October 11, 2007
On 27 December 2006 we told you about Sylvia Berkley, who supports the Sosúa Kids Organisation and also a school project for poor children close to Puerto Plata airport.
This is an educational project for poor children, mostly Haitians, who live in the slums opposite the Air Force base near the airport.
These children have no birth certificates and are not included on the civil register, and therefore cannot take advantage of the free education available to children in this country.
Judith (a qualified lawyer and practicing Christian) and her husband Roberto have started up a kindergarten and primary school for these children.
They found some run-down premises and a good teacher who was prepared to work for a low wage.
Luckily they met Sylvia, who had collected money in the Netherlands (from friends and family) to support this project.
Sylvia, Judith and Bob
The money was just enough to buy the necessary school supplies and pay the teacher's monthly salary.
The supervision and control of the money was handled by the Sosúa Kids Organisation.
This was almost one year ago.
200 pupils
Now Sylvia is back in Sosúa for a few weeks and has managed to raise more funds in the Netherlands via enthusiastic friends who support this project.
On the one hand some of the money raised by Sylvia will be given to the Sosúa Kids Organisation to buy school uniforms and pay for university-level medical studies for several promising students.
The pupils and the teacher
On the other hand, the rest of the money (like last year) will be spent on teachers' salaries for the school project.
But the school project has progressed well since last year.
Firstly, the classes have moved to a better building - the first building was dirty and leaked badly whenever it rained.
Now the school is housed in another building in the village, with four classrooms and a kitchen, which is used daily to prepare meals for the children.
Many children come to school without having any breakfast at home, and the meal at school is perhaps the only food they get to eat all day.
The school is so successful that it now includes over 200 pupils.
Lessons are given to eight various groups in the morning and afternoon.
Hopefully a new teacher will be added every year.
The school is currently limited to a kindergarten and primary school, but they are preparing to add a secondary school.
Kindergarten
Power
The Sosúa Kids Organisation also supports this project in a practical way.
Many children have very little clothing and walk barefoot.
Karen and Bob have bought shoes and clothing for the children, with their own money and from donations.
They've also installed an inverter and batteries at the school, so that if there is a power cut for several hours, then the building still has electricity and lessons can continue undisturbed.
Thanks to Judith, Roberto and the teachers, but also as a result of help from Sylvia and Bob (from the Netherlands) and Karen (Canada), this unique school project is progressing well.
Would you like more information about Sylvia's fund-raising work?
Karen brings shoes for the children
I love Sosúa
