Wednesday, February 26, 2014

EL CENTRO INFANTIL SUMAK WASY EN PIJAL




La primera vez que visité al Centro Infantil de Pijal, vi muchas cosas que necesitaban mejorar. Me mostraban tres cuartos chiquitos pero pintados de muchos colores donde daban clases a 25 niños.



Uno de los cuartos también servía como el comedor para el almuerzo, así que tenían que apilar las mesas y sillas a un lado del cuarto el resto del tiempo.



Había una cocinita para preparar la comida, y en frente había otro cuarto para que durmieran los bebés.  Al entrar a este cuarto, me abrumó el olor fuerte de las paredes con moho, y ni siquiera era tiempo de lluvias, así que no podía imaginar que sería durante las lluvias.


Los baños se encontraban totalmente separados del edificio, estaban rotos, chiquitos, y tan limpios como se podían tenerlos las trabajadoras bajo estas circunstancias.

Afuera había un patio de juego con llantas en el piso para que brincara los niños, y la resbaladilla mas peculiar que jamás había visto….una tabla sostenida por una escalera (me preguntaba cuantas espinas había que quitar de los traseritos).
Encarnación, una de las trabajadoras allí, nos suplicó que les ayudara. La comunidad ya había juntado piedra y arena para construir la mampostería, y tenían 6.000 dólares donados por la junta parroquial, con que querían empezar a trabajar.




FEDICE empezó a juntar con ellos y con la junta parroquial cada mes para planear nuestra ayuda. Los inicios de la construcción fueron por cuenta de la comunidad, con la ayuda de una iglesia de Plano, Texas.






Al llegar el grupo de Plano el año pasado, las paredes y techo estaban construidos del edificio nuevo…cinco cuartos grandes con bastantes ventanas para luz. La gente de Plano ayudo con la pintura de paredes y con la limpieza alrededor del centro nuevo.



Ya estaba el esqueleto, pero faltaban muchos detalles. Allí es donde entró la iglesia Eden United Church of Christ de la conferencia del Sur de Illinois para ayudar, con los fondos para terminar el piso, poner las ventanas y puertas y terminar el centro Nuevo.





En mi última visita a Pijal, las ventanas y puertas ya estaban colocados, las paredes estaban decorados con nuevos cuadros de muchos colores, el piso de baldosa ya estaba en dos cuartos y la mitad del cuarto grande.


Las nuevas mesas y sillas se habían comprado en Quito, y ya transportados al Centro Infantil. Había nuevas cunas y otros accesorios listos para colocar tan pronto como se terminaba el piso. ¡Qué diferencia para estos niños! Dios es bueno, para conmover tantos corazones a hacer una diferencia en las vidas de estos niños.




Escrito por Lisa Renz
Voluntaria con Fedice

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Celebración de Navidad en el Pre- Escolar, Caluquí Alto



Caluquí es una comunidad indígena del norte de Quito. Está en una ladera de la montaña sobre el Lago San Pablo y uno puede ver el lago desde el centro infantil. Al estar rodeado de campos verdes, el volcán, Imbabura y laderas empinadas es probablemente para muchas personas un hogar ideal. Por desgracia, muchos en esta área pueden vivir en un lugar hermoso, pero no pueden tener mucho  para hacer una vida cómoda.



Por esta razón, es tradicional para FEDICE organizar la fiesta de Navidad para los niños pequeños del centro infantil en Caluquí Alto que lleva el nombre de Violet Groth Vaca (una de las fundadoras de FEDICE.


Glenn y yo, junto con Blanca, Luís y Sebastián de FEDICE, fuimos a la fiesta. Parte de la familia de Víctor Vaca también vino desde Quito para asistir a la fiesta y para proporcionar un payaso, un conejo y un duende para el entretenimiento.



Alrededor de las 11:30, comenzó la diversión. La gente de FEDICE se presentó como el presidente de Caluquí hablaron, y el presidente del grupo de los padres habló también.  Algunos juegos fueron jugados, como las sillas musicales y golpear la piñata. Las cinco maestras bailaron una hermosa danza tradicional.




Y entonces, la verdadera diversión comenzó. Una payasita salió e invitó a los niños a participar. Su atención fue capturada de inmediato como el payaso y sus asistentes preguntaron a los niños a decir la señora de Santa para venir a visitarnos. Ella llegó en poco tiempo. Luego hubo una llamada para el Sr. Claus. Cuando llegó, entregó juguetes y bolsas de dulces. Gran parte de estos regalos venían de FEDICE, de la familia Vaca y del grupo de los padres. Incluso si los niños más pequeños no entendí bien lo que estaba pasando, sus hermanos mayores lo hicieron. Fue muy interesante ver a los niños más jóvenes y mayores que comparten con los demás.



FEDICE se asegura de que estos niños reciben por lo menos algunos juguetes en Navidad. También ayudan a proporcionar una fiesta donde los niños y sus padres puedan reír y pasarlo bien.
La vida en las comunidades a menudo implica un trabajo muy duro, días largos, y el trabajo de 6 o 7 días a la semana, sin mucha remuneración. La esperanza de la gente está en sus niños que son muy queridos
Damos gracias a Dios por la gente que ayuda a Fedice a dar "esperanza" de una mejor vida en esta comunidad ecuatoriana.

Marilyn Cooper
Voluntaria con Fedice 

Christmas Celebration at the Pre-School
in Caluquí Alto


Caluquí is an Indigenous community north of Quito. It’s on a mountainside above Lago San Pablo and one can see the lake from the children’s playground. Being surrounded by green fields; the volcano, Imbabura; and steep hillsides is probably many a home owners dream. Unfortunately, many in this area may live in a beautiful place, but they may not have much to make a comfortable life.
For this reason, it is traditional for FEDICE to give gifts to the small children where they are involved. The pre-school in Caluquí Alto is named after Violet Groth Vaca (one of FEDICE’s co-founders.
Glenn and I, along with Blanca, Luis, and Sebastian of FEDICE, all went to the Sunday Christmas party for the children who attend the pre-school. Part of Victor Vaca’s family also drove up from Quito to attend the party and to provide a clown, a bunny, and an elf for entertainment.





Around 11:30, the fun began. People from FEDICE were introduced; the president of Caluquí spoke; and the president of the parent’s group spoke. A few games were played, like musical chairs and hit the piñata.


The five teachers and one recruit danced a lovely, traditional dance.



And then, the real fun began. The clown came out of the school onto the patio and invited the children to participate.  Their attention was immediately captured as the clown and her assistants asked the children to call out for Mrs. Santa to come visit. She arrived in short order. Then there was a call for Mr. Claus. When he arrived, he passed out toys and bags of sweets. Much of these gifts came from FEDICE and from the parent’s group. Even if the smallest children did not quite get what was going on, their older siblings did. It was very interesting to see the younger and older children sharing with each other.
FEDICE makes sure that these small children get at least some toys at Christmas time. They also help provide a party where the children and their parents can laugh and enjoy themselves. Life in the communities often involves very hard work, long days, and work 6 or 7 days a week, without much remuneration. The people’s hope is in their children who are very much loved.
We thank God that your interest, prayers, and support of FEDICE helps make “hope” a part of living in this Ecuadorian community.

By Marilyn Cooper
Volunteer with Fedice

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Two New Project Summaries

FEDICE Ecuador applied for funds from FEDICE USA for two projects recently.  The grants have been approved by the FEDICE USA Board of Directors and funds will be available to FEDICE Ecuador as soon as possible.  FEDICE Ecuador is grateful to receive this money because it enables the organization to continue its work with the indigenous people of the Andes in Ecuador.  Below are the two project summaries submitted to FEDICE USA.

--Glenn Hebert



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MACA ATAPULO PROJECT 2014
PROJECT NAME: “ENHANCED SHEEP PRODUCTION”


PROJECT NUMBER: 5
BENEFICIARIES:   24 women and 1 man (heads of households)

LOCATION
Province: Cotopaxi
Canton (County): Latacunga
Parish: Poalo
Community: Maca Atapulo

JUSTIFICATION

a) This organization of families shows solidarity among its members.
b) The beneficiaries are responsible and they attend trainings.
c) The members are responsible for the management of their individual productive projects.
d) The organization promptly returned the previous loan.

OBJECTIVES

General Purpose:
Improve the level of organizational, economic and technical abilities of the families of Maca Atápulo with the project; use the natural resources and labor available; and generate employment and income.

 Specific objectives:
- Improve the breed of sheep in the community with the introduction of improved animals.
- Ensure the supply of sheep and the establishment of pastures in each one of the family units.
- Train the group in theoretical and practical management of sheep raising, as well as related issues.

GOALS

During the first year:
• The rate of animal mortality in the project will be less than 5%.
• 25 families will raise seven sheep per family, for a total of 175 sheep.
• 25 beneficiaries/families will be trained in theoretical and practical issues to ensure success.
• The organization of 25 families will remain united around the project.

IMPACTS

• Decreased migration, due to the strengthened employment in the community.
• Increased household income from the sale of animals.
• Better bargaining power of women within the family, as a result of higher income.
• Preservation of soil properties because animal waste and organic waste will be recycled.
• Maintain and improve family health through the use of organic fertilizer and animal crops.
  
FINANCES

Project Cost: $32,990.00

The project will be financed by: Maca Atapulo Community  ($16,790.00, or 51%), and FEDICE ($16,200.00, or 49%)

PROJECT FUNDING 2014



FEDICE will allocate $1,200.00 for the training and monitoring of the project and $15,000.00 ($600 per family/beneficiary) for the purchase of 125 sheep (4 females and one male per family).

The community input is shown in the following table:


MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring activities will be carried out through home visits to individual/beneficiaries, meetings to analyze and solve existing problems, and recommendations for future actions. The families who participate in this project will participate in all of these activities.

The activities that are carried out will be documented by means of reports and photographs, which will serve as additional data for analysis when evaluating the project.

The continuation of the project next year will be evaluated on the basis of the stated objectives, the stated business plan, the stated budgets, the stated goals, and the stated impacts.


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SANTA ROSA PROJECT 2014 
PROJECT NAME:  “PRODUCTION OF PIGS AND DAIRY CATTLE”


PROJECT NUMBER: 8
Beneficiaries: 23 families


LOCATION
Province:  Cotopaxi
Canton (County): Latacunga.
Parish: Belisario Quevedo
Community: Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa is located in the south east of the parish Belisario Quevedo, a distance of 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the city of Latacunga. It has clay loam soils and water for irrigation which facilitates the establishment of pastures.

JUSTIFICATION

a) This organization of families shows solidarity among its members.
b) The beneficiaries are responsible and they attend trainings.
c) The 23 families are responsible for the management of their individual productive projects.
d) The organization promptly returned the previous loan.

OBJECTIVES

General Purpose:
Improve the organizational, economic, nutritional, and technical abilities of the families in Santa Rosa with the production of dairy cattle and pigs.

Specific objectives:
• Introduction of improved livestock in the family projects.
• Implement a program of training and technology transfer with them.
• Increase levels of income and employment in the community.
• Increase production and productivity of pigs and cattle.

GOALS

• 23 families will raise 28 pigs and 16 dairy cattle.
• 10% of the daily milk production is destined for family consumption.
• 23 beneficiaries/families will be trained in theoretical and practical issues to ensure success.
• The organization of 23 families will remain attached to the project environment.


IMPACTS

• Decreased migration, due to the strengthened employment in the community.
• Increased household income from the sale of animals.
• Better bargaining power of women within the family, as a result of higher income.
• Preservation of soil properties because animal waste and organic waste will be recycled.
• Maintain and improve family health through the use of organic fertilizer and animal crops.


FINANCING

Cost of the project: $25,727.00

PROJECT FUNDING 2014



FEDICE will allocate $1,344.00 for the training and monitoring of the project and $13,800.00 ($600.00 for each family). They will buy 28 pigs, 16 cows, and have a balance of $1,400.00 to buy other necessities.

The community input is shown in the following table:


MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring activities will be carried out through home visits to individual/beneficiaries, meetings to analyze and solve existing problems, and recommendations for future actions. The families who participate in this project will participate in all of these activities.

The activities that are carried out will be documented by means of reports and photographs, which will serve as additional data for analysis when evaluating the project.

The continuation of the project next year will be evaluated on the basis of the stated objectives, the stated business plan, the stated budgets, the stated goals, and the stated impacts.