Future plans for Loma Grande – March 11

By | March 6, 2011

It’s been busy busy busy!  The nursery is progressing really well and the children are very happy there, as well as the parents. 

On my last visit the whole community were very grateful for the donations made from the UK.  They were particularly thankful for the clothes that were sent and the toys for the children.  I hope to be able to send out some more donations later this year.

loma grande school      

Mashi has some plans of supporting the school in Loma Grande.  There are 35 children who attend the school from the ages of 6 to 12.  There are 2 teachers who have 3 different levels each.  The plan is to build an extra classroom and fill it with books and computers.  We will also have internet connected so that children can learn to access this and develop their knowledge and skills in this area.  English is also something that is very important for them to learn but there is no-one to teach them.  Mashi is looking into the possibilty of funding an English teacher one day a week to teach them.  The cost of the materials for the classroom will be $5000.  The community will work together to build the classroom.

Recently the government has withdrawn their funding of school dinners here, so the children have a drink and a biscuit for breakfast at 7am when they start school.  They have to stay in school until 3pm without anything else to eat.  They then go home when parents have finished their work in the fields and will eat in the evenings.

 Mashi has met with all the parents and we will work together to provide the children with a nutritional lunch.  Mashi will buy the food and the mothers will take it in turns to come into the school and help prepare the food.  They will work with the nursery staff and all children will eat together.

We also have plans to put in a playground for the children.  There is nothing for them at the moment, they play on the roofs, or with plastic bottles in the mud.  We hope to be able to put in a small playground, with 3 swings, 3 see-saws and a slide, plus put in a soft floor as at the moment it is concrete.  It is likely this will be grass or bark.  The cost of this will be $1000. 

All of these things will make a substantial difference to the quality of life for the children and the wider community.

If you would like to help, please contact info@mashifoundation.org for more details.

Thank you

Loma Grande    proposed space for playground    children from Loma Grande school

    a new classroom           +       a playground                =       happy children!