 December 09 NewsletterSunday, 22 November 2009
New DonorsMoshlo Shaw (of Tango Paradiso fame) donated a video camera to Honeros. A very welcome gift, where luxury goods attract hign tarrifs, the camera will go towards the vocational education stream for those children with an artistic bent. We are encouraging them to collaborate on a film about Honeros.
Where does the money go?We are making a real difference at Civil Los Honeros. Renovations are moving quickly along. D.A.O. Constructions are doing an excellent job and have almost completed Stage 1. On current projections D.A.O. will complete Stage 1 approximately $2,000 pesos under budget, a remarkable effort, given the inflation pressures in Argentina at present. Given the progress and available funds, we are approving the immediate start of Stage 2. Please check www.paralosninos.net photo gallery for a plan of the renovations and here if you want to view the Honeros progress cost report. Approved extras to date are: New stove and washing machine (previously none in working order). Note - This is additional to the oven that we provided 5 years ago; Water pump replacement (water supply pump retired involuntarily last week); Operating expenses: We spent a small sum on shoes and warm clothing for the children; We are providing 12 months school bus fares for the children attending school. Together with approved extras an operating expenses, the total budget for Honeros expenditure is AU$30,745; Expenditure to date is AU$7,733; Forward committments and approved budget items is $AU20,656. Construction: D.A.O. Construcciones Project management: John Lowry Project coordination and site supervision: Hernan DominiSite Supervision and liaison: Judy Gaunt The Home VisitI want to share this letter, received from Judy Gaunt, in Argentina until the end of December, without further comment............ Hi all On Monday morning I went to visit Los Honeros with Hernan again. We were going to check out the progress and to celebrate Elisa’s birthday. Progress on the house is good. Part A is near completion. The kitchen still needs some work. The completed bathroom is fantastic. I have a picture of the work in progress to compare to the finished product. It is a great job they have done. There are so many impressions of the day to share and they are all a little jumbled still so I will just write. I suffer a little melancholy and sadness along with gladness when I see what is here. I am so glad that the people in Oz are helping but there is so much that in some moments it seems a little overwhelming. Here a few stories; The tissue…… The children were getting ready for school. They wear day clothes and they put a white coverall/pinafore over their clothes. One of the little girls came to show me the pocket of her pinafore. I asked her what did she put in her pocket and she told me panuelos (tissues). I had a packet in my bag so I pulled out one and put it in her pocket. Her face lit up and she smiled and said thank you. After a little while Elica was getting the children ready to go to school and she was rolling toilet paper around her hand for each of the children. She gave some to the little girl with the tissue in her pocket and the little one said “no, I have tissue. Senora gave it to me”. So Elica told her to just take this paper for the toilet. I realized in that instant that this government doesn’t supply toilet paper to their schools. Elica must supply the children toilet paper for school. Toilet paper can go on the wish list when the storage room is complete. The price of this product has gone up 200% in 3 years. The school bus……. Hernan told me he had paid the school bus. (approved previously). Elica was behind a month so Hernan paid the month in arrears and the current month. The bus in Argentina costs 150 pesos per child per month. The bus people give Elica a discount. She pays 250 pesos per month for 3 children to travel to school. Her pension is 750 pesos. The bus needs to go on the wish list. The guitar……… I am helping in a tango class in BsAs. One of the students that I help has a music shop. I asked him if he could buy second hand guitars or pianos. He told me not to even consider a second hand piano but a guitar would be OK. He asked why I was interested and I told him about Los Honeros. He donated a second hand guitar. I took it out on Monday morning and the kids picked it up immediately to ‘tocar’ (play). The smiles and the laughter were so good to see. I took photos. I showed Mario (the donor) the photo and he asked for a copy of the picture so that he could show it around. It will get us talked about a little. I will give him Hernan’s contact details before I come home. The psychologist………. One of the things that is very necessary that needs to go on the wish list is a psychologist fund. One of the boys at the home is now very angry at the world. His story was so sad for me….. At 6 years of age some relative took him from his bed and delivered him to the home. He is now sixteen and no one has ever asked about him since that night ten years ago. Some of the girls who end up at the home have suffered years of abuse at the hands of their fathers. Medical assistance is a must for some of these kids, particularly when they reach teenage years. Shoes………… Elica’s daughter was at the home on Monday, I was introduced to her. She is lovely. She is pregnant with her second child. I had had a discussion with Hernan and Mercedes about a gift for Elica for her birthday and Mercedes rang the daughter and found out that Elica is desperate for shoes. So I told Hernan I would give Elisa shoes/shoe money for her birthday. When we were on our way to the home I told Hernan that I had money to give to Elica so that she could go shoe shopping. Hernan had suggested that we take Elica shopping after we arrived but that always poses a problem with time constraints and so on, so I said no, I would just give her the money. During the course of the discussions I changed my mind. Elisa’s daughter told us that every centavo that Elica receives goes into things for the children. Did we know (she asked) that she had taken a personal loan so that she (Elica) could buy much needed shoes for the children???? I responded, no we didn’t know this. When Elica walked the girls to the bus I got out the money for Elica’s birthday present and gave it to her daughter with the request that she spend it on shoes and a blouse for her mother’s birthday present from us. The daughter said she would be very happy to do it and that it was good that I hadn’t given it to her mother because although the home and the children need many things, Elica needs shoes because she wears two different (different coloured) shoes. The wish list………….. I spoke of the wish list through Hernan. Elica’s daughter had asked about the people of Australia and why they were doing this. He explained about John and Cheryl and the beginnings of how the charity came about. He told them about the special BALL that is happening each year and how people in other cities have joined in with the ball for Para Los Ninos. She was so touched. It was then that I told Hernan about the idea for the wish list. He shared with them that this would be a list put on the web site so that people that choose to, may sponsor an item for the home. I told them that this is a list that we all would build together before I go home. I told them that I had already started the Wish List today and I read it to them. The wish list so far: Wardrobes (urgent and essential now), beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows, lamps, bedside tables, dining table and chairs, Elica said “and curtains”. There are other things that we could sponsor too, costs of educating the kids in vocational courses. The kids need a future said Elica’s daughter. They could do plumbing, carpentry, computer or other courses to help them get employment. I agree. But it is costly for them. The bus fares need to be on the sponsor list and the psychologist fund needs to be on the sponsor list too. We are getting prices to add to the list. The bus is approx $100 per month (incredible). Mosquitos chickens and bugs………….. The littlest member of the household (1 year old Carmela) had a big swollen eye. She was bitten by a mosquito. The country situation and the unfinished/unsealed nature of the house allow the chickens, mosquitos and bugs to enter. I asked Hernan do they have fly screens in Argentina. He replied that they do but he doesn’t know if they can be fitted to these windows. I said that surely there must be some way, so they will look into it. I then had a thought that Mosquito nets could go on the wish list. (An interim measure) The big boys…….. The big boys were all dirty when we arrived. They are willing helpers of Obrigon (the builder). They are so anxious about part 2 of the building. They have been told that the building is being done in stages and stage one is near completion. They asked Obrigon if he thought that we would continue with phase two??? He told them he didn’t know and Obrigon asked Hernan and Hernan told him he didn’t know???? Hernan asked me and I told him that I would write to John and Cheryl but it was most probable that they would just continue working on phase two. He said he would not tell them with certainty that it would continue until we get a response. The boys are keen to continue because the girls end got done first. Chivalry is not dead!!!! But the boys are keen for their end to be done too. They are very proud of their work. The questions……. Is there money enough to continue??????????????????? Can we give the word to keep going????????????????? The birthday party......... This Aussie chick got up early on Monday and cooked a lemon syrup cake and some rock cakes for the birthday celebration (that turned out to be a week early cause we got the date wrong). I also had two friends, Anne and Justine bring packs of freddos with them for the kids. It was amazing, kids and freddos get the same response worldwide. Little Camilla didn't know what a freddo was but she knew that she didn't want anymore potato and she held out her little hand for her freddo:) I also took Moshlo's donated video camera with me that day. So all in all we had a great visit/mini early party. Many thanks come your way Mosh for the camera. It was a great hit. Well friends and family that is enough of the ramblings. Abrasos y besitos (hugs and little kisses) to all. Judyxoxox Events Watch the event Calendar for Para Los Niños Events: Coming up: Brisbane - New Farm Park - 5th December Brisbane - Tango, Island Style - Russell Island - 12th December Brisbane - Para Los Niños 5th Saturday Milonga Christmas AppealWe plan to send the children on a Christmas excursion (the beach, a pic-nic - things they have never experienced), if that is possible.
Moving onThe purpose of the renovation is to provide a stable, safe environment where we can begin the real work. This includes the possibility of apprenticeships for boys and girls, English lessons, music and art. We look forward to any suggestions or support for the next phase of our venture. One Laptop per Child Did you know: If 100 people represented the world's population, 1 (yes one) would own a computer.
We will be seeking the influence and support of government and major corporations in Argentina to make this happen. If you know anyone in business, the IT and communications world, Trade or other areas that might be able to help, please ask them to contact us.
If you think it is too difficult, think about little Uruguay (Argentina's Tango neighbour) which has deployed 220,000 of these special laptops to children, plus school servers, software and other operational resources. We wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Look ahead to 2010Mark your diaries for 31 July 2010. We have a fabulous new Brisbane venue booked and we have managed to secure Joaquin Amenabar to help us celebrate our 10th anniversary, following his successful tour of Australia and new Zealand and upcoming tours of the USA and Europe.
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