WARNING: This is a very long blogpost. Grab some coffee, get comfortable, and blink your eyes a few times because this might take you awhile to read. That, or you can take breaks along the way. Good luck! Ready, Set, Go!
I'm back! I've been planning on writing this particular post for quite awhile, but kept feeling like I was just about to find out more about a particular project and wanted to wait until I really knew where I would be focusing. I've finally reached that point so I'm finally writing the blog!
I came down to Uruguay having contacted one NGO in particular to potentially work with in my time here, but was leaving myself open to finding projects based on the needs I observed in the country. I've been working with that NGO and have really enjoyed the work and feel it is a very necessary and helpful organization, but have also observed great needs in the peripheral slum communities of Montevideo and have been wanting to get more involved there. I've been in a trial and error process of finding ways to accomplish that goal the past few months, and finally have been making some great progress!
I began teaching chess lessons to help out another Rotary scholar, Gabriel, and through that started spending more time in a community called Maracaná and getting to know an organization called Juventud Artiguista. The group was started by a couple guys who live in the community (the largest slum in the country), and they are trying to help their community by building up the local merendero, clinic, and associated community group (more details below). I've had a lot of fun helping them and am really excited about the opportunities I have at the clinic!
So, here it goes, a somewhat detailed breakdown of each of my current major projects.
Claves: Claves is the organization I spoke with before coming down here, and was my first major job and I still have been working there typically two times a week. I won't spend too much time on it since I discussed it in a previous post. Claves educates students, adults, educators, psychologists, social workers, etc in Uruguay and quite a large number of other countries in order to reduce levels of mistreatment and abuse. The weeklong annual campaign encourages adults to commit to listening to and believing children when they tell them something and denouncing situations of abuse when they are aware of them. I have found myself in the role of preparing the many materials we sell through local bookstores, and at times delivering ordered materials and picking up overstock. I've really enjoyed working at Claves, more than anything for the people I've met.
Maracaná: That's the name of the largest slum in Uruguay with between 1,000-2,000 families, and I've been spending a lot of time there lately! For a slum it's relatively nice compared to some I've seen here with gravel roads, cement paths over the sewer ditches, most houses with electricity, drinkable water, and a fridge, and few people working in "trash classification" -- o sea, the people that ride around all day in horse-drawn carts digging through the dumpsters, separating the trash, and selling what they can. That also means there are a lot fewer trash piles in the slum, which in some places I've seen tower high over the roofs of the houses. However, it's still a slum and the poverty is still evident, especially as I've been able to meet face-to-face with patients in the policlinica (few of whom eat more than one true meal per day).
The policlinica! The chalkboard announces which days a particular doctor will be there/what service will be offered.
All in all, I've been making the 3 hour roundtrip bus ride 4-5 times per week, and it's been totally worth it! I love the work I'm doing in the neighborhood and it's fun to start to recognize more and more people each time I show up.
Rotaract: I just recently got involved with a Rotaract club here in Uruguay (Rotary for people 18-30 years old), and I wish I would've done it a lot sooner! The people are a whole lot of fun and the one project I've taken place in so far has been great! Right now there's a lot of communication between Juventud Artiguista and Rotaract and we're trying to see how the latter can perhaps get involved with the merendero and policlinica as well.
Last weekend we went to the cerro (big hill/small "mountain") in Piriapolis about 1.5 hours from Montevideo with a group of about 30 people including Rotaract, Juventud Artiguista, CouchSurfers, and Scouts. We made the somewhat difficult climb, and then started picking up what looked like not much trash. However, the small piles of trash turned out to be literally the tips of the icebergs (trashbergs?), and we ended up filling 50 large bags worth of bottles and other litter, and had to leave quite a bit up there when we ran out of bags! We then descended down the hill -- much more difficult, very tiring, and slightly dangerous with a giant bag in each hand. We made it safely with only one fall (she's okay!), and left the cerro cleaner than we found it. We're hoping to go back sometime soon to take down the rest, and hopefully we can put up signs or something similar asking people to pack out what they pack in!
The cross at the top of the cerro. Some of the guys climbed up and waved the Rotaract flag, though it's so high up you can't read what it says!
Jessica models the project shirt. Next to her and behind the rock Brandon is leaning against was an endless pit of trash. We thought it was just a few bottles but it was the first place we started digging and 2-3 hours later still had a loooong way to go when we ran out of bags :(
The bags pile up. The group in the background is digging behind the rock in the endless pit of trash.
Most of the group with a lot of the trash bags right before we headed back down.
Others: I had been hoping to help out with a local church's soup kitchen, but unfortunately it has closed due to lack of resources. They know that I am willing to help in anyway to get it re-opened, and I'm hopeful that may happen next year!
I've also been hoping to do more work with Techo's health group, but their meeting times clash with my schedule. I'm still in contact with them, and ideally I'd like to build on this health survey idea and combine it with the survey they have if it continues to go well in Maracaná.
Finally, I also contacted a group that I had found out about in Minnesota called Partners (or Compañeros here). They are a NGO that sponsors lots of exchange between MN and UY (I believe there is a similar NGO for each Latin American country and a different state of the USA), and have different teams working on projects in all sorts of areas here. I recently went one day and helped out with a conference put on by Compañeros and the US Embassy discussing human trafficking. It was quite interesting and I learned a lot! Not sure what more I will be doing with them in the future but hopefully more projects will come up!
So that's what I've been up to! I hope you survived to the end of the post, or better yet took breaks along the way. I'll be sure to keep you posted on how things develop, especially with the merendero and policlinica. Email me if you have any questions or comments!
chau chau
I'm back! I've been planning on writing this particular post for quite awhile, but kept feeling like I was just about to find out more about a particular project and wanted to wait until I really knew where I would be focusing. I've finally reached that point so I'm finally writing the blog!
I came down to Uruguay having contacted one NGO in particular to potentially work with in my time here, but was leaving myself open to finding projects based on the needs I observed in the country. I've been working with that NGO and have really enjoyed the work and feel it is a very necessary and helpful organization, but have also observed great needs in the peripheral slum communities of Montevideo and have been wanting to get more involved there. I've been in a trial and error process of finding ways to accomplish that goal the past few months, and finally have been making some great progress!
I began teaching chess lessons to help out another Rotary scholar, Gabriel, and through that started spending more time in a community called Maracaná and getting to know an organization called Juventud Artiguista. The group was started by a couple guys who live in the community (the largest slum in the country), and they are trying to help their community by building up the local merendero, clinic, and associated community group (more details below). I've had a lot of fun helping them and am really excited about the opportunities I have at the clinic!
So, here it goes, a somewhat detailed breakdown of each of my current major projects.
Claves: Claves is the organization I spoke with before coming down here, and was my first major job and I still have been working there typically two times a week. I won't spend too much time on it since I discussed it in a previous post. Claves educates students, adults, educators, psychologists, social workers, etc in Uruguay and quite a large number of other countries in order to reduce levels of mistreatment and abuse. The weeklong annual campaign encourages adults to commit to listening to and believing children when they tell them something and denouncing situations of abuse when they are aware of them. I have found myself in the role of preparing the many materials we sell through local bookstores, and at times delivering ordered materials and picking up overstock. I've really enjoyed working at Claves, more than anything for the people I've met.
Maracaná: That's the name of the largest slum in Uruguay with between 1,000-2,000 families, and I've been spending a lot of time there lately! For a slum it's relatively nice compared to some I've seen here with gravel roads, cement paths over the sewer ditches, most houses with electricity, drinkable water, and a fridge, and few people working in "trash classification" -- o sea, the people that ride around all day in horse-drawn carts digging through the dumpsters, separating the trash, and selling what they can. That also means there are a lot fewer trash piles in the slum, which in some places I've seen tower high over the roofs of the houses. However, it's still a slum and the poverty is still evident, especially as I've been able to meet face-to-face with patients in the policlinica (few of whom eat more than one true meal per day).
But I'm getting ahead of myself; let me tell you how I got started there. As I mentioned above, Gabe has spent a lot of time developing a chess program to teach kids here, and also teaching others who are interested in teaching chess how to teach it (that's a lot of teaching)! My roommate Diego and I went to one of his teacher workshops, and then I later went with him to a meeting of a group called Juventud Artiguista that is working to help Maracaná in any way they can. Their approach is working with the merendero (a community center type place that functions as a preschool by day and a place for kids to get something to eat after school) and with the local civil association, trying to get greater integration from the local residents by offering membership in the association for about 50 cents per month in exchange for a variety of services. They're still working on hammering that out, but some of the services that will be offered are a lawn-mower so they don't have to hack at their grass by hand with a machete and a library (they already have ~1,500 books) that kids can check out to read. That, plus the chess classes we've been offering twice a week and some other classes they hope to develop are the base of their initial pitch. Another key part of their plan is getting people in higher class neighborhoods to become members for the same price (or a bit more if they wish), creating a network of support giving them greater resources to help the neighborhood and hopefully planning activities that bring the people of the two communities together -- something that might not otherwise happen in daily Montevidean life. They're also teaching chess in the elementary school, and I have a great time tagging along with that when I can. So far, my involvement with the Juventud Artiguista includes teaching chess two afternoons per week and helping on the weekends fix up the merendero. We've painted the outside, are working on the inside, started electrical work, and more!
Gabe the master teaching a couple of the girls what exactly the bishops do.
Probably my all time favorite picture I've taken in Uruguay.
Two of the Juventud Artiguista fix the bench!
Alberto the ringleader of J.A.
Lourdes chips away at the old mural. Take note of what the merendero looked like...
Outdoor chess lessons when the guy with the key to the merendero didn't show up.
Joaquin and Jose (2 more J.A. guys) paint the windows pink.
One of the girls knocked over some paint so we turned it into a sun!
Fernanda (the incredible Rotaract president) and some of the girls paint the other window. The expression on the littlest girls face never changed and absolutely cracked me up.
Marcos (another J.A./chess teacher guy) draws the circles for the bubbles we decided to paint.
Almost finished product! Quite the difference, huh? I'll have to take another picture now that it's completely painted, it looks incredible and sort of tasty like a birthday cake :)
Gabe the master teaching a couple of the girls what exactly the bishops do.
Probably my all time favorite picture I've taken in Uruguay.
Two of the Juventud Artiguista fix the bench!
Alberto the ringleader of J.A.
Lourdes chips away at the old mural. Take note of what the merendero looked like...
Outdoor chess lessons when the guy with the key to the merendero didn't show up.
Joaquin and Jose (2 more J.A. guys) paint the windows pink.
One of the girls knocked over some paint so we turned it into a sun!
Fernanda (the incredible Rotaract president) and some of the girls paint the other window. The expression on the littlest girls face never changed and absolutely cracked me up.
Marcos (another J.A./chess teacher guy) draws the circles for the bubbles we decided to paint.
Almost finished product! Quite the difference, huh? I'll have to take another picture now that it's completely painted, it looks incredible and sort of tasty like a birthday cake :)
The Juventud Artiguista (by the way, that basically means Artigas Youth -- Artigas is the liberating hero of Uruguay) also are working with the local clinic to see how they can help here, perhaps with cleaning and painting and electrical work as in the merendero. I've been going there twice a week (1.5 hour bus ride one way every morning leaving at 6:45am!) with another Rotary Scholar, Jessica, meeting with patients for 10-15 minutes each. I take their blood pressure and heart rate, and then we ask them some questions about recent sicknesses in their household, recent deaths in their family, hygiene habits, what they typically eat in a day, and other questions to create a general and statistical picture of the health and nutrition challenges in the community. The goal is to use that information next year to design seminars, classes, and the like to help out the clinic and improve the health and health habits of the barrio! It's been really enjoyable getting to know the people, and we already have some great ideas for workshops. We're also hoping to leverage the many contacts we have for potential resources for the clinic, as they even lack soap for the bathroom and paper to keep medical charts.
The policlinica! The chalkboard announces which days a particular doctor will be there/what service will be offered.
All in all, I've been making the 3 hour roundtrip bus ride 4-5 times per week, and it's been totally worth it! I love the work I'm doing in the neighborhood and it's fun to start to recognize more and more people each time I show up.
Rotaract: I just recently got involved with a Rotaract club here in Uruguay (Rotary for people 18-30 years old), and I wish I would've done it a lot sooner! The people are a whole lot of fun and the one project I've taken place in so far has been great! Right now there's a lot of communication between Juventud Artiguista and Rotaract and we're trying to see how the latter can perhaps get involved with the merendero and policlinica as well.
Last weekend we went to the cerro (big hill/small "mountain") in Piriapolis about 1.5 hours from Montevideo with a group of about 30 people including Rotaract, Juventud Artiguista, CouchSurfers, and Scouts. We made the somewhat difficult climb, and then started picking up what looked like not much trash. However, the small piles of trash turned out to be literally the tips of the icebergs (trashbergs?), and we ended up filling 50 large bags worth of bottles and other litter, and had to leave quite a bit up there when we ran out of bags! We then descended down the hill -- much more difficult, very tiring, and slightly dangerous with a giant bag in each hand. We made it safely with only one fall (she's okay!), and left the cerro cleaner than we found it. We're hoping to go back sometime soon to take down the rest, and hopefully we can put up signs or something similar asking people to pack out what they pack in!
The cross at the top of the cerro. Some of the guys climbed up and waved the Rotaract flag, though it's so high up you can't read what it says!
Jessica models the project shirt. Next to her and behind the rock Brandon is leaning against was an endless pit of trash. We thought it was just a few bottles but it was the first place we started digging and 2-3 hours later still had a loooong way to go when we ran out of bags :(
The bags pile up. The group in the background is digging behind the rock in the endless pit of trash.
Most of the group with a lot of the trash bags right before we headed back down.
Others: I had been hoping to help out with a local church's soup kitchen, but unfortunately it has closed due to lack of resources. They know that I am willing to help in anyway to get it re-opened, and I'm hopeful that may happen next year!
I've also been hoping to do more work with Techo's health group, but their meeting times clash with my schedule. I'm still in contact with them, and ideally I'd like to build on this health survey idea and combine it with the survey they have if it continues to go well in Maracaná.
Finally, I also contacted a group that I had found out about in Minnesota called Partners (or Compañeros here). They are a NGO that sponsors lots of exchange between MN and UY (I believe there is a similar NGO for each Latin American country and a different state of the USA), and have different teams working on projects in all sorts of areas here. I recently went one day and helped out with a conference put on by Compañeros and the US Embassy discussing human trafficking. It was quite interesting and I learned a lot! Not sure what more I will be doing with them in the future but hopefully more projects will come up!
So that's what I've been up to! I hope you survived to the end of the post, or better yet took breaks along the way. I'll be sure to keep you posted on how things develop, especially with the merendero and policlinica. Email me if you have any questions or comments!
chau chau
