Los Proyectos 2

Burger KIng

Tuesday:

Today we started our tour of the projects at Casa de Paso.  The first Project we viewed was Casa de Paso Acogida.  It is a project where boys can come and receive help in their life and learn to improve their lives.  It gives them a place off of the streets to be boys.  Our next project we viewed is Apoyo Social Familiar.  This project is one that helps 147 families that are in poverty or extreme poverty.  Many families live outside of the city in the countryside.  Some are up to 3 hours away.  Many of these families have a one bedroom “house” with either a mom or dad and many children.  Usually it is only one parent raising the children because the other is gone for some reason or another.  The project provides financial help as long as help with physical and emotional health.  This project shows the families that they are not alone in their fight. The volunteers take the time to listen to the parents problems, play with the kids, and help around the house.  Another project that we viewed today was Trabajadores.  This project works with many people who work on the street.  People who have small tiendas, work as shoe shiners, window washers, and many other small jobs are included in this project.  The volunteers in this project go around to the workers who are helped by the project and collect the extra money that they made that they don’t need for the day.  Then the extra money is saved up and at the end of the year is given back to them so they can use it to advance their business or for their family.  It’s kind of like putting the money in a bank for savings. 

Wednesday:

Today we continued to view the projects that are stationed at Casa de Paso.  We began our day seeing the project Apoyo Educativo Integral.  This project is open to children in the community to come and receive help in their studies.  They help tutor in English, Math, and other classes.  Also they have a computer lab where children can learn computer skills.  The program is open to children form 6-18 years old.  In Bolivia half the kids go to school in the morning and then the other half goes in the evening.  So they have one group in the morning and then they provide lunch for all of the kids.  Then the second group of kids receives help after lunch.  The kids also get to play and hang out with one another building friendships and learning to interact and develop people skills.  Next we learned about the project Calle.  This project helps the children who live under bridges or on the streets of La Paz and El Alto.  Many of these children have run away from home because of bad situations.  The project provides healthcare and some education.  The purpose of this project is to encourage these children to get off the streets or to come to the foundation for help.  It is totally free will for them to change but if they make the choice the foundation will help them in the process.  Many children die every year from fights, drug dependency, freezing temperatures, and bad health every year on the streets.   After Calle we went down into the basement of Casa de Paso to view the project Talleres Ocupacionales.  In this project children at Casa de Paso can develop their artistic skills and working skills.  They can paint, make things out of clay or wood, and play chess!  The projects some of these kids have made here are amazing and much better than anything that I have ever made.  They are very creative and artistic.  The final project we viewed today was El Centro Educativo Infantil Kurmi Utasa (CEIKU).  This project is another kindercare that the foundation has.  People who are assisted by the other projects at Casa de Paso can bring their kids here while they work.  The program feeds and teaches the kids for the day.  The kids develop necessary learning skills and hygiene skills that they intern take home and show their parents.  The kids sang and danced for us. It was a great time.

Playing soccer with the kids at Casa de Paso

The kids dancing for us at CEIKU

Thursday:

This morning we loaded up on a bus and headed out the south end of the city.  Once out of the city you begin to see less buildings and more open land.  We winded through the Andean mountains constantly climbing up.  With each turn and switch back you could see more and more beautiful scenery.  The road was lined with cactuses and spires of eroded rocks.  My eyes were constantly fixed out the window watching La Paz fade between the mountains.  We passed many small homes surrounded by hand tilled fields.  There were livestock tied to trees in the yards and along the road.  Our destination was a house that I guess the foundation uses as a retreat.  The scenery was breathtaking.  As the morning clouds continued to fade away, you could see more and more mountain peaks jutting up behind the others.  And above them all was a magnificent view of the snow covered peaks of Illimani.  It was a picture perfect view.  Photos just can’t capture the beauty.  Rolling farmland framed by the mountains.  I could have sat there for hours just taking it all in, but we were here to decide which projects we were going to work in.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  There are only a certain number of volunteer spots in each project and many people wanted the same projects.  It took about an hour but we finally were able to get the spots filled.  I got my first choice.  It’s not what I planned on when I was coming to Bolivia but it just made so much sense to me.  Next week I begin working in the project Apoyo Social Familiar.  I will be doing what I’ve been doing my whole life.  I’ll be spending time with people in their homes, playing with children, and helping them around the house.  Best of all many families live out in the outskirts of the city and in the countryside.  I’ll be surrounded by this beautiful scenery and maybe even helping on the farm…

Out in the Countryside with Illimani in the background 

Livestock tied up on the side of the road.

Friday:

Today we took some time to rest this morning since our schedules have been so busy and draining for the week.  Today we went to our projects to introduce ourselves to the other workers in the projects.  To our team!  To spend time and get to know each other a little bit.  It wasn't what I expected.  We ended up having a meeting with some of the families in the project.  They had to write on a piece of paper what they wanted for their families.  Some of them are not able to write so we had to help them.  It was no easy task.  I had trouble understanding what some of them were saying.  Afterwards they went around the room saying what they had written.  Many of them don't have enough food or milk for their children.  Many of them have between 4 and 7 kids.  Some of them were crying while they were talking.  It was all I could do to hold back the tears.  I can only imagine what this year will hold in store for me.  I know it will be a life changing experience....

Our house

The countryside

Beautiful Scenery