Fannie's Family
- Students at La Rosa de Sharon School
La Rosa de Sharon School
As many of you know, on January 23, 2010 we will be traveling to Barranquilla, Columbia along with other water garden professionals representing the Aquascape Foundation. The foundation enlisted the help of the International Needs Network to logistically get us where we need to be.
To give you a bit of background on this, we will be installing a rain water collection system with a IonGen to ensure drinkable water. This project will take place at La Rosa de Sharon (The Rose of Sharon) community school.
The school is where poor community children come to receive a quality education along with medical attention, nutritious meals, footwear and cloths. The school has a very unreliable source of water, which they are charged exorbinate rates for when it comes. If there isn’t water the school doesn’t open as they can’t cook or provide sanitation. Many of these children go hungry that day.
The children and teens (450 at the moment) are part of a large community of people that have been displaced and are squatting on government land because it is safe from armed conflict. Many were from farming communities and do not have the skills needed to support their families in an urban environment. These families live in make shift homes, many with dirt floors, no electric or water. unemployment is at 80% and 75% of the families are led by single mothers due to the death of their spouses in the conflicts, drug abuse or simply being left to bare the burden on their own.
There is hope for them. The school is providing medical attention, food and clothes along with the education they need. It’s also teaching many mothers a trade such as that of a seamstress. They are given machines once they achieve their goals along with the hope of a better future for their children.
Our livelihood revolves around water as a luxury. I admit taking it for granted. We are thrilled to be able to be a part of something that will make so many peoples life a bit more bearable and at the same time creating sustainability on our planet.
Thank you to everyone who’s generous donations helped us with this project.We raised $2900. Please make sure to check for updates and pictures next week. It is our intention to find a way to update as often as possible. You are part of this and for that we are extremely grateful. (If we can’t find access we will update everyone Feb 2nd upon our return)
On a side note, I have had a few people contact us wondering if it was to late to support this project and my answer was “it’s never too late”. As many of you know both IN Network and The Aquascape Foundation are 501 (c) (3) organization’s and 100% tax deductible.
For the Columbia project, just send it to:
IN Network
Margit DeJong
10432 Chicago Drive
Suite 2
Zeeland, MI 49464
Note the team members name as “James Ponds” Christian Baker. That way it will go directly to the materials for the Columbia project.
Thank you again to everyone and we look forward to updating you.
Diane & Chris Baker