At this moment in time and without having up-to-date information about exactly how many new, young children have started in Abugida school we find that many of them are living in situations of high risk. These children are parentless or almost parentless. we are concerned that they could end up in a children's home or on the street.
Therefore, with the cooperation of the Edir we have drawn up a plan of action for the most desperate cases:
Hana is five years old. She lives with a neighbor who is a very fragile, old woman. Hana's mother left her with this old lady who receives a monthly pension of 10 birrs (70 cents of a euro).
Derbi G.is six years old. He lives with his adoptive mother who adores him. Despite having her own four children, a precarious financial situation and having to put up with the constant opposition of her husband, she has welcomed this little boy into her home.
Eyob is 9 years old. Eyob attended our primary school last year until he was expelled by the Kebele. His parents are dead. He lives with his grandfather who has no job or income. Eyob eats in the Abugida school.
Yitayesu is 7 years old. She has HIV. Her mother is dead and her father suffers from AIDS and is terminally ill. Yitayesu lives with her aunt who has four children of her own and no job or income.
Yetinayet is 9 years old. Just like Eyob she is not permitted to attend school but eats there. Yetinayet has HIV. Her parents are dead and she lives with her grandmother who has no job or income.
Bezawit is 8 years old. His father is dead and his mother is terminally ill with AIDS. He has a little brother and Bezawit is the head of the family.
We have decided to give 400 birrs/ month to each one of these families.
We are trying to introduce a project where local families will "adopt", acting as a substitute family for children who have nobody to care for them and these families will be given economic help from us to support the "adoption".
This concept is unknown in their society. The Edir has sterted to select suitable families who must be made to understand that these children are not "guests" but should be treated the same as all other family members and that their wellbeing will be monitored regularly and meticulously.
Obviously, being with a family member is often the ideal solution but this is not always possible.
We are also aware that the number of children in high risk situations is increasing which means that more and more families will need economic help.
12 Oct 2009
"the personification of Ethiopia's hope for a better future, their children."
By María José 28/9/09
I must admit that when Victoria asked me to go to Ethiopia to give English lessons to the teaching staff in the Birhan school in Yeka I was a bit overwhelmed.
I actual fact I had offered to collaborate over the summer period in one of Mediterranea's projects but once I had already committed myself and was getting ready for the trip I began to feel uneasy, and(yes, scared) about certain aspects of the situation.
On one hand, I was worried about the kind of reception I would receive, particularly after the problems there had been with the dismissal of the former president of the Edir. I was apprehensive, too, about how the others who had also been dismissed, would react to me after having lost their greatly coveted positions.
On the other hand, knowing that I was the only "Faranchí"(foreigner), I realized, that in actual fact, this could have its advantages as well as disadvantages.
Next problem, I am not a qualified English teacher. Would they realize that after the first lesson?
Next potential big problem, I'm currently wading through all the paperwork that will permit me to adopt an Ethiopian child. How was I going to react emotionally when I found myself face to face with the 180 pupils in Birhan school.
But, as soon as my feet touched the center, all of my fears and all of my apprehension just vanished. I met Zerihun at the door and he introduced me to the staff, helped me draw up a timetable and organize my classes.
The staff, every single one of them, from the head-teacher to the cleaner welcomed me with open arms. All of them were fantastic, the teachers, the girls in the kitchen, the ground staff and last but not least, the children. Everyone made me feel at home.
It's up and into work early at Birhan school. I don't know at what time the first set of children arrive but at 8.15am when I started, the teachers had already been at the door for a while waiting to welcome the "early birds". At 9.00am, the children are served a bread roll with milk. Two weeks before the "Asunción"(religious festival), the older children have to "fast" in preparation for this religious event, therefore they have tea instead of milk.
After breakfast, the children would start their lessons and I would have a coffee and a chat with the kitchen staff. I would then settle down to prepare my afternoon lesson plans to be ready to teach the staff in the afternoons, once all of the children had gone home.
After playtime and then a one hour lesson, it was time to give out lunch which usually consisted of vegetable soup with lentils, or pasta or "injera"(local bread-pizza type affair), lots of "injera". (Ethiopians, all love it)
I got the impression that I was being constantly watched by the teachers expecting me to trip over spectacularly with a tray full of food as I helped give out lunch!.........and I don't blame them. I feared exactly the same thing!
Fortunately for all, I turned out to be a perfect waitress. Plates, food and utensils, landed on no-ones lap and reached the hungry children safely without any disasters!
Throughout the year the routine after lunch is; a short rest period, more lessons and a snack before returning home.
However, in the month of August, the children are picked up by their parents straight after lunch. August is the month of heavy rainfall in this part of the world. It is safer to shorten the school day to avoid problems for the parents in times of unpredictable storms.
It might sound strange to the reader but during the month of August I witnessed that when it rained heavily or there was a dangerous storm it more often than not started at the time when the children would normally finish school.
When the parents or guardians of the little children would come to pick them up, I noticed that the teachers would only hand the child over when the aforementioned produced an identity card. When I returned home and explained this to my friends with children they were surprised and felt that this system should be used in all Spanish nurseries and schools.
The Birhan school in Yeka lacks all sorts of even basic materials that we take for granted; the classrooms are dark and cold, especially during the wet season when it's damp The sky is overcast and there is only electricity every other day. In spite of this I have to emphasize that none of these conditions affect the tiptop cleanliness of the installations nor the positive atmosphere in the air which shines like a bright light. The school is very well maintained and organized considering that the classrooms are used as a dining room, that the pupils desks also serve as tables at breakfast and lunchtime. The staff treat the children impeccably. They care deeply about each child's welfare and that they are being nourished properly. The teachers are loving and affectionate. It is a delight to see that the children are so happy.
I would like to thank Mediterranea for giving me the opportunity to participate in their Ethiopian project. As a human being I have learnt a lot and feel that I have gained more than I have given. I would also like to thank, although they will undoubtedly never have the opportunity to read this message, all of the new friends I made in Ethiopia. Without their support and friendship my experience could have been very different.
I thank all of the school staff, from the Head-teacher to the cleaners, all of the teachers, the girls in the kitchen and the caretakers for making me feel welcome, for making me feel at home.
I also send thanks to, as Zerihun calls them, the personification of Ethiopia's hope for a better future, their children. I thank these children for their demonstrations of affection, their hugs and their kisses. They will never know, that a woman like me who wants so much to adopt an Ethiopian child has learnt so much from them and that this knowledge, when the adoption goes through will make a difference, one of many that help change the world.
I thank my English students for their patience and understanding.
I send thanks to Eto Ambachew for finding students who were interested in English lessons.
Thank you Zerihun for just being there and especially for helping me on my first nerve-wracking day.
Lastly, I would like to thank Getachew and Ayele. Although they are not directly involved in the Mediterranea organization, the former, my good friend Getachew, took charge of my journey to Ethiopia and organized all the logistics of my stay and the latter, Ayele, who made sure that I got to and from school on a daily basis.
I am grateful to them and to so many others. I will keep them locked safely deep in my heart for ever. I look forward to seeing them all again some time in the future.
I must admit that when Victoria asked me to go to Ethiopia to give English lessons to the teaching staff in the Birhan school in Yeka I was a bit overwhelmed.
I actual fact I had offered to collaborate over the summer period in one of Mediterranea's projects but once I had already committed myself and was getting ready for the trip I began to feel uneasy, and(yes, scared) about certain aspects of the situation.
On one hand, I was worried about the kind of reception I would receive, particularly after the problems there had been with the dismissal of the former president of the Edir. I was apprehensive, too, about how the others who had also been dismissed, would react to me after having lost their greatly coveted positions.
On the other hand, knowing that I was the only "Faranchí"(foreigner), I realized, that in actual fact, this could have its advantages as well as disadvantages.
Next problem, I am not a qualified English teacher. Would they realize that after the first lesson?
Next potential big problem, I'm currently wading through all the paperwork that will permit me to adopt an Ethiopian child. How was I going to react emotionally when I found myself face to face with the 180 pupils in Birhan school.
But, as soon as my feet touched the center, all of my fears and all of my apprehension just vanished. I met Zerihun at the door and he introduced me to the staff, helped me draw up a timetable and organize my classes.
The staff, every single one of them, from the head-teacher to the cleaner welcomed me with open arms. All of them were fantastic, the teachers, the girls in the kitchen, the ground staff and last but not least, the children. Everyone made me feel at home.
It's up and into work early at Birhan school. I don't know at what time the first set of children arrive but at 8.15am when I started, the teachers had already been at the door for a while waiting to welcome the "early birds". At 9.00am, the children are served a bread roll with milk. Two weeks before the "Asunción"(religious festival), the older children have to "fast" in preparation for this religious event, therefore they have tea instead of milk.
After breakfast, the children would start their lessons and I would have a coffee and a chat with the kitchen staff. I would then settle down to prepare my afternoon lesson plans to be ready to teach the staff in the afternoons, once all of the children had gone home.
After playtime and then a one hour lesson, it was time to give out lunch which usually consisted of vegetable soup with lentils, or pasta or "injera"(local bread-pizza type affair), lots of "injera". (Ethiopians, all love it)
I got the impression that I was being constantly watched by the teachers expecting me to trip over spectacularly with a tray full of food as I helped give out lunch!.........and I don't blame them. I feared exactly the same thing!
Fortunately for all, I turned out to be a perfect waitress. Plates, food and utensils, landed on no-ones lap and reached the hungry children safely without any disasters!
Throughout the year the routine after lunch is; a short rest period, more lessons and a snack before returning home.
However, in the month of August, the children are picked up by their parents straight after lunch. August is the month of heavy rainfall in this part of the world. It is safer to shorten the school day to avoid problems for the parents in times of unpredictable storms.
It might sound strange to the reader but during the month of August I witnessed that when it rained heavily or there was a dangerous storm it more often than not started at the time when the children would normally finish school.
When the parents or guardians of the little children would come to pick them up, I noticed that the teachers would only hand the child over when the aforementioned produced an identity card. When I returned home and explained this to my friends with children they were surprised and felt that this system should be used in all Spanish nurseries and schools.
The Birhan school in Yeka lacks all sorts of even basic materials that we take for granted; the classrooms are dark and cold, especially during the wet season when it's damp The sky is overcast and there is only electricity every other day. In spite of this I have to emphasize that none of these conditions affect the tiptop cleanliness of the installations nor the positive atmosphere in the air which shines like a bright light. The school is very well maintained and organized considering that the classrooms are used as a dining room, that the pupils desks also serve as tables at breakfast and lunchtime. The staff treat the children impeccably. They care deeply about each child's welfare and that they are being nourished properly. The teachers are loving and affectionate. It is a delight to see that the children are so happy.
I would like to thank Mediterranea for giving me the opportunity to participate in their Ethiopian project. As a human being I have learnt a lot and feel that I have gained more than I have given. I would also like to thank, although they will undoubtedly never have the opportunity to read this message, all of the new friends I made in Ethiopia. Without their support and friendship my experience could have been very different.
I thank all of the school staff, from the Head-teacher to the cleaners, all of the teachers, the girls in the kitchen and the caretakers for making me feel welcome, for making me feel at home.
I also send thanks to, as Zerihun calls them, the personification of Ethiopia's hope for a better future, their children. I thank these children for their demonstrations of affection, their hugs and their kisses. They will never know, that a woman like me who wants so much to adopt an Ethiopian child has learnt so much from them and that this knowledge, when the adoption goes through will make a difference, one of many that help change the world.
I thank my English students for their patience and understanding.
I send thanks to Eto Ambachew for finding students who were interested in English lessons.
Thank you Zerihun for just being there and especially for helping me on my first nerve-wracking day.
Lastly, I would like to thank Getachew and Ayele. Although they are not directly involved in the Mediterranea organization, the former, my good friend Getachew, took charge of my journey to Ethiopia and organized all the logistics of my stay and the latter, Ayele, who made sure that I got to and from school on a daily basis.
I am grateful to them and to so many others. I will keep them locked safely deep in my heart for ever. I look forward to seeing them all again some time in the future.
11 Oct 2009
4th world.
Open letter from Marcia (in charge of the Zaqueo-Mediterranea project).
Thanks, Marcia.
Hello everyone!
I want to tell you that when we all start to cooperate things will really start to move. Some of my helpers hved been really quiet and I haven't heard from many in the whole week, I hope you are working hard in the shadows.
This weeks achievements :
I had delivered to Zaqueo 20 big bags full of clothes, 1 bag with shoes, cushion covers, towels, food, 2 heaters, etc.
Angel was delighted with the amount of things. He told me nobody else from our group went there this week.
Bianca has got a friend who is going to prepare food for 30 people every two weeks, and some food donations on the same days from the butcher and the French coffee shop.
I had spoken to my former cooker teacher and I am waiting for an answer. He needs an authorization from the school director and the only problem he sees, is the logistic, but I am sure there will be a solution.
I don't know how many of you are "socios" (members) of Mediterranea but we need money coming in, so, it would be great if each one of us sign up for 10, 20, 30 euros, whatever you can, every month, and we could also ask some other people to become socios too.
I also need to be kept informed if any of you is taking things to Angel, because I am keeping a record of what we had delivered for our statistics and to be able to better what the help we provide.
I Know that Michael from Bianca had spoken to some of the restaurants in Portals and I want to know with which ones, because many of us are very often there, and I don't want that we overlap.
This week Florencia, Cindy and myself had walked the docks giving fliers to the boats so I hope we start to get phone calls soon.
The volunteer work it isn't easy, and all the work it is paid off when you see your efforts come together and you get things for the people that hadn't been as lucky as we are, so please, keep going!!!!
10 Oct 2009
Mediterranea's projects under development in Ghana, an update.
GHANA
1)Physiotherapy centre for the Ada Dangme East Hospital.
Having generously been donated all the equipment necessary to set up the center in the hospital by the Jones family, and having even selected the space in the hospital to install the physiotherapy center we seem to have come up against a problem which is slowing down our project.
For reasons unknown to us the company that volunteered to transport the supplies from Cardiff to Tema have not been in touch with us and does not respond to our calls. As instructed by them we sent our supplies from Mallorca to Barcelona. From there they were going to take them to Cardiff and then put them in a container with all the supplies accumulated in the UK, and ship them to Ghana. The shipping company director had volunteered to help and unfortunately now we seem to have come to a grinding halt. Once again it is those in need that suffer. Over the next few days we will try to sort this out and if we have no luck we will ask another shipping company to deliver the supplies even if we have to pay for it. Money we spend in the first world is money we take from the funds for the third or fourth world, but the equipment sitting is a warehouse in Cardiff does not heal the suffering.
2)Nurses residence for the Dangme East hospital
We are developing a project whereby we will build a nurses residence and school next to the Dangme East hospital. The objective is to entice nurses to go there to work. Many are single mothers so a school is required. Once the school is built the hospital will run and fund it. Mediterranea will just build the centre and the residence. The more nurses in the hospital the better the medical attendance will be to the sick in the area. Africa relies greatly on her nurses, as there are too few doctors. The nurses take the brunt of the work load and in many cases are superbly trained and can handle just about any medial emergency or common problem.
3)Drifting Angels Orphanage, and other possibilities.
We will be assessing how we can help the Drifting Angels Orphanage in Ho, north of Ada. We will also be inspecting how they are putting to good use the things we gave them and set up for them (running water, tractor etc).
During our stay we will also be investigating other areas of collaboration in the poorer parts of Ghana.
1)Physiotherapy centre for the Ada Dangme East Hospital.
Having generously been donated all the equipment necessary to set up the center in the hospital by the Jones family, and having even selected the space in the hospital to install the physiotherapy center we seem to have come up against a problem which is slowing down our project.
For reasons unknown to us the company that volunteered to transport the supplies from Cardiff to Tema have not been in touch with us and does not respond to our calls. As instructed by them we sent our supplies from Mallorca to Barcelona. From there they were going to take them to Cardiff and then put them in a container with all the supplies accumulated in the UK, and ship them to Ghana. The shipping company director had volunteered to help and unfortunately now we seem to have come to a grinding halt. Once again it is those in need that suffer. Over the next few days we will try to sort this out and if we have no luck we will ask another shipping company to deliver the supplies even if we have to pay for it. Money we spend in the first world is money we take from the funds for the third or fourth world, but the equipment sitting is a warehouse in Cardiff does not heal the suffering.
2)Nurses residence for the Dangme East hospital
We are developing a project whereby we will build a nurses residence and school next to the Dangme East hospital. The objective is to entice nurses to go there to work. Many are single mothers so a school is required. Once the school is built the hospital will run and fund it. Mediterranea will just build the centre and the residence. The more nurses in the hospital the better the medical attendance will be to the sick in the area. Africa relies greatly on her nurses, as there are too few doctors. The nurses take the brunt of the work load and in many cases are superbly trained and can handle just about any medial emergency or common problem.
3)Drifting Angels Orphanage, and other possibilities.
We will be assessing how we can help the Drifting Angels Orphanage in Ho, north of Ada. We will also be inspecting how they are putting to good use the things we gave them and set up for them (running water, tractor etc).
During our stay we will also be investigating other areas of collaboration in the poorer parts of Ghana.
Born on the wrong side of the world
3/10/09
Our friend Samuel from Adís died the day before yesterday. He had been fighting for years to recover from the gangrene in his leg. He was 34 years old.
Due to the last operation and the antibiotics that we sent him from Spain, it looked as if he was finally beating this problem but septic shock put an end to his life.
He had been optimistic and looking forward to the future since for the last few years and after the last operation he was suffering no pain in his leg.
He had made plans to set up an Internet café by using the second hand, repaired laptops that we have been sending. He had intended to take up the position at the checkout which would have meant that he could rest his leg and not have to move around too much.
It makes you wonder. What would Samuel's life have been like if he had been born in Spain? Would he be alive today?
He probably arrived at the hospital and they didn't have the materials or medicines to help cure him right from the first day.
This is the lack of healthcare experienced by millions of people who are born on the wrong side of the world.
Meanwhile, here we are, on the right side of the world worrying about how we just might catch swine flu etc...
Thousands of people are dying daily throughout the world due to the lack of basic First Aid and common vaccines and the large international organisations do not seem to care.
At the end of the day , the poor cannot afford to buy their medicines and only become useful as guinea pigs when new medication trials are under way. These new medicines when proved safe will then be used by those of us who live on the right side of the world.
Which reminds me, the children in Cuba who suffer from eye tumours, which are very common over there, are unable to have special ocular radiotherapy treatment because the United States of America prohibits the sale of the materials necessary. The US has also banned the sale of medical scan machines. We managed to take over a German manufactured one. Japan would not sell us one to take to Cuba. Many countries will not supply Cuba with certain types of equipment that we use daily to treat cancer.
The doctors in Cuba have to use radiotherapy on the child's face instead of using the more specialised equipment directed at the eye. This treatment can cause the appearance of large tumours and deform the child's face and result in a terrible death. This was the fate of 12 year old Ernesto. We met several years ago when I was taking over medication to the children's cancer unit in the Oncological Institute of Havana.
I dedicate this message to all of the Samuels and Ernestos who were born on the wrong side of the world, where not only poverty reigns but the cruelty and self-interest of those who govern.
Our friend Samuel from Adís died the day before yesterday. He had been fighting for years to recover from the gangrene in his leg. He was 34 years old.
Due to the last operation and the antibiotics that we sent him from Spain, it looked as if he was finally beating this problem but septic shock put an end to his life.
He had been optimistic and looking forward to the future since for the last few years and after the last operation he was suffering no pain in his leg.
He had made plans to set up an Internet café by using the second hand, repaired laptops that we have been sending. He had intended to take up the position at the checkout which would have meant that he could rest his leg and not have to move around too much.
It makes you wonder. What would Samuel's life have been like if he had been born in Spain? Would he be alive today?
He probably arrived at the hospital and they didn't have the materials or medicines to help cure him right from the first day.
This is the lack of healthcare experienced by millions of people who are born on the wrong side of the world.
Meanwhile, here we are, on the right side of the world worrying about how we just might catch swine flu etc...
Thousands of people are dying daily throughout the world due to the lack of basic First Aid and common vaccines and the large international organisations do not seem to care.
At the end of the day , the poor cannot afford to buy their medicines and only become useful as guinea pigs when new medication trials are under way. These new medicines when proved safe will then be used by those of us who live on the right side of the world.
Which reminds me, the children in Cuba who suffer from eye tumours, which are very common over there, are unable to have special ocular radiotherapy treatment because the United States of America prohibits the sale of the materials necessary. The US has also banned the sale of medical scan machines. We managed to take over a German manufactured one. Japan would not sell us one to take to Cuba. Many countries will not supply Cuba with certain types of equipment that we use daily to treat cancer.
The doctors in Cuba have to use radiotherapy on the child's face instead of using the more specialised equipment directed at the eye. This treatment can cause the appearance of large tumours and deform the child's face and result in a terrible death. This was the fate of 12 year old Ernesto. We met several years ago when I was taking over medication to the children's cancer unit in the Oncological Institute of Havana.
I dedicate this message to all of the Samuels and Ernestos who were born on the wrong side of the world, where not only poverty reigns but the cruelty and self-interest of those who govern.
Achievements and problems in Ethiopia.
Following our policy of complete transparency, I am going to try to analyse both the achievements and problems that we have encountered in Ethiopia.
I am going to begin with a general description of what I have seen, lived, experienced and witnessed during my regular visits to this country. The Ethiopians are extremely religious people and therefore subject to the dogmas and tabus that their religion imposes, this affects enormously every aspect of their society.
In general, they are very conservative.
It is an extremely male-orientated society.
It is a society in which children have little value (girls even less) and are considered to be of no use to the present or future wealth of their economy.
In this society they have no concept of equality or social justice. A society in which those who have more than others consider themselves to be better than those who have little or nothing.
Being charitable is an unknown concept in their society.
It is a society which is friendly, very proud, hospitable and welcoming to foreigners.
They are courteous and respectful.
They are resigned to the life they lead in the belief (probably due to their religion) that a better world awaits them.
The bureaucracy in their country is overwhelming.
The country is fraught with corruption.
Lying and deceit has become more common in recent years.
Having witnessed and experienced all of these problems first hand, I would now like to move on to all that we have achieved in our schools.
Almost 400 children now attend our schools where they are educated and eat three times a day.
Our schools are open all year.
Before opening our schools the majority of the children, now being educated, spent the day begging in the streets.
In our schools all of the staff is female quite simply because there are more female teachers than male teachers in this country.
These teachers are fun-loving, good-natured, patient and they love their work.
The non-teaching staff carry out their duties efficiently.
We employ 20 people from Abugida and and 18 in Birhan.
We rely on local tailors for the uniforms, suppliers for school materials and any other types of materials required for our centres.
Local suppliers provide food, vegetables and milk.
Many children now live with their family and no longer have to stay in state orphanages or end up living on the streets.
We have managed to put an end to malnutrition in our schools.
Our children have access to health services.
Last year we managed to teach 60 women to read and write in Abugida thanks to our literacy course.
This year another 60 women have registered for the same course in Abugida and in Birhan.
The Abugida school is a" bubble" filled with happiness where children, teachers and parents form part of a united community.
The teachers are happy, lively and enjoy doing all sorts of activities with the children both academic and fun.
The rest of the staff efficiently do the required work.
Problems:
There is a bad relationship between el Edir and el Kebele. At the moment our building project is on hold prior to permission to continue from el Kebele.
The teachers are totally dedicated to the school and continue to work under extremely difficult circumstances.
The rest of the staff also work well.
Problems:
The school is under a lot of pressure and lacks material and local support.
The poor relationship between el Edir and El Kebele.
The lack of legal documentation proving that el Edir owns the land and the school.
The lack of understanding between el Edir and Mediterranea.
As you are well aware , we dimissed the previous administrator for theft and we managed to dimiss the former el Edir's representative also for theft. The problem that we have with the present el Edir has nothing to do with theft but is a cultural problem and quite simply a different way of thinking.
He does not agree that the Headteacher (a woman) and the teachers should be allowed to make all the decisions concerning the school even though they are the proffesionals in school management and he has absolutely no idea about academic matters.
He disagreed with the decision to pension off the older teachers to replace them with younger ones.
To make matters worse one of the retired teachers is now giving adult classes.
He cannot understand that we are working for the future through the children and that they are the protagonists of our projects.
In the last 3 years we have dismissed two representatives for theft and lying.
I am going to begin with a general description of what I have seen, lived, experienced and witnessed during my regular visits to this country. The Ethiopians are extremely religious people and therefore subject to the dogmas and tabus that their religion imposes, this affects enormously every aspect of their society.
In general, they are very conservative.
It is an extremely male-orientated society.
It is a society in which children have little value (girls even less) and are considered to be of no use to the present or future wealth of their economy.
In this society they have no concept of equality or social justice. A society in which those who have more than others consider themselves to be better than those who have little or nothing.
Being charitable is an unknown concept in their society.
It is a society which is friendly, very proud, hospitable and welcoming to foreigners.
They are courteous and respectful.
They are resigned to the life they lead in the belief (probably due to their religion) that a better world awaits them.
The bureaucracy in their country is overwhelming.
The country is fraught with corruption.
Lying and deceit has become more common in recent years.
Having witnessed and experienced all of these problems first hand, I would now like to move on to all that we have achieved in our schools.
Almost 400 children now attend our schools where they are educated and eat three times a day.
Our schools are open all year.
Before opening our schools the majority of the children, now being educated, spent the day begging in the streets.
In our schools all of the staff is female quite simply because there are more female teachers than male teachers in this country.
These teachers are fun-loving, good-natured, patient and they love their work.
The non-teaching staff carry out their duties efficiently.
We employ 20 people from Abugida and and 18 in Birhan.
We rely on local tailors for the uniforms, suppliers for school materials and any other types of materials required for our centres.
Local suppliers provide food, vegetables and milk.
Many children now live with their family and no longer have to stay in state orphanages or end up living on the streets.
We have managed to put an end to malnutrition in our schools.
Our children have access to health services.
Last year we managed to teach 60 women to read and write in Abugida thanks to our literacy course.
This year another 60 women have registered for the same course in Abugida and in Birhan.
The Abugida school is a" bubble" filled with happiness where children, teachers and parents form part of a united community.
The teachers are happy, lively and enjoy doing all sorts of activities with the children both academic and fun.
The rest of the staff efficiently do the required work.
Problems:
There is a bad relationship between el Edir and el Kebele. At the moment our building project is on hold prior to permission to continue from el Kebele.
The teachers are totally dedicated to the school and continue to work under extremely difficult circumstances.
The rest of the staff also work well.
Problems:
The school is under a lot of pressure and lacks material and local support.
The poor relationship between el Edir and El Kebele.
The lack of legal documentation proving that el Edir owns the land and the school.
The lack of understanding between el Edir and Mediterranea.
As you are well aware , we dimissed the previous administrator for theft and we managed to dimiss the former el Edir's representative also for theft. The problem that we have with the present el Edir has nothing to do with theft but is a cultural problem and quite simply a different way of thinking.
He does not agree that the Headteacher (a woman) and the teachers should be allowed to make all the decisions concerning the school even though they are the proffesionals in school management and he has absolutely no idea about academic matters.
He disagreed with the decision to pension off the older teachers to replace them with younger ones.
To make matters worse one of the retired teachers is now giving adult classes.
He cannot understand that we are working for the future through the children and that they are the protagonists of our projects.
In the last 3 years we have dismissed two representatives for theft and lying.
The Clemence family long distance team (Andrew and Heather's) will run the TUI Marathon this year
The Clemence family (Andrew and Heather's) will run the TUI Marathon this year in support off Mediterranea's projects. Andrew will be running, and that is a warning for all the professional runners of Olympic standard that will partake. Be warned Mallorca has its heroes and champions. Little to we need to remind you of Richard Fosters efforts a few years ago when he ran the marathon for Mediterranea, crossed the finishing line and continued running. He was last seen going over the horizon in to the sunset. We believe he is home at last. If you would like to follow the Clemence family's example, please see the post below relating to the event.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)