Dos Amigos, indigenous community.

13.08.13

As soon as we arrive to Dos Amigos, other indigenous community along the Prinzapolka river, we see that the hygienic situation is the same than in Auhya Pur; everything is full of mud. But we also appreciate that many people come to wait for us, including the community leader, Ralph Penglas Reno, a middle-age man with humble appearance, who received us politely.

DISTRIBUTION

Dos Amigos is bigger than Auhya Pura. Here we deliver food aid to 409 people, of which 142 are children. “When the floods came, my parents were very sad," says Felton, a 13-year-old boy .

"We lost half of the crop. The house was also flooded," said the child's father, Fidel Gómez. “I have 12 kids and I do not know how I will feed my family. Until October we cannot replant and there are not enough seeds for everyone. Almost all people in the community have lost crops, we all need seeds. We are grateful for the food you are going to give us, because it solves the problem for a week. Now I am feeding my family with fish and bananas”. 

Felton’s family is one of the 68 families who are going to pick up the food aid of Save the Children.

It is easy to see how necessary is the food distribution here; not only because is palpable the poor conditions in which people live here, also because children are very thin and the treatment they give us is so grateful and hospitable.

EDUCATION

I like having school and studying”, says Felton with a big smile. However, access to school is a big problem for most children, because a part of the land is sunken and they can cross it only when the current is low. “When it rains, I cannot go because the bridge is still not finish. With this flood we did not go to school during two weeks”, explains us Felton, talking about the bridge that Save the Children is building. He and almost all children who are with us, walk barefoot through the mud.

Nilo Martínez, a teacher of Dos Amigos, tells us that “there are 105 children in this school and 4 teachers, but here they only can study up to 5th grade”. Although he does not speak well Spanish, he tries to explain as best as possible. He is shy and does not seem older than 30 years old. Clearly, he has not a lot of preparation, but assures us that "I love working here and teaching children."

A school teater in Alamikamba confirms that "most teachers of indigenous communities have not finished high school. Recently, a guy offered to teach in one of the communities but he only finished elementary school. They had to accept him because there was no one else”.

They invite us to eat; they give me a juice (with river water), but they are so nice and polite with me, so I drink it. Even though life here is hard and “rude”, the threat with us is very delicate and friendly.