The School at Pulingui San Pablo
Introduction
This
alternative school is an education centre at the service of the community
and of the Indian peoples of Ecuador. It is an answer to the expressed
needs of the Association of Agricultural Workers of Pulingui San Pablo
and is being supported by the Provincial Bilingual Education Board and
by the German organization Kindernothilfe,
which dedicates its efforts to improving the lives of children. Until
1997 there was no school in the community causing the separation of
families as children were sent away for their education.
The principal goal of the school
The principal goal is to concentrate efforts and resources in education and health so that the native children may grow up healthy at the same time as receiving their education in their own language and culture.
The objectives of the school
- Put into operation a bilingual and alternative school for the community.
- Implement a productive community program for the children with training in different areas (music, quichua, carpentry, weaving, garden), all of which complements the basic bilingual curriculum of the mornings.
- Improve the diet of the children (pre-school and primary age) and carry out a health control for each child.
- Strengthen the spiritual formation of the children so that they might grow in understanding their relationship with God, offering in this way a space to study indigenous theologies, cosmovisiones and pastoral lines of work.
In 1999 seven youngsters graduated from the Pulingui school and are continuing their high school studies in Riobamba thanks to the generosity of friends in Canada and the United States.
The expected results from the school
- The community will have a school with an indigenous face and heart, at the service of the native peoples.
- A noticeable improvement in health of the children participating in the program.
- A school garden producing vegetable and knowledge (organic garden).
- Training and education in nutrition for the mothers
- Two workshops (weaving and carpentry) when children will make their own woollen goods and furniture for their house.
- Spiritual formation in their own quichuan language.
InterConnection
