Fundacion Crecer

Fundacion Crecer (meaning 'to grow') is basically a school for children who have previously worked on the streets as a source of income for themselves and/or their family. The goal for the foundation is to catch them up to the grade level they should be in so they can eventually enter public school. In the past, I’ve volunteered a lot with various organizations and so far, this experience has been something I’ve never been through before. I am not exactly sure on all of the details, but this is what I know: the students range from about ages 8-18, there are 5 classrooms with 5 teachers, the students are all at a 1st and/or 2nd grade level, they're there from about 8 am to 2:30 pm and they come from very poor families. In fact, while working on the streets, the majority of children used to abuse glue to get high. The head teacher also told us that many come to school without having brushed their teeth and sometimes they throw away their silverware because they don’t know what it is. They pay 50 cents per day to receive breakfast, lunch and a snack. The teacher's main focus is math, reading and writing, although there is also a need for English, since that is extremely important here. Because of their backgrounds of poverty, and in some other cases abuse and neglect, the school tries to cover other types of learning like basic living skills, cooking, cleaning, etc.

I wish I could say this place inspired and motivated me. I wish I could write about how it's solely underfunded, but is a great place that only needs more money. However, the first two weeks have been mainly daunting and intimidating because of the lack of organization, leadership and basic enthusiasm I've seen from the teachers. The foundation, of course, is underfunded and the work of the administrators is voluntary. I’m there every morning Mon-Thurs. between 8 and 12, sometimes later, and so far we, myself and the other volunteers, have not done much, and not because we're lazy, but because there's no guidance or expectations for us. We have had to take on the initiative (which is fine with me), and approach the head of the foundation about what we have been seeing the past two weeks and where we are supposed to fit in. The first two weeks we were supposed to be observing, but the whole school has been practicing for "Dia de la Bandera" - Flag Day, which consists of the students attempting to line up and do some sort of parade a couple hours every morning during their 'learning' time. Meanwhile, myself and the other volunteers, have been "sent" to la biblioteca (the library, which is rarely (and I mean rarely) used), to make some posters. They have been practicing for two weeks now, and still have another week more.

I'm sure I'll write more later about the meeting that myself and another volunteer through my program had with our coordinator, Johnny, and the head of the foundation. For now, in the meeting, the head showed us a schedule that we had never seen on paper or in reality before, and she told us the basic rules of the school, which we also had not seen followed. As the meeting went on she began to admit that the teachers needed to be assessed and that she thought the teachers were doing what they were supposed to until we said otherwise. She was excited that we were so enthused and willing to help; we had brought in new ideas of discipline, painting a mural for a sense of ownership, playing games with them in the morning as an incentive to get there at 8 am, trying new things like art, music, gardening, and creating some sort of network with past volunteers. The teachers here are not certified and because the work is so overwhelming they are tired and overwhelmed. The kids want to learn and there is obvious potential and intelligence in these children. It's so twisted that the kids who need the most are receiving the least.

This has been such a challenge in so many ways. I do not mean to sound like any one is at fault - it's really no one's fault! It's just that there are basic things missing like discipline, leadership and enthusiasm/will/motivation - whatever you want to call it. It's been a challenge to decipher what ideas of ours may be seen as "western" or "American" versus what is basic in a classroom, like classroom rules - and maybe even having them posted on the wall! Everyday I thank my family, my teachers and my country for the education I've received. And because of this education, I am a great resource for this school, not just because of what I can physically do there, but because of my past history with great education! I never really realized that singing songs about respect or teaching children the 'correct' way to hand over a pair of scissors was really that important...

Ah, I think for me, for the other volunteers, and hopefully the children (and teachers!) these next 4 months will be a great and interesting growing experience... that's exactly what I'm doing here, growing in Ecuador (Creciendo en Ecuador). Ciao til next time!