by Janet Gee

As you may know, each month we receive a report on project activities from Alma Susana and Marlon, the Sister City Project (SCP) facilitators in Santa Teresa. Here are some highlights to show you what SCP has been able to do this year with your financial and moral support.

Education There are a total of 116 students in grades 1-6 and 5 teachers in the three original community schools. All the students have received school supplies for the year and financial help given for the school lunch program. (This is a big incentive for the children to come to school.) The teachers were given extra teaching materials such as paper, pens, pencils, acrylic boards, and we supported area teacher training sessions. Our facilitators met with the local Ministry of Education delegate to encourage help for the rural schools. Materials were given to help with the repair of school buildings, including fencing, padlocks, paint, and water filters for wells.

Latrine parts arrive in El Terrero.Health We pay a small stipend to a local doctor to train 20 health promoters from the villages to equip them to help with simple first aid in their communities. Sessions are held one day per month. In addition, the doctor has agreed to visit each of these three remote villages once a month for medical consultations. Fourteen families each received materials to build a new latrine, five families have a new communal well. The facilitators helped with transportation during vaccination days.

Agriculture Forty farmers are in the agriculture program. They have agreed to follow sustainable practices which are shown them by a trained technician, e.g. reduce “slash and burn”, use contour farming, green fences etc. These conservation practices are to help protect the Chacocente Reserve’s natural resources and also to improve the quality of life of those who live there. In exchange, the farmer receives from SCP a voucher for $50 which can be used for any farm inputs needed.

Bees This project started late last year and now involves 20 producers who, with SCP help, have formed themselves into a co-op. They are being trained by another co-op a few miles away. The first honey harvest in January produced 40 liters and the second in April 45 liters. The honey is for family consumption and also to sell locally. SCP helped with materials for making the hives and three other local non-government organizations are helping them with a business plan.
Silvia Traña, SCP Commission member from El Papalon, milks her cow.

New Communities As there are about seventeen other needy communities in the buffer zone around the Chacocente Refuge, this year SCP has begun to work on some urgent projects in two other places. El Terrero is a very isolated community and can be cut off during the rainy season. However, before the rains came, we were able to supply the materials for twenty latrines which were quickly built by the people there. In another community, La Chota, we have supplied school kits for the 60 students in grades preschool to sixth. In addition, we donated 10 well rope pumps, materials for 21 well covers and a retaining wall for the school, and money towards the school lunch program.