miércoles, 6 de mayo de 2015

One day American University approach to Street Children

Travel to another country will be only "sweet" pictures and videos in a folder on your computer if you come to the country entrusting yourselves to a caring travel agents who promise incredible scenery, walking the trodden paths. But sometimes all we need is only to turn the corner, and you will discover all that carries this new country ...

Photosession from Megan:)

One arrives in a new country and what is interested in? Architecture, museums, exhibitions, night clubs ... Day after day he travels to a popular tourist spots ... And only a few are able to look deeper, look into the routine of everyday life, where everything is not so nice and not as "all-the-best-for-tourists" smoothly. How many people leaving the country discovered its problems? But there as in any other country poverty, disease, ecology problems, homeless children. How many people are interested in that?

It is what for I love guys from the Lead Adventures. Their programs are not designed for those who is looking for pleasure and entertainment in Ecuador. Their volunteer program is a journey with a sense. it is a holiday, spent purposefully. In their programs they are very delicately unified recreation, entertainment and work. Work is very important, necessary, but even more important is developing understanding the need for such work, its prestige, or what? (For prestige lovers))). How it happens? Here's an example.

Not so long ago the guys from Lead Adventures have organized a special tour for American students, who came here to discover Ecuador. Tour of the orphanages of the city of Quito.

Students were clearly in anticipation of something new. They have already explored the city, visited the province of Napo, saw the real tropical jungles. What else?

Kami is thinking... 
In the morning we picked up the guys in at the hotel Quito where they stayed and went. Program Coordinator Sandrita Fuentes told us about the essence of the program and explained where and why we're going there.

It is not surprising that Ecuador has poverty problem. And even if adults are still somehow tolerateing this situation, the children have had difficult. Is it their fault that the parents have no money and either a desire to send them to school, to give a good education, to explain what this world is and how to survive in it? That these kids are living in houses with dirt floor, receive education on the street and help their parents to grow corn or selling vegetables in a small shop, which is located right in their house. And parents in the meantime continue to make them new brothers and sisters ...


We arrived at the first shelter. There are kids aged 3 months to 7 years. These are children from very poor families. They usually have mom and dad, but also they have a minimum of seven brothers and sisters who want to eat, who need clothes and a place under the roof. Shelter staff selected families and children who need assistance at its discretion. These kids are moving to a shelter where they are given the form, breakfast, lunch and dinner, education. Notice that they does not deprive the parental rights for failure to raise and educate their children. Also for them, for their parents it is free to have the children in this shelter.

Saying honestly, I expected to see poor children, sad faces with the mark of sorrow, but no! Kids greeted us with joy and smiles. They are very open and friendly. For each other they are as brothers and sisters, teachers are as mom and dad. In case, parents have the right to visit them, which is very humanely and fairly, guys know they have a family. 

Little Kami is always happy
to meet new friends
American boys were pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome. Teachers divided us to the three groups, introduced to the kids and we went playing with them, drawing, dancing, reading ... We really had fun! Then it was a lunch time, teachers brought cereal, a salad of fresh vegetables and juice. Quite well, I even thought that this generation will probably not be a fans of Coca-Cola and "rubber" hamburgers, which is a direct consequence of the globalization process, as from early childhood are not accustomed to these "benefits of civilization."
"Smile!
Not just for the camera..."


three hours spent there passed quickly, and with a pleasure for the both sides)))


Lunchtime. Now for us) We said goodbye to the kids and teachers and went to beautiful Park Itchimbiya where we were met Esteban, Lead Adventures, he handed us a delicious lunch))) Then we were walking around the park, discussing what we have seen, then got on a bus. Another tour was waiting for us. Another shelter and we could not even imagine that it is on...

On the hugest city dump we did not come accidentaly.

"Wow! Seems, today
 we"ll have fun!" ))
There is another shelter. Shelter for young dump residents. Children of debris. Ridiculous and sad but true. Their parents are either working there at night, went over the tons of trash hoping to find something to eat. Such as the 23 year old girlies newborn daughter, who were found there by the shelter"s stuff. Skinny, sick and with a mass of parasites in her organism. Her situation is not unique. Shelter was built thanks to one nice American, Paul and his wife, who once arrived to Ecuador for the holidays and have seen this problem could not leave it indifferent.

...We are standing (and sitting on the floor)) in the lobby of the shelter, Paul tells us the story of its founding. Kids are running around. Street children. But looking at them one can never say that : all are clean, healthy and smiling. Thanks to their saviors!

All of them need
a good friend... just like U!
We played a bit with the guys on the fresh air, gave them some gifts and said goodbye to all. Then, were boarded the bus. ... Something has changed. Guys were serious, in the eyes - a special light. It was clear - they were impressed by excursion, it opened their eyes to the back side of life, where everything is not that smooth as it said in commercial rounds, where everything is real. Maybe not all of them will be back to Ecuador to help these children, but for sure they have changed forever and certainly will do something for such children in their home country or in another one, does not matter. Many of them have told me that the next year for sure will be back to Ecuador to teach these children English, culture and just life. Many of them are already signed up for the Lead Adventures program "Street Children". And that means the world is not without a good people and what is the most importantl - we are thousands. LET”S GO, VOLUNTEEERSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kate