View The Progress

The first annual "Day at the Races" took place on May 13th, 2006

This year our 3rd annual "Day at the Races" will be held on May 10th, 2008

The children that we are helping were originally from 4 of the 100 indigenous communities who live on the mountain known as Mt. Chimborazo in Central Ecuador. Now there are children from 10 area communities coming to the school, and enrollment is expected to exceed 250 students for the next school year.  The name of the school is Huanca Pallaguchi.

Geography:

Huanca Palluguchi is located 116 km. from the nearest city of Riobamba, Ecuador.  Riobamba is 200 km. south of Quito the capital, and is located in the Ecuadorian Province of Chimborazo.

The indigenous people are descendants of the Cañari tribe.

The school itself is being built at an altitude of 3600 metres [11,810 feet] on the slopes of Mount Chimborazo, 55kms. from any main road.  The mountain reaches a lofty 6267 metres [20,560 ft], and is Ecuador’s highest mountain.

Project History:

Immediately after the May, 2006 event took place, the money raised was sent to Scarboro Missions, a non-profit organization based in Toronto, who laid the groundwork for the building to begin in Ecuador. 

An architect and a project manager were hired.   To contribute to the project the adults and children in the community were thrilled to have a hands on involvement in the building of the 4 classrooms.  They gathered rock and soil for brick making and to date have made over 50,000 bricks for the structure.

In June 2006, Tom Walsh and the Scarboro Mission’s team made a visit to the community to view the project and meet with community leaders and members of the parent’s association. The building foundation forms were being assembled and the parents, with help from the students, were bringing crushed stone for the floors and they were busy doing a variety of carpentry tasks.

In July, 2006 there was a celebration of the formal and legal agreement signed between the communities and the Ministry of Bilingual Education to sanction the new buildings of the school.

There were many speeches, dances and words of praise for the project from the leaders and parents of the communities. 
It was noted that the money was being managed responsibly and that there has been an efficient use of the purchased materials.

On Feb. 7th, 2007 a day long celebration was held to officially open the four classrooms for the first time.  The ribbon cutting ceremony was an emotional and joyful experience for all.

The quality of the construction work is well done and the people are exceptionally proud of their new school. Two residences are being built for the 12 teachers who at present are living in substandard conditions. 

To date the school has four classrooms. These are the structures with the red roofs pictured above.

We asked for your help last year, and all the above was accomplished thanks to your generosity, raising over $62,000 for the project.

Previously, these children had a hut for a classroom with no windows, mud floor, no heat, no electricity, no water, 3 children to a desk with very few blackboards and school supplies. Thanks to you they will now have a lovely bright classroom, individual desks, blackboards, school supplies, a wood stove for warmth, and an opportunity for an extended education which once was only a dream.
  
To fully meet the need of the communities in this area, we are repeating our "Day at the Races" on May 10th, 2008.

Here is what we need to accomplish, and you can help us help these wonderful children, and their communities.

The architect is preparing the technical design for the cafeteria/kitchen and a budget which is expected to cost about $US 35,000.  This does not include the materials in kind and unskilled workforce which the community provides.  In addition, two additional classrooms are expected to cost in total $US 16,000 ($8,000 each).

Once the plans and budget are approved by the community, school authorities and ourselves, then a contract can be signed. This should take place at the latest by April, 2007. In the meantime the community is continuing to make bricks and finishing the teacher’s residences, which are nearly complete.
 
The goal has been to have the communities come together and participate in the entire process.  This is happening and the result has been that the youth of the communities have been taught new ways of building with bricks which they had never used before.  It will allow them to use this knowledge in the future and they are also learning how to build the structures so that they will be able to do this on their own in the future without hiring outside people. Teachers are receiving training/preparation as are the parents in organizational strengthening.  The project is building the self esteem of these people where once there was little hope for the future of their children.  People are coming from miles around to see and admire the work that is being done in Huanca.  

The 10 communities involved in the school project have now come together and are working together to do a 13.5 km irrigation project over a 4200 meter high mountain range. This is being done in coordination with local municipal authorities. Only a year ago these same communities were fighting over water rights.

Once again, thank you all for your generosity.