Our not so unexpected run-in with our Orphan's reality
Dear future is primarily dedicated to help children access health and education where otherwise they would be unable to access. This assistance is directed to children that are attending school, but lack the necessary utilities to successfully participate and learn in the process.
These materials, include basics, like books, notebooks, pencils, etc; and also can include school uniforms.
Issue - school uniforms are not considered a requirement to accomplish school, and although mandatory in the country of Peru, local schools with children living in extreme poverty need to make exceptions to allow those that lack uniforms to not have to wear them. Eliminating the conversation and minimizing the discussion of haves and have nots.
The justifying issue - Three of our four orphans in the school at San Isidro de Visag, only have 1 or 2 sets of clothing that they use in a daily basis. The director of the school (Esmeralda Tarazona) has noted that these girls often show up to school in the same clothing that they wore to work in the chakras; dirty and unserviceable.
The action of providing these four children a set of school uniforms, will provide an ease of having to wear the same dirty clothing every day, and hopefully give them an increased desire to only wear their uniform to school.
The boy orphan, who lives with grandma, is also in an exceptional underserved financial condition, and to eliminate any unfair giving, will also be provided with a set of school uniforms.
Concerns:
What will the other kids' parents say about the orphans getting school clothing?
After speaking with Esmeralda about this question she assured Ric that the other parents know and understand the condition of the orphans; but however sad, they are not in any condition themselves to help them.
How is this providing access to education?
Children living in these combined conditions of poverty and abandonment (poverty, orphaned, living on their own, being cared by a 14 year old) lose their interest in school when they realize that they don’t and likely will never have the required materials to attend and complete school, and likely only attend to receive the minimum food that the government provides. Otherwise they might not be able to do it at all.
Reducing the need, can help in the children’s increased interest to continue to attend school, and might encourage them to continue through secondary. The largest dropout of students occurs between primary and secondary schools.
“What ifs” - we need to consider and push through:
What if they don’t take care of the clothing?
What if they don’t wear it?
what if they don’t become good students?
What if the uniforms don’t help?
The focus is to provide these children, especially the ones in extraordinary situations, the ability to use the tools that we give them.
Working with our school partners, we can encourage the children to use their tools for the reasons they were donated.
There are a multitude of issues we aren’t addressing that plague them:
Hunger - Esmeralda reported that she often has to do exceptions for these children to eat their lunch early, because they show up to school without having eaten since the day before, and the school doesn’t serve breakfast. They are often hungry.
insecurity
safety
they are girls, and thus pray to danger.
This donation will also provide the 14 year old sister a set of uniforms to wear at her secondary school, hoping that it will provide her a renewed hope for her future.
Clothes alone won’t fix the problem: Dear Future will remain in contact with the school to keep track of the girls and during the upcoming visit gather more information on other opportunities to help. We can commit personal help, outside of the non-profit’s funds; to help as much as we can.
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