This is Where I Ask You for Money. No Really.
No really. I need $5,347.00 for my project. This link https://donate.peacecorps.gov/
This video is a 5 minute summary of the project:
https://www.facebook.com/
Need more convincing? Keep reading.
For the analytical, quantitative, statician, here we go. Of the 262 people in Playona, we had 92 reported illnesse in my communityin ONE MONTH, over half of which were stomach related illnesses- diarrea, vomiting, stomachaches, fever, etc. These are the same illnesses that kill 4 children around the world each MINUTE of each DAY. I have 117 babies and children in my community, and the majority of those 92 illnesses afflicted them. On a global scale, 1.5 billion people live without access to running water, but 2.5 billion people live without access to proper sanitation. That's almost 4 out of every 10 people that don't have a place to poop. How ridiculous is that? It's because water is sexier than poop. It is easier to get excited about water and campaign for water when you can photograph cute kids under brand new water spigots. It is a lot harder to sell poop.
If that worked, go here!
https://donate.peacecorps.gov/
For the emotional, storytelling, people-person, here's my appeal to you. Feliciano is my 4 year old little brother, I nicknamed him Happy and now the whole community calls him that. He knows how to play UNO and can tell you his colors in 3 different languages. (Spanish, Embera, and English) In the video, Happy is the one with the snorkeling goggles on his face. He put those on one day during lunch after the orange he was playing with squirted in his eye. He didn't cry, he just went and got his dad's mask. He has to go down to that big chocolate river to poop, or into the bushes where there are snakes and spiders and things that scare ME. He is FOUR. Then there is his mom. She is the one quoted in the video about why latrines are so important for women's safety. Not only because of potential snakes, spiders, alligators, or strong currents in the bushes or the river, but because of the risk of attack from other men. Whether the threat is actually real or just perceived, their fear is real enough. One of the guys in the community told me, he wants a latrine first to not get sick so much, but then also so that if and when he does get sick, he can be more discreet about it. Imagine having diarrea and having to run over a hundred yards to find a place to poop. Imagine how embarrassing and uncomfortable it feels to not make it, and have 261 other people SEE you not make it.
Ready to donate? Scroll no farther!
https://donate.peacecorps.gov/
For the dinamic optimist that wants to create world peace and make a difference, here's my closing argument. Peace Corps is about building people, not monuments. My project, at least thus far, admittedly looks like monuments, albeit important ones. But that is an incredibly superficial perspective. Anyone could come in and build a couple latrines, or drop off materials for some latrines. That is not my job. I am there to teach them how to run a community project. To teach them how to plan work days, schedule materials transport, budget money and materials, and how to first set, then meet deadlines. I am there to help them figure out how to dot their I's, cross their T's, and problem solve along the way.
At the end of the project there should be some new composting latrines being used by families, improving the quality of life for dozens of my friends, and creating a social standard for the rest of the community, and neighboring communities, to follow. However most importantly, there will be men and women in the community with the knowledge, experience, and confidence to lead Playona and the Embera Comarca as a whole. They will feel empowered enough to take action and make change, rather than sitting around waiting for half-hearted handouts from people who don't really understand the need or the culture at all.
This project doesn't end with me. It is bigger than these 15 latrines, and will continue much longer than my COS date in July 2014. I am just the second of what I hope will be a long series of Peace Corps Volunteers in the community to bring this vision to life.
Right now, the next 5 families to get latrines are ready. Victor has all the lumber and materials he needs waiting under his house. His 12 year old stepdaughter Miliana is the one I taught to,play the lyra last August, and his 3 sons like to come over to my house to listen to me read the Jungle Book. Merejildo and Lidia went upriver together to haul the lumber down, and can't wait for a latrine for their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren living in their house. Elpidio and his son have had their materials waiting since he rebuilt his house to have space to care for his mother. I visited Flujencia and her 3 year old son last week and she said her husband had gone upriver to work so that he can buy the gasoline to cut his lumber as soon as the moon is right. Rosalinda made sure her husband worked on the pilot project as much as he could when he wasn't running their store so they could be sure to get in the next round because it will make caring for their autistic 14 year old son much easier.
I get asked about how the money is coming along almost every day in site, and when I say slowly but surely, it bothers me much more than them. They expect it to take years and years to see things realized because of the layers and layers of corruption and red tape in the Panamanian government, and they spent 11 months waiting for the money for the pilot phase. Somehow they never lose patience, never show frustration, and never lose their excitement for our project. It inspires ME. They WANT to change, they are READY to change, and now we are just waiting for the money to make it possible. I am campaigning so hard for this project because I want to reward them for all the hard work and all the dedication they have given to this project.
The ball is in your court now. I am hanging out in my hammock reading Game of Thrones, playing frisbee with kids and counting bug bites until we reach $5,347.
If you are a poor PCV like me or just can't make it happen this month, I understand. But that doesn't mean you can't help. I need people talking. I can talk about my project until I am blue in the face, but unfortunately my captive audience of howler monkeys won't donate much more than a few mangos. Spread the word about my project!
Share the link https://donate.peacecorps.gov/
Share the blog Amnaylor.blogspot.com
Share the website sanication.wordpress.com
And share the VIDEO! https://www.facebook.com/
Peace.
This video is a 5 minute summary of the project:
if that video didn't work, go here:
https://www.facebook.com/
Need more convincing? Keep reading.
For the analytical, quantitative, statician, here we go. Of the 262 people in Playona, we had 92 reported illnesse in my communityin ONE MONTH, over half of which were stomach related illnesses- diarrea, vomiting, stomachaches, fever, etc. These are the same illnesses that kill 4 children around the world each MINUTE of each DAY. I have 117 babies and children in my community, and the majority of those 92 illnesses afflicted them. On a global scale, 1.5 billion people live without access to running water, but 2.5 billion people live without access to proper sanitation. That's almost 4 out of every 10 people that don't have a place to poop. How ridiculous is that? It's because water is sexier than poop. It is easier to get excited about water and campaign for water when you can photograph cute kids under brand new water spigots. It is a lot harder to sell poop.
If that worked, go here!
https://donate.peacecorps.gov/
For the emotional, storytelling, people-person, here's my appeal to you. Feliciano is my 4 year old little brother, I nicknamed him Happy and now the whole community calls him that. He knows how to play UNO and can tell you his colors in 3 different languages. (Spanish, Embera, and English) In the video, Happy is the one with the snorkeling goggles on his face. He put those on one day during lunch after the orange he was playing with squirted in his eye. He didn't cry, he just went and got his dad's mask. He has to go down to that big chocolate river to poop, or into the bushes where there are snakes and spiders and things that scare ME. He is FOUR. Then there is his mom. She is the one quoted in the video about why latrines are so important for women's safety. Not only because of potential snakes, spiders, alligators, or strong currents in the bushes or the river, but because of the risk of attack from other men. Whether the threat is actually real or just perceived, their fear is real enough. One of the guys in the community told me, he wants a latrine first to not get sick so much, but then also so that if and when he does get sick, he can be more discreet about it. Imagine having diarrea and having to run over a hundred yards to find a place to poop. Imagine how embarrassing and uncomfortable it feels to not make it, and have 261 other people SEE you not make it.
Ready to donate? Scroll no farther!
https://donate.peacecorps.gov/
For the dinamic optimist that wants to create world peace and make a difference, here's my closing argument. Peace Corps is about building people, not monuments. My project, at least thus far, admittedly looks like monuments, albeit important ones. But that is an incredibly superficial perspective. Anyone could come in and build a couple latrines, or drop off materials for some latrines. That is not my job. I am there to teach them how to run a community project. To teach them how to plan work days, schedule materials transport, budget money and materials, and how to first set, then meet deadlines. I am there to help them figure out how to dot their I's, cross their T's, and problem solve along the way.
At the end of the project there should be some new composting latrines being used by families, improving the quality of life for dozens of my friends, and creating a social standard for the rest of the community, and neighboring communities, to follow. However most importantly, there will be men and women in the community with the knowledge, experience, and confidence to lead Playona and the Embera Comarca as a whole. They will feel empowered enough to take action and make change, rather than sitting around waiting for half-hearted handouts from people who don't really understand the need or the culture at all.
This project doesn't end with me. It is bigger than these 15 latrines, and will continue much longer than my COS date in July 2014. I am just the second of what I hope will be a long series of Peace Corps Volunteers in the community to bring this vision to life.
Right now, the next 5 families to get latrines are ready. Victor has all the lumber and materials he needs waiting under his house. His 12 year old stepdaughter Miliana is the one I taught to,play the lyra last August, and his 3 sons like to come over to my house to listen to me read the Jungle Book. Merejildo and Lidia went upriver together to haul the lumber down, and can't wait for a latrine for their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren living in their house. Elpidio and his son have had their materials waiting since he rebuilt his house to have space to care for his mother. I visited Flujencia and her 3 year old son last week and she said her husband had gone upriver to work so that he can buy the gasoline to cut his lumber as soon as the moon is right. Rosalinda made sure her husband worked on the pilot project as much as he could when he wasn't running their store so they could be sure to get in the next round because it will make caring for their autistic 14 year old son much easier.
I get asked about how the money is coming along almost every day in site, and when I say slowly but surely, it bothers me much more than them. They expect it to take years and years to see things realized because of the layers and layers of corruption and red tape in the Panamanian government, and they spent 11 months waiting for the money for the pilot phase. Somehow they never lose patience, never show frustration, and never lose their excitement for our project. It inspires ME. They WANT to change, they are READY to change, and now we are just waiting for the money to make it possible. I am campaigning so hard for this project because I want to reward them for all the hard work and all the dedication they have given to this project.
The ball is in your court now. I am hanging out in my hammock reading Game of Thrones, playing frisbee with kids and counting bug bites until we reach $5,347.
If you are a poor PCV like me or just can't make it happen this month, I understand. But that doesn't mean you can't help. I need people talking. I can talk about my project until I am blue in the face, but unfortunately my captive audience of howler monkeys won't donate much more than a few mangos. Spread the word about my project!
Share the link https://donate.peacecorps.gov/
Share the blog Amnaylor.blogspot.com
Share the website sanication.wordpress.com
And share the VIDEO! https://www.facebook.com/
Peace.
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