Hope for our children. How our community was transformed

I’m writing this letter to share with everyone how Sumando Manos Foundation and Santa Clara Civil Association has helped us as a community and especially to our children through the last 5 years. 

This is our story: 
Our School (1 room) in the middle of the jungle began about 16 years ago with an enrollment of 70 students, then over time as it was a forgotten place without support, families started to keep the children working in the filled and some of them (few)  left the community  searching for a different opportunities. At some point in the time, almost everybody has gone, having only 5 pupils in the enrollment. As consequence the teacher left the community too. 
In that situation I was appointed as a teacher for them.

9 Years ago when members of Santa Clara Civil Association to visit us, we received medical attention and medicines, clothes, food, toys and many other things and began to improve gradually our situation. It was key because families started to send their children to our school again. Even it is very small and humble, through our school the children began to receive education, health and nutrition.

5 Years ago, We were blessed when Sumando Manos Foundation appeared in our lives, and since that moment, a lot of thing changes thanks to all help and support that Sumando Manos Foundation is providing to our community and our school.

In addition to collaborate with Santa Clara Civil Association providing the funds to carry on the field visits with physician and dentist and purchase food, also Sumando Manos Foundation provide clothes, toys, school supplies, books, etc. 

4 years ago, the school’s floor and the roof was complete renewed. In our geographical location and the extreme weather, that could mean the difference between life and death. Mortal insects (spiders) and snakes are part of environment and our children walk several kilometers to reach our school. It gave them shelter.

3 years ago, the dream comes true. Drinkable water!!!!!!! Another key change for us. It flipped our lives from the nutrition and health stand point, and it helped both our community and our school and surrounding communities as we go through the season of drought.

2 years ago, machine for make slippers and joggings were installed and raw material and a instructor was sent to help us to make our clothes. In addition to give the community an opportunity to learn another job (otherwise, the expectation for the future of our children is work in field/plantation), the slipper saves many children lives, since without them, barefoot children get through their sole the parasites living in the ground.

Last year, bathrooms were built and it completes the transformation. In addition, since the electrical generator was installed also we received appliance and computer. 

All listed above meant a big transformation for us, a forgotten and faraway place, not only because of counting with all these constant donation make easy our lives solving so many problems and needs, it impacted the more critical aspects such us: health (there were not death children caused by nutritional or parasites diseases) , educational because it brought back the children to the school (now have 36 children enrolled) and to allow us to learn and understand a word until that moment completely unknown, and me more important one, THE LOVE, the involvement and commitment shown by Sumando Manos Foundation and all the people giving through tem, gave HOPE to us and our children, and made our children feel that they are important, and  have an opportunity.


Location: El Soberbio, El Boton. La Flor. School #  269 , Misiones, Argentina