Hello everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful end of winter.
As most of you know, I am currently in Ecuador, and have been living in the Amazon, the Coast, Quito, and soon I will be in the Galapagos. I will finish my trip with a month long internship living in a poor town on the coast of Ecuador called Tabuga. It is wonderful there, but as you probably know, Ecuador is a third-world-country. An average family from the northshore of Chicago probably has more wealth than an entire town here on the coast.
After seeing all the poverty, I realize that just a little help could really make a difference in Tabuga. For example, the only non-Ecuadorian in town is a Peace Corps volunteer named Kara who built a library with only $250. It is not very big or fancy, but it is the only place in which many people of the town have seen a book. Kara started their first school, and they have their first graduating class coming through. No adults read at all, and the children’s only opportunity to read books is through this library. Education in this area can bring the town out of poverty and provide them with more opportunities.
Sadly, the town is on one of the last areas of untouched jungle/dryforest on the coast of Ecuador. Without other job opportunities, the people are left with no option but to cut down their trees and sell lumber. There are also many medicinal plants endemic to the area that would disappear before we could find a use for them. These are bad situations, both economically and environmentally.
Kara has a lot of good things going, but the work here is not nearly done. There are only a few books in the Library, and I want to get the town its first computer - it doesn't matter the model or age. The people are so kind and welcoming, and I find it sad that they do not understand basic health issues because they have not had the opportunity to learn to read. They do not understand how to eat healthy or exercise, so a lot of women have heart disease or are obese. The average age of pregnancy is 15, yes, the AVERAGE- all because they do not have access to a better education.
So, why am I telling you all this?
Well, my birthday is coming up, and I’m going to pull a Julia Roberts from Eat, Pray, Love. Instead of going out and spending money on drinking or other things for my 21st birthday, I would like to ask for donations. I am completely inspired by this town, and it is amazing how far just a little money can go! After discussing this with my professors and Kara, we have figured out a good way to do this. You can make a tax-deductible donation to an organization called CEIBA (http://www.ceiba.org/donat
Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation
1202 Williamson Street
Madison, WI 53703
Can you imagine how much of an impact just a little bit can do? Not only are we helping an entire community, but also many others in Ecuador, and ultimately the world due to the environmental benefits that this project can provide. Please consider helping out just a little, and together we can take on a small project with big benefits!
I would not need money until mid/late April. Also, if anyone has any books in Spanish, or an old computer, that would be extremely helpful as well!
(I understand that not everyone has funds to be willing to just write a check, which is fine. Even leaving me words of encouragement or of luck would mean so much! I want to know that people have read this letter at least, and know what this is all about!)
I would not be asking for this unless I was truly committed, which I am. This will be my home for the last month here, and I want to do everything in my power to help these people! I will be blogging as I go along as well, so you can view information about this town beginning April 19th on my blog: www.denaexplorer.blogspot.
Thank you SO much for your time and support, and have a wonderful spring!
Dena
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| Town of Tabuga |
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| Some children at the Eco-Center |
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