weekly La Esperanza charity bulletins

I've decided that it would be nice to show you all what happens at La Esperanza (the charity I'm working for here) so I'm going to copy in our weekly emails so you can what's going on for the charity as a whole. It will hopefully put my blog posts in context too so you can better understand what goes on with life here and what it's like working as a volunteer... Following here is this week's one:

Dear All,
It’s been a great week this week and a very productive one. The books in the library have been inventoried, and all the new books listed, covered, and taken up to the Library. The tutoring kits are all up to date ready for the new year. The high school children are just about complete with all the many things that they need to start the school year, not to mention the fact that the High School Prep team has been continuing classes with those starting 1st year. It is an enormous job with each child having to be enrolled, and last years re-enrolled, collecting letters for sponsors, copies of report cards etc. Even such things as sizes of shoes, socks, shirts and many other things. The supplies for their backpacks, notebooks etc. have been delivered to the office and this week we will have the backpacks ready to fill.

Childrens activity group have been having fun – and will continue this week for the last week before the start of school.

I am adding the notes of last weeks meeting to this email. Since then we have another four new volunteers who have joined us. Lynette Fairclough from the U.K. who is a TEFL teacher and will be teaching English, Colin Williamson from Ireland, Laura Manganello from Italy, and due to arrive today Liz Gage from Switzerland. These four will all have orientation on Monday.

On Tuesday we will have a meeting at 2pm which Erin will lead just to give some preparation to those of you who are already here who will be working in the primary schools. Erin will give you each a tutoring kit as well because we will have so many more new volunteers by the following Tuesday it will be good to get some organizing done in a advance.

We had some great donations this week. Lizzie Dipple who arrived last week brought some lovely childrens books in Spanish, plus skipping ropes and toys, Becca Alban had sent down from the U.S. some books/booklets in Spanish pertaining to Mental Health which should be useful in the community. Laura Mangenello brough a cash donation from her family of $250, and we had a paypal donation today from Celias Cottage in Antrim, Norther Ireland of $500. We also received the news that Iain Smy, a friend from Canada has obtained 40,000 childrens vitamin tablets for us and will be bringing them down with him in March.

On Friday we found that the school at Las Camelias has changed their class times with grades one two and three in the afternoon this year, though pre school will be in the morning. Christy will talk to those of you who will be at Las Camelias at the next meeting on Tuesday.

We had a visitor this week David who works with the Discovery Channel, he spent lots of time with La Esperanza Granada during his stay and we are very hopeful that we may be shown when they do the filming of their Granada segment of Passport to Latin America from 16th to 20th February.

THE OFFICE HAS TO MOVE !!! We will only be moving next door but in order for the new hostel to open behind the office they have to dig up the floor of where we are currently to install grey water pipes. The office next door is larger, has a bathroom and has been freshly painted. So we will plan the move for Wednesday – any helpers appreciated.

Be prepared to see lots of new faces arriving during this week and next weekend – Jodi Winemiller, Michael Kent Smith, Norm and Lulu Green, Armando Sotero, Lily Laban, Margaux Vulloid, Louis Koenig, Jason Wofsey, and Linda Yu will all be starting the new school year with us.

See you all through the week,
Regards, Pauline.

Notes from Wednesday 17th Meeting – Present, Fenna, Judith, Christy, Torey, Erin, Becc, Lizzie, Johanna, Carolyn, Jesse, Mark, Pauline, Mara, Karolien, Carolyn, Chris and Fiona.

Posters for the schools incentive prizes will be done by Johanna, Karolien and Jesse.

The Obra was cancelled for Thursday 18th, and will now be on 29th in both La Prusia and La Epifania.

Materials in the office to be sorted out to take to the various schools will be done by Erin and Lizzie.

Tutoring session will be in the office on Tuesday at 2pm for all those who will be teaching/tutoring in the primary schools.

Womens working group will change from Tuesday and Thursday afternoon to Monday afternoon.

Team leaders in each school will organize the placement of volunteers in that school e.g. first grade, second grade, pre school.

Team leaders/volunteer meetings will be on Tuesday from now on to see how that works. We will have the team leaders meeting in the office at 6.30 – any other volunteer who wishes to attend for any reason can just ask their team leader to bring them along, then we will have the volunteer meeting the same night at 7.30 at the Central which will now be next door to our office.

P.S. for new volunteers who don't know we will be making a trip to the isletas on Sunday 4th February - this is optional, on a Sunday afteroon - the boat is paid for and it is a great chance to get out of town and relax together for the afternoon.