This is Jonatan and I want to talk about how amazing it is to be at this place and see nature interacting with clouds, mountains and different kind of birds singing. It is truly a paradise. It seems to me that there is no greater gift than seeing these kids so happy now that they know that a helping hand with hope came here to reinforce their education. I am here to tell you about what we did here at this school beside the mountains in the village of El Cortijo.
El Cortijo is a beautiful community in the mountains near Matagalpa, Nicaragua. This community school is also called El Cortijo and has 74 students attending pre-school and elementary. The school has two classrooms for elementary and a little pre-school classroom. Before we at Beyond the Light installed a solar electrical system, they were not able to do things that we take for granted such as have light during cloudy days or have school activities at night. The activities that they are planning at the school now are things like cultural fairs, dance competitions, talent shows and movies. The teachers are so happy that they now have electricity and the community can have these activities. Solar can change lives!
At the school we noticed lots of needs that we wanted to take care of for these teachers and students. One of the first things that we saw was the lack of light on the desks and whiteboards. To fix this, we installed 3 bulbs for each elementary classroom and 1 bulb for the tiny pre-school classroom. The teachers now have light and USB power chargers in their classroom.
We even showed them some educational videos on a projector that can be run from the solar electrical system. With electricity, the school can host movie nights and have a PA system for cultural activities. The teachers will also be able to bring computers into the classroom to open up opportunities for the students. It is so exciting to be part of this project that is doing so much to help to change lives and build a better future for this community in El Cortijo.
I had a great time singing with the kids and playing the guitar. The kids really love singing and dancing. Allison showed a video about the planets that gave them something to really think about. Roberto from BMDMI took a time to teach and tell stories. I even learned that before becoming a pastor, Roberto was a teacher in Nicaragua.
Here is a picture of our team with some of the kids and the teachers. I know what you are asking, “How can I help?”. You can support us with a donation to provide a solar electrical system or a projector to one of these schools. With just a little bit of support, we can lift these schools out of energy poverty and give them the opportunities that the kids deserve. Let us all join forces to make this world an even better place. You can contact us or make a donation through our website www.beyondthelightproject.org. Together, we can really make a positive difference in the lives of the people in these communities.
Jonatan