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THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN
THE CARIBBEAN!
by Bill and JoAnne Harris
S/V ULTRA
Ahoy, Everyone!
We hope this blog entry finds everyone doing great!
In our last Blog Entry, we wrote about our adventures in the Kuna Yala Nation of the San Blas Islands in Panama. We had a great experience there and were truly honored to have to have a high ranking chief ask us to teach English and Spanish to his children along with all of the other people on the island. We also expressed the importance of them to not lose their native Kuna language. They were so eager to learn the other languages, that they were losing site of their amazing heritage.
The San Blas has not been the only island that we have offered our education services as well as provided countless school supplies and textbooks. Many of these Caribbean Islands just do not have the funds to make it all happen for all of their people. It is extremely expensive to provide them with just the basic needs of writing utensils and paper. Some schools we have visited have the children using microscopic pencils that have been sharpened so many times, you can barely see them being held in their small hands. Also, regarding the paper, some schools have the children erase the lesson from the day before, so they have a clean piece of paper to write today's lesson on.
We did bring alot of supplies with us from home,when we set out cruising almost 7 years ago. However, this supply was depleted long ago and we have fulfilled it, but it is extremely expensive for us, since there are so many schools in need. The supplies go so fast! We have volunteered as teachers, we have offered lots of school supplies, food, and brought also candy to the students as a little surprise.
Our most recent experience was here in Panama. We visited the schools of the islands of Bastimentos and Solarte in the Bocas Del Toro archipelago. It was an amazing experience. We got to see first hand the tremendous need and the wonderful eagerness of the children to learn.
We are providing some wonderful photos of the children at school. We have added a DONATE button on our blog now that is for funds to be contributed so we may purchase more school supplies to distribute. We sincerely appreciate your support. We will also follow up with additional information about the schools and their progress.
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| A NEW SCHOOL IS GOING UP. IT IS BACKBREAKING WORK AS YOU CAN SEE! HOWEVER, IT MUST BE DONE SINCE THE OTHER BUILDINGS CANNOT WITHSTAND THE TREMENDOUS RAINSHOWERS THAT OCCUR IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. |
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| COUNTLESS SANDBAGS ARE FILLED AND HAULED |
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| THE VILLAGE WHERE THE STUDENTS LIVE. A GENEROUS RESIDENT DONATED THE PROPERTY THE SCHOOL IS ON FROM HIS OWN FAMILY ESTATE THAT HAS BEEN IN HIS FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS. THEY ARE OF THE NGOBE TRIBE. |
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| THE PILES OF BAGS YOU SEE IN THE ROOM ARE ALL CRACKERS. THEY ARE THERE TO KEEP DRY. HOWEVER, THEY SHOWED UP 5 MONTHS LATE DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS. THIS FOOD IS PART OF THE MINIMAL MEALS THAT THE SCHOOL CAN AFFORD TO FEED THE CHILDREN |
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| WE ARE OFF TO SEE THE BAHIA HONDA SCHOOL NOW. WE WILL HIKE IT UP THROUGH THE MUD AND THE VILLAGE. IT IS AN ADVENTURE! |
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| OUR WONDERFUL DRIVER |
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| THE PATH TO THE SCHOOL |
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| THIS IS THE SOCCER FIELD AND VOLLEYBALL COURT. |
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| THE TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS ARE TRYING TO KEEP EVERYONE FOCUSED. |
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| SO CUTE.SHE BROUGHT HER DOLLY TO SCHOOL. |
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| SHE WANTS TO BE HER DOLLY NOW. : ) |
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| THE KITCHEN IS SERVING UP SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK THAT DILUTED WITH WATER. THE CHILDREN DRINK THIS EVERY DAY, IF THEY HAVE IT THE FUNDS FOR IT. |
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| THE KITCHEN |
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| SOCCER TIME! |
WE ARE NOW ON OUR WAY TO THE ISLAND OF SOLARTE
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| HOSPITAL POINT |
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE IS VISITING TODAY TO TEACH THE CHILDREN OF CONSERVATION OF THEIR PRECIOUS ENVIRONMENT.
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| LUNCH IS BEING PREPARED FOR THE STUDENTS. IT IS PORRIDGE AND SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK AND MAYBE SOME CRACKERS. |
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| THIS IS THE LIST OF THE HOMEROOM MOTHERS THAT HELP PREPARE LUNCH ON ALTERNATING DAYS. |
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| ON RARE MOMENTS THERE ARE EGGS AVAILABLE |
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| THE PORRIDGE |
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| THE CHEF TODAY! : ) SHE HAS GOT AN OPEN FIRE IN THE KITCHEN TO PREPARE A HOT LUNCH. |
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| AN AMAZING PRINCIPAL THAT HAS PUT HER HEART AND AND SOUL INTO THIS SCHOOL. | |
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| THE SCHOOL DOCK WHERE THE WATER TAXIS DELVER THE CHILDREN FROM OTHER ISLANDS. THE COST IS EXPENSIVE. USD $2.00 ONE WAY. |
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| GNOBE INDIAN HOME |
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| THE FOOTPATH THE CHILDREN WALK TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. |
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| HUMMINGBIRD NEST ON THE PATH |
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| AFTER AN AMAZING DAY OF VISITING THE SCHOOLS, WE REALIZE EVEN MORE THE SUPPLIES THAT ARE NEEDED. THE TEACHERS' SUPPLY LOCKERS ARE RUNNING EXTREMELY LOW. |
Thank you for your support!
We sincerely appreciate you all following our blog and we look forward to sharing more adventures with you soon!
Bill & JoAnne : )
S/V ULTRA
