March 12 2013 update

 Heritage College Nursing Student Lacy gives out medication

 Heritage College ECE students and their teacher introduce
 daycare kids to new activities in San Pablo.     

 

 
 
 

                                                                                    Playing with new toys - Mr. Potato Head is a  hit.

Mother waits with 2 other children while her daughter

is examined.

 

Professional examination by Heritage students.

 

 

Medical stations set up at the daycare to deal

with the large numbers of children to be seen.

 

A bandaged thumb for this little boy.

 

 

Clothing donated from Living Green in B.C. Canada

is put out for teachers and parents to select for

the children in need of clothes.

 

 

This new sweater is really for me?? Wow.

 

 

I love my new shoes, they even match my sweater.

 

 So happy in new clothes.

                                           Outside, the children sit on woven mats to play
                                            with all kinds of toys under the supervision of
                                            Heritage College ECE students.
                                               

Lots of lego means more building.

A new puppet brings smiles to these girls.

Making a finger puppet - one of the activities

presented during the teacher workshop

March 12th 2013 update

Pictures and notes from March 12 2013 with early childhood education and nursing students from Heritage College in Gatineau Quebec Canada on working holiday during spring break.

A couple of the teacher workshop where 50 attended, that included all my Daycare teachers, 2 visiting groups from the other side of the lake, the Infantiles SOS staff, the Heritage College delegation, myself and interpreters in 3 languages. A lot of fun was had by all. The new teacher materials, books , toys and musical instruments handed out will provide each daycare with an abundance of new resources to use throughout the year. As well medical kits given last year were replenished and new medicines and toothbrushes given out. The teachers were also introduced to the fun of playing parachute games. Heritage left 2 for the daycares and the kids had a wonderful time with them.

     During the daycare visits, the kids were examined and in every daycare, the kids were in better health than last year and had grown. There were less cases of lice and skin problems  and less colds. We were very pleased with the results.  Obviously, the nutrition provided in the daycares is having a positive effect on overall health. The Heritage students conducted themselves with compassion and professionalism. It was a pleasure to work with their teams and the daycares were very excited to have us visit their centres.

     New clothes were distributed among the mothers who most needed them for their kids. We took pictures of some kids so happy to have new pants, sweaters, the-shirts and shoes.

     This week we will distribute the swings we had made. We also will finish the bottle class at Punyebar and outfit the new kitchen there. Then it will be possible for all the younger kids to have their meals right in their own classroom. No longer will they have to walk up the road to another building 3 times a day.
We still don't have computer service but I have found a place to be able to send a few of my blackberrypictures, a few at a time. Hope all is well at home. Enjoy the photos. Sheila

S

March 11 2013 pictures captions to follow

March 3rd update

March 3rd 2013 with Visitors 

along
 with Brian in the back row
Dru being Dru
Marilyn Canadian teacher volunteer











Brian working on wall










The 3 men managed to get all the house rafters up while they were here. So now Brian can proceed with the roof. A stone wall has been built at the back and the front and side walls will go up over the next 2 weeks.
      At the daycares, things are going pretty well. Bottle classrooms at both Chacap and Punyebar are progressing fast and look terrific. We hope a cement floor was poured at Chacap yesterday so we can use the room when all the teachers and nurses arrive.  The new spaces they will provide are much needed and really very nice. Light streaming in through the coloured glass of the bottles makes a nice effect. We can hardly wait to see them done. As soon as we can, we will work on putting together some new tire playstructures, too. The kids have so much fun crawling around on them. The group from Heritage College is in Antiqua now to see a procession but get here in time for supper this evening. Then tomorrow, we cross the lake at 7 a.m. to begin the teacher workshop for 49 teachers from this area. Hope everything is in place.
    I sent a swing off to a carpenter 5 weeks ago and finally got 1 back today,particially done. Now I am hoping for 6 more within 3 days, because we really need to get them up. The kids have been waiting to try them out.
Our electronic problems have really set us back. I am currently at an internet cafe waiting for the market to open so I can buy some fruit to make a cold drink. Brian is talking to a carpenter about making the facings for the windows, so they can be installed. We are anxious to get the house closed in.
    The transportation is causing us serious problems with getting around. We must leave before 7 and have trouble returning before 6 without having to sit somewhere on the road for upwards of an hour or hour and a half. We are attempting to find creative solutions.
Now that the nurses are here, I hope to be able to send messages through them to you to post. Thanks again for your help. I got business/product cards made in Pana by a 15 year old in about an hour. They are so tech savy here. All the best- Sheila