Andean Aymara

Thanks to the generosity of Alyn Thayer and Noreen LeMieux, in mid-Oct all of the roughly 50 children of Mulyaque lined up in front of the grammar school to receive a small package from these donors. Each child was given a toothbrush, toothpaste, a bar of soap, two educational activity books, a set of pens, a box of colored pencils and a pencil sharpener. There are some photos below, and I’ll put up a video later on once I edit the material.

The toothbrush and toothpaste are part of a general program to teach children dental hygiene (most adults here are nearly toothless), and the soap was given in light of the recent appearance of H1N1 in Moquegua, the nearest city. The best way to keep safe, they were told, was to wash their hands before eating and after using the restroom. The rest of the material was meant to encourage learning in a fun, creative way. The activity books were full of mazes, arithmetic puzzles, crosswords, and simple writing exercises with plenty of pictures to color in with the colored pencils.

As mundane as these gifts may sound to those of us in other parts of the world, they were very enthusiastically received by the kids here who immediately set about filling in their activity book and drawing with their colored pencils in a chorus of chatter. A few of the youngest ones, however, were more hesitant, unsure if these supplies were really for them, of if they were just to hold on to them temporarily. When assured that they truly could draw in the book and even bring it home to keep, they excitedly set to work.

Thanks again, Aly and Noreen!

To find out about how you can contribute to this project, contact the Andean Outreach Program, a non-profit NGO dedicated to improving the lives of those most in need in the Andes, or simply write matt@AndeanOutreach.org