Volunteering at Mama Victoria...it begins!

I started my first day at Mama Victoria on Tuesday, May 3rd and I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I realized from the beginning I would have a lot of independence to do what I want and at first I was nervous about that. However, after a couple days, I started to enjoy my independence. I was given some really vague outlines to work with and I will outline them here:

1. They want me to teach English three days a week to the children who range from age 3-13. This has been a challenge trying to organize a curriculum that can try to suit all their needs and keep all their attention. 
2. They have a nice garden that is in need of some maintainence. I mentioned that I had worked in gardens before (i.e. my mother's garden) but they asked me to try and maintain it for them and possibly find some ways to make it better. So far I have only pollinated the corn plants and picked vegetables that were ready to be picked but hopefully I will be able to make their garden more sustainable for the future.
3. Mama Victoria is run by a wonderful woman named Nelly who doesn't speak any English and is not very versed in the ways of technology. Her organization has a sub-par facebook page and a blog that they have been using as a website, but I want to make a full-functioning, bi-lingual website for them. This will also be a challenge for me because I want to create the website to best fit the needs of the organization. Communicating this will be interesting especially because no one speaks English at the organization.

My Spanish has really been improving because I'm working in a poor neighborhood in Lima, called Chorrillos, where no one speaks English. I also have 25 kids screaming at me in Spanish so this has also forced my Spanish into overdrive. I hope in a couple weeks I will be way more proficient at speaking and hopefully the kids will be able to communicate some words in English with me as well.

I spent Friday teaching the kids English and then helping put on an information session for the women who go to the organization for support and shelter. We made them sandwiches and served them soda as Nelly explained her mission statement. Nelly believes that every woman and child has a right to a free education and a safe and happy home to live in. Because many women face oppression and violence in their communities Nelly's mission is to empower these women so they can be better off themselves and in turn be better mother's to their children.

I have been really moved by Nelly and her amazing work. She started this organization 6 years ago with one small classroom and it has now grown into two classrooms, three bedrooms and two kitchens, a garden and small farm with chickens, ducks, and a guinea pig (not a pet). The shelter still does not have running water witch is definitely a set back, but they make up for it with love and effort.

I'm having the time of my life and will have more to update everyone as events materialize.