.com] -- Huatulco Yahoo Group
[
huatulcoparadise.wordpress.com] -- Huatulco Photo Blog with VIDEOS
[
www.Genuine-Tourist.com] -- Photo Blog of Southern Mexico Turista
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2008 10:32PM by Silversard.
www.tomzap.com