Volunteering at Comedor Laguna Azul

For the past two week, I have really enjoyed volunteering two afternoons a week at  Comedor Laguna Azul (translation: Blue Lagoon community lunch program). The  neighbourhood is anything but an idyllic blue lagoon setting! It is a place for children of all ages to get a nutricious free lunch six days a week.  The children in this area are from Colonia Col. Marquez, a comunity with dirt roads and modest dwellings/small  houses  made of assembled materials.  The children walk to El  Comedor from the nearby school which finishes at 12 noon.  This neighbourhood is a half an hour drive outside of downtown La Paz.  It is very different from the paved streets of the city.  The area is poor and most of the citizens get around on the small local busses or walk on the dusty roads.. With the help of the librarian at the Comedor, I was able to figure out how to get to and from this location on the local bus.  It is an interesting experience!

The building is funded by local donors and is a great success! The idea started a few years back as a after- school lunch program and over time the large libary, classroom space, and computer lab were added.  The building employs about six local women in the kitchen, a librarian, a teacher, and there is a volunteer English teacher.  The place is very well maintained and clean.  It is buzzing with activity all afternoon and into the evening. The high school students come later to eat and hang out here between afternoon and evening classes (These older students have a few hours off in the afternoon when it is hot- their day is 9 am - 1 pm and then 4- 7pm, I believe.).  Often mothers stop by to make sure their youngsters eat all their food and even bring younger brothers and sisters in strollers that eat lunch there too.  The mothers do not eat at the Comedor; only the children.  The children line up to receive a nutricious lunch and get their named checked off a list.

After the children have been fed, they can stay all afernoon! Many students stay on to get help with homework, receive important information about their health, sex education is taught to the teenagers, extra classes are given in math and Spanish grammar, English classes are taught, students AND parents come there to read the books, chidren play board games, and/or occasionally use the computer.  It is a very positive place!

 I have been doing little presentations with pictures of my life in the Yukon.  Last week, I did a short presentation on the bison hunt- unusual even by Canadian stardards.  Peter Harms, the grade 6/7 teacher in my school will chuckle when he sees the photos!   I have also taught them about basic Canadian geography and they have even labeled and colored a map of Canada!  I have one more week left. The children seem to be enjoying learning about a new place and it has been a learning experience for me.  I do all of my presentations in Spanish!  What a great way to put my verbs into action! Luckily, the children are very patient with me. These kids are well behaved and eager to learn!  What a joy they are to work with!

The teachers having lunch before the students arrive.

The kitchen staff doing some needlework for an upcoming fund-raiser.

This is the Comedor, the cafeteria and English classroom are on the bottom floor and the library is on the top.

The children are picking up their food from the kitchen.

The boy on the left is Jesus (pronounced Hayzeus): he has been my shadow since I started at the Comedor and he ALWAYS sits right beside me.  He is such a great boy!

I visit with the children before going up to the libary to work with them for an hour.

They are so cute!

These girls join my presention every time!

Children eating and public notices on the board.

Children line up to get their name checked off a list before receiving food.

This is the libary/computer lab/classroom!

Here I am doing one of my presentatios- this one was on the bison hunt.

Geography time.

Yes, these are maps of Canada!

Students helping the teacher to make crafts to sell at the upcoming fund-raiser (N.B.- This teacher was raised in this neighbourhood and now teaches others!_

The neighbourhood.

Housing in the area.

If there was a bad storm, this place would not hold up!

The spot where I catch the bus.

This place must be hot to live in!