The Word of Mouth Effect of the Abugida Kindergarten

Hello, Mediterránea supporters,

As you know last year the playgroup for babies was opened at the school in Abugida.  It was a dream finally realised.

The children grow and move up to the next class and new little ones come along and take their place: new toddlers have to be chosen to start at the playgroup next July.  Last year there were 30 places available and the number of children who applied was just slightly over this.  This year around 170 children have already enrolled in just a few days. 

With such an influx of children we have to ask ourselves why the number of registrations has increased so much, if the conditions are the same: children of single mothers, children with HIV, parents with HIV, looked after by grandparents, low incomes and families with large numbers of children.

The answer is, because they now know of a place where their babies are fed, stimulated and loved whilst they are working in order to provide them with a decent future.

Although it seems obvious that this is the case, it’s not always so in Ethiopia.  

Poor people have learned that there is always some catch with everything they are offered, because they don’t trust people who don’t ask for anything in exchange.  Since women and children are exploited, no matter how poor or ignorant they are, they no longer believe in promises but in reality.  They have now seen for themselves that their children can have a secure start in life with hope for the future. Because nobody is going to hire mothers with babies on their backs.

This leads us to the second part which is much more painful: at the present time there are only 30 places for toddlers aged 1 to 2 in the playgroup.  The selection process will take into account the above-mentioned medical and social criteria and we have to do this in person and on site as from 18th April.  It’s going to be very difficult because there is just no more room in the school at the present time. We have 215 children, from the age of 1 but we are not even sure what age some of the older children are, because the parents lie about their age in order to be able to enroll them in Abugida which is a pre-school.

We can build one or two more classrooms for babies if we can get the funding.  We also have to “push” up into primary school some of the older children, no matter how happy the children are at Abugida it’s not good for them to leave when they are 10 years old; they get behind starting primary school and therefore in their education. They are at risk of not even finishing primary school as it’s not the same starting when they are 6 than when they are 10.  Furthermore most of the children who leave Abugida go to Fitawrari, where we run a school dining room and where they are assured of a place.

This is why we believe that we should encourage as many babies as possible to enter the school, as they are the most fragile.

Let’s see how we can achieve this….

One Good Thing Leads to Another

Virginia will arrive at the Abugida school on 8th May to start up the classrooms for blind children.


In 2002 Virginia Pérez won first prize in a competition in Spain for her innovative invention. A doll - called Brailin – which helps the blind to learn Braille. Today it is very popular in Spain and the whole European community where they have developed her brand. Even the Chinese are manufacturing them.

Since winning the ONCE prize Virginia hadn’t received any kind of subsidy. Now at last her good work has been vindicated and recognised in her home country of Argentina. The Provincial state of Corrientes has promised – after her trip to Ethiopia – to finance the mass production of the doll. We are very pleased at this news (and to be part of it all). Sometimes the world is a nice place and globalisation is a good thing...

In a month’s time Virginia will arrive in Ethiopa having been invited to spend two months to show her Brailin doll and demonstrate its uses and to reinforce the theory that toys can help the children to integrate socially.

"Brailin" is much more than a doll. It is an educational tool that helps both sighted and blind children to learn Braille and was devised and created by the teacher born in Buenos Aires, but now living in Corrientes.
Virginia herself confirmed that “the Secretary General of the Government, Carlos Vignolo, has promised to finance the mass production in the Province of Corrientes”.

"It has already been discussed and we will start work on the project when I return from Africa. I have so many expectations in this experience I’m about to undertake in Ethiopa and when I return we are going to work fully on the production together with the Provincial Government”, she assured Radio 92.9 Corrientes.

“It’s an educational resource which I devised to help teachers and to make learning fun for the children”, the teacher told Radio La Red. The original doll was made of cardboard and had some buttons in its tummy in the shape of the Braille alphabet. In 2002 she entered it in a competition in Spain and won. This enabled her to perfect the design.

“Brailin now has six pieces in its chest, small balls which represent the dots which form Braille letters and they stick out of the doll’s chest, forming different combinations”, she explained.

This doll is all the rage is Spain and can also be found in Chile, Brazil and Uruguay and will soon be crossing the borders into Ethiopia. Brailin became the worlds first initiative for learning Braille through play.

Integrated into Abugida

The April group of volunteers are installed at Abugida School, are working and are happy.  Each one has started with their entrusted tasks: Nacho is laying synthetic flooring in the classrooms of the nursery and blind children.  In this way the floors will be softer and less cold.  He is going to install a washbasin for the cooks in Fitawrari School so that they don’t have to bend double to wash up.  And this is just the start.

Teresa is always at hand in the kitchen, nursery, in all areas.  Laura is with the nurse and also organising learning activities for the children.  Maite is giving dancing classes to the women, which seems to be changing from salsa to flamenco.  In fact they are thinking of holding their own ‘Feria de Abril’ in Abugida.  I would love to see the children turning themselves into proper Andalucians from Tronio.  In their turn the Ethiopians are teaching them their own dances.  Everyone seems to be having a good time.

With respect to the blind children, we had received incorrect information from the department of education of the Kebele, which means that we will not be receiving the number of babies expected.  Therefore we have increased the ages that we accept and have split the days so that children who are blind and with very poor vision aged 4 to 10 attend school during normal hours and children aged 11 to 18 attend after school finishes.  As the afternoon group of children will finish at 6 pm and they have a long way to travel we will organise a transport service for them, being horses and carts as this is what’s available in this area.  The carts will collect them from a meeting point in Akaki, take them to Abugida and return them to the same meeting point in the evening.

We are going to contract two teachers from Akaki who say that they are specialised in teaching the blind.  Virginia will train them when she goes out to Abugida in May.  We shall also contract two carers to help with bathing the children and the meals.  As always these workers will be chosen from the mothers of the school who are most in need.

We have noticed that since there are a number of mothers working in Abugida everything runs better.  There’s nothing like putting mothers together with their children for things to run well.

Temporary Home Needed for Mikias

 We need some one to keep Mikias from now till the 14th April when he will probably have his final operation.

If you have space, please call Carolina ASAP on tel: 600444320

We bought Mikias over from Ethiopia last year to be operated.

Good Fun for a Good Cause

The ‘Race Night’ fundraising event at Papi's Bar in Palmanova was a great success.
 

Judging by the decibels of the cheering and the laughs, fun was had by all and 270€ were raised for Mediterranea projects.   

Thank you to everyone who participated. 

The success was such that we hope to carry on having such fun events throughout the year.

Photos:
Photographs of Mick the bookie, his wife Dolina.
Pat Shawcross(The instigator)
Liz Daniels and family

What's Going On in Mediterranea this April?

Below we give an overview of the projects that we are currently working on. We

run solely on volunteer power so if you would like to find out more or help out

with any of these projects you are very welcome, simply call the project leader.

ON MALLORCA

Dignipacks (Leader Nicky Horner tel: 666271872This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Packs of essential items such as soap, shampoo, underpants etc collected, packed and distributed to the roofless of Mallorca.

We're planning the next Dignipacks distribution for Monday 11th April.  All donations of soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary pads, deodorant, razors, ladies' panties and socks, men's underpants and socks, toilet rolls and wet wipes can be dropped off at Dr Stoma's surgery or at Planet Space in Son Bugadelles. Any small bottles of shampoo, etc. picked up on your travels would also be very useful.  Adding just a few extra items to your weekly shopping basket can make a huge difference to the homeless of Mallorca.
Some younger members are also planning an initiative in local schools to encourage donations.

Nicky can always make use of more pairs of hands, please call her if you have any time to help in April.

Fruit Picking (Leader: Natalie Elfers tel 699614307)

Volunteers meet, have a chat and coffee and then drive together to an orchard to

pick fruit for 4th world programme

Meeting: every Wed 0900 hrs in Café Amadipesment, next to the new medical centre in Palmanova, just after you turn off the motorway.

Please call Natalie or just turn up to the meeting if you want to find out more, have a chat with other volunteers and enjoy the beautiful Mallorcan countryside.

Fourth World (Leader: Fernanda Canoura Guerra Tel: 659952334)

Volunteers distribute food, using the office space of the Association of Mali in Palma, to people who have somewhere to live but are at risk because they have no source of income. The programme also offers English and Spanish lessons. In another initiative volunteers distribute food to the homeless at Zaqueo.

The Spanish classes for April until June are looking doubtful.  Anyone willing to teach Spanish for these months would be very welcome and very much appreciated by those learning.

Fernanda is always looking for additional help, please call her if you have time in April or would like to help out with the Spanish lessons.

Palma Warehouse (Leader: Jill Witkamp  jill@witkamp-mallorca.com)

Jill does a great job in managing Mediterranea’s storage space at Extraspace in Palma.  We store clothes, toys, learning materials and much more.

Jill is looking for a couple of volunteers to help her for one morning to reorganise the storeroom and make a stock list.

Jill would like to hear from other Mediterranea projects to see if she has anything in store that could be of help.

Anyone who wants to leave things in the storeroom can go to the Extraspace warehouse during office hours and ask them to open  our lock up 3024 and place items in the middle (as the sign says), otherwise please contact Jill to arrange a time to meet her there.

Race Night at Papi’s Bar, Palmanova 2 Apr 19.30 hrs, opposite Banco Santander (Leader: Pat Shawcross tel:616781190 pmshawxes@yahoo.co.uk)

Guaranteed to be a great night, all welcome.  Raising funds for Mediterranea.  Pat still needs some raffle prizes; the help of volunteers for the night would be great also.

QUIZ NIGHT AND RAFFLE DRAW at SUNDOWNERS on the 7th of April, in Puerto Portals. 7:30pm.  Leader: Karl Duerden  620104673
Sponsors: Dunns, Wellies, O'Neals, Nice Price, Lady Telecom, The French Coffee Shop, Nauti Parts, B29, Advance Car Hire, Ooh La La, Pickabilly, Kariba, The Venue, Mallorca Clothing Company, Crompton Opticians, Sundowners, Bodhanna, Real Homes, K&M Maritime, Express Lube, Kompas, La Opera, E3, World of Wine, etc, etc

30^th April Golf Tournament at Son Vida & Award Dinner Moods Contact Mr Dan Marsh tel: 616529111 dan@wgehorses.co.uk We have been approached by Mr Dan Marsh, a newcomer to the island, who is organising this Golf Tournament and has kindly offered to raise money for Mediterranea.  If you would like more information about this event or would like to join the golf tournament please visit the website www.handofhussain.com  or contact Dan.  Interesting note: Hussain is referring to the famous English cricketer who donated his glove to the association which was made into a trophy and used as an award for the tournaments

Europe Day (Leader: Diane Oatley tel 971 138190 / 667498955 vitalforce2000@gmail.com)

Calvia Fair, sea front Palmanova to celebrate 1957 Treaty of Rome that brought

what is now European Union into being. Over 100 stores.

Meeting: 14 Apr 1030 in La Colmena/Beehive,Palmanova

To discuss Mediterranea stall, goods to sell, sponsorships, membership table etc.  Volunteers welcome, please call Diane.

BIS Pirates Party 28 May (Leader: Jackie Evans tel 609421073)

This party will be held at the school in order to raise funds for Mediterranea.

Although this is a May event we publish it now as Jackie will be looking for volunteers in April to assist with the preparation of a stall for the event.

Ethiopia (Leader Victoria Baldo email: haldala@yahoo.es)

Supporting schools in Akaki region of Ethiopia

Current project in need of support:

Learning Toys for the Blind

Volunteers needed for handicraft work

Ghana (Leader Michael Stoma email: mediterranea.ong@gmail.com)

Supporting small regional hospital

Current project in need of support:

Physiotherapists needed to set up new physio dept.

ON MAIN LAND

Sponsorships (Leader: Ana Calvo tel: 616686577  Email:apadrinamediterranea@gmail.com)

Desperately poor children in need of personal sponsorship to provide small but

long term financial support.