Home visits are very hard. We wen to Patrick"s house who lives with his/mom and two sisters one is getting married next week. and Emmanuel- who lives with his mom, his sister Letica - whose photo I posted with her under th tree with her beautiful hair. There are a total of 5 people living in a small space surrounded by piles and pilesof cast off material.
The moms are so warm and welcoming. Patrick has electricty but must walk a very long way to get water and carry it back to their home- water is not free. The "bathroom" is outside and shared. I did not see it but it sounds like a seperate place to/ urinate and do other but it is not a flushable toilet as we know it. Emmanuel home was even more challenging. Today is Leticia's 18th birthday. They, all 5 live in this tiy space and cook on a little cooker with coal. Leticia is very beautiful and all her stylish clothes are neatly hung up all around this small space.
I really hope someone reading this will consider sponosoring a child fromMindleaps. It does so much for them, paying for school fees school is NOT free. I actually sponsor Emmanuel but it is against the rules to let the student know who sponsors them, so it was very hard for me to know this is the young man I have helped. I hope to continue supporting him. Please consider doing this.
Getting to the homes was quite a challenge! I needed to hold Patricks hand a lot!
Our last full day. So hard to say goodbye.
The empty chair outside our classroom,a kind of metaphor for how I feel on my last fullday
Patrick bed in the entire living space
Patrick"s mom carried allt these banannas on her head from bottom of hill to sell.
Outside the home with Patrick and his mom
Outside Patrick home
Mom and son
Kids gathering avacodos from a chopped down tree
Gathering coal used for cooking
View outside of Emmanuel and Letica home
Inside. This is the ENTIRE living space for 5 people. I was sitting on a small wooden bench taking the photo. Leticia, with the braids has all her stylish clothes hanging up around the space
cooking area
entrance to home
piles and piles of cast off materials are outside the door and lines the way as we had to walk sngle file with one foot in front of the other
Eimee who accompanied us on the visits and helped us navigate the terrain
Salama ( green scarf) is the woman in charge of family relations for MindLeaps. She does so much to try and help the families to cope and making sure kids are staying in school
part of the disguarded materials
Patrick and me
heading back to Mindleaps
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