Lesson from Bolivian Preschoolers

Just had a great week in Cochambamba, Bolivia, interviewing volunteers, teachers and NGO personnel from a Community Based project called Proyecto Horizonte. It consists of a school, preschool, IT Lab, HealthCenter and other services to the community. Though funded by it´s genrous founder for the most part, it has started to tap into a new source of income. Recently , volunteers are asked to make a donation of 150$ as participation. This could seem like a scam at first but when we discussed with Eliza Wall, the volunteer manager she explained the rationale.
Most people do want to give money to a cause but are not sure that it is going to be efficiently spent. For having visited a few this year Ihave to say those concerns are grounded. However if one of your relative or friends is going to see where the money is spent, you  will get feedback and access to an insiders perspective. So far every volunteer has far exceeded the minimum amount required.

But enough about money let´s talk about the kids. The community of Ushpa Ushpa in Mineros San Juan about 10km from Cochabamba is poor. There is no running water (it is not drinkable in Bolivia anyway), parents and kids often live in the living room/kitchen and of course have no toilets.
In partnership with the Solis Foundation, Proyecto Horizonte has started a scheme to provide eco toilets to the community. Can you imagine having to borrow money to pay for your toilet?
At the school we met with many teachers (all of them are local) and asked them what their best moment was. One of them answered that when she was sick the kids came to her house after school and brought her milk and cookies. Another teacher Veronika, 24, worked as a teaching assistant while going to night school for 4 years. Another teacher gets up at 4am to tend to her Tienda (a mini grocery store) before going to school from 8 to 4 and then tending to her shop again til late. When we asked her why she was a teacher, she told us it was because she knew what it felt like not to have any opportunities and didn´t want her kids to go through the same thing.

Of course the kids favourite time was playtime and when while we were filming the heaps of fun they were having we were both struck by a very simple fact. As all kids do, these fell, knocked their heads, where headbutted by a football and fought. But they didn't cry and wine about it as we do...
Anyway here is an example of a good project where you volunteer virtually for free, live in a great city in the center of South America and develop your own projects while you are there!

Want to see more pictures of Proyecto Horizonte!
And if you want to be put in touch with Eliza the volunteer manager you can either visit the organisations website or contact me.
Peace
Will