Staying hydrated at school.  These are sandwich bags with liquid frozen in them.  Bite off the corner and suck.

 

Momma carrying water home with baby

This is a very common picture.  Women with a baby tied on with their capalana and another capalana helping to make the top of their head flat carrying a load on their heads.  I watched as she put this load on her head with her baby strapped to her back.  I asked her to turn so I could take a picture of her, her load, and her baby.  She slipped the baby under her arm to her front so I could take the picture facing her.  They also slip the baby from the back to the front when the baby needs to nurse.  The capalana makes a great nursing shield.  This water container is just over 5 gallons of water.

doors and windows of new posible project

Aren't these darling kids?  I am looking at them through the door and window frames.  We hope to get a project approved that will help install windows and doors so we can secure the classrooms.  If we can help them do that, we can provide desks for these children to sit in instead of sitting on the floor. There are 1500 students in 6 classrooms in three sessions a day.  In those 6 classrooms, there are 22 teachers in three shifts that have no desk to do their work on.  There are some classes that are held outside during the dry season.

classroom outside with assignment on the chalkboard.

There was no teacher yet the kids were quietly copying into their notebooks what was written on the chalkboard.
The Government has promised six new buildings.  The school has been in existence for 6 years and the only buildings built have been from the community.  We can't build new buildings but we can refurbish.  Lots to do.

Tiago, us and Senda

We were so excited to meet a man, Alexander Senda, who was a part of Tiago's district.  He used a plan that sustained new desks for 7 years.  After 7 years, these desks look like new.  We hope to implement his plan to every school we work with in hopes "the plan" will catch on and promote self-sufficiency, maintainability, and sustainability even after we are gone.  "If and when something is given, keep it nice."

Senda's new school

Because of Senda's ability to maintain the gift of desks he was given, he was promoted to this school.  See!  The Govenment can build nice things.  This is a brand new school.!