Plans for the future

The priorities that Kiko and Carmen have identified for future fundraising are as follows;
• Three more cabañas and a library above the existing one for the secondary school students. More and more children are attending Colonia and there needs to be more space for them to study and do their homework.
• Toilet block for the externos (children who don’t live there). Kiko has designed a toilet block to go by the entrance in the shape of a huge caterpillar; this would be one of the first things seen when coming into Colonia.
• The current metal shack to be replaced by a garage for the trufi, and some more rooms to be built above it to accommodate more children
• Caring for more children – although there are 27 children actually living there, there are many more who need help; for example there were often 40 children there for lunch during our visit in August. Many children can’t eat at home as their parents are away working during the day. Obviously if children are hungry when they arrive, then they can’t concentrate on doing their schoolwork.
• Money to pay staff to work at Colonia – they have two staff who were previously volunteers there and are now paid a nominal wage through funding from Mark and Stefanie in Switzerland. They would like to be able to pay more permanent staff to help out there.

Sponsored events

We have several people to whom we owe thanks for their sponsored activities. In no particular order we would like to thank the following;


Staff at Lancashire Rural Futures took part in the sponsored "Bike to Work" initiative in the summer, and together raised over £400. Thanks to those who took part and all who sponsored them, both at the Clitheroe and Leyland offices. We are intending to put this money towards paying for Dario’s cochleal implant and therapy.


Claire Boost took part in the Gobi Desert marathon and successfully completed the 150 mile marathon; money is still coming in for this and we would like to give her a huge thank you for her efforts, as well as thanking all her sponsors.


David Moore and his daughter Vanessa More took part in the BUPA Great Manchester Run and raised almost £100 for us – we will be using these funds to go towards the next phase of construction at Colonia Ecologica. Thanks to David and Vanessa and their sponsors.

The 500 mile Spain trek - Update

Hi there and greetings from the Camino de Santiago de
Compostella in rural Spain!


Today we have reached the half way point (Tempranillos
de Templarios) and have found a good computer so we
can finally write you all an update! What an epic
journey this is, it just seems to go on and on (we
feel like we´ve been walking for months already but
it´s been only 3 weeks!).


From the first day climbing over the Pyrenees, a
gruelling hike in the cold, fog and rain, to a very
hot 33 C yesterday, walking 17km across the mountain
plains without any shade - the hardships, the fun and
lots of time to contemplate life.


We´re now passing through the arid central plains of
Spain, it´s dry, brown and the sun is unrelenting.
It´s like being in another time out here - little
villages almost untouched by the modern world, rolling
fields of gold, and little pueblos(villages) with
traditional mud buildings.


One night when there was no room at the inn, we slept
outside on the grass, beneath the stars, 2
streetlights and the 15 minute dongs of the
churchbells. Surprisingly we all slept rather well and
rose before the larks, off on the road by 5.50am the
next day, guided by the milky way.


On arriving in the next town, Viana, at 9am, we
stopped for coffee and ran into full fiesta -
fireworks full of sweets, lots of wine and James and
Nick running the bulls! Looking rather scared but
adorned with traditional red neck-kerchiefs and
fortified with the local fire water (Pacharan)!, they
made it through and we finished the day dancing with
all the Grannies to the local rock band in the square!


Up again at 6.30am and on the road again.. and so it
goes on.


We are lucky to be doing this but have a serious
motivation for walking 500 miles, to raise funds for 2
local charities in Peru and Bolivia working to help
vulnerable children have a better start in life
through education and a safe home.


Thanks if you have already sponsored us. We are hoping
to raise 1500 pounds towards a new school for children
in a mountain village, outside Lima in Peru. This will
be the first time these children will have the chance
for an education and all the opportunities this
brings. We are also raising funds for an orphanage in
Cochabamba, Bolivia and more specifically for an
urgent ear operation for Dario, one of the children
there.


If you haven´t sponsored us and would like to please
click on the donate button below.





Very best wishes to all

James and Caroline

Construction

There has been an amazing amount of construction work done at Colonia in the last two years, as mentioned in our newsletter. Here we have included some photos to show what is going on. For a better idea of the progress made please visit our photo pages which show you how much has been built in the last 2 years.

A useful trufi!

A well used trufi!




Charity Bolivia paid for a new minibus for Colonia, which was purchased at the start of this year. While we were visiting in August, a trip was arranged to visit the circus. Gertjan and several of the volunteers attended and the trip was open to all children under 12. Kiko’s philosophy is that everyone should visit the circus at least once in their lives! As you can see from these photos, the minibus is being put to good use, with the record number of children in it being 34.

The 500 mile Spain trek underway

500 mile Fundraising Walk across Spain

For more than 1000 years pilgrims have been walking along the old pilgrimage route – El Camino de Santiago de Compostela – from the foot of the French Pyrenees, St Jean Pied de Port, to Santiago in North West Spain.


The journey takes 780km (or about 500 miles) and is for everyone - young, old, fit, unfit, religious or otherwise.


Caroline Driver and James Mill (as well as two other friends Nick and Louise) are walking the whole trail, starting on 3rd September 2007; the whole trek should take about five weeks depending on their fitness! They will stay in bunk hostels and monasteries along the way and walk over mountains and along the high arid flat plains of Spain to reach their final destination.


We hope you can sponsor them by donating a small amount towards the two charities they are supporting: Charity Bolivia and Children's Horizon.


Please click on the following link to donate:
Sponsor the 500 Mile Spain Trek


Warm regards
James Mill and Caroline Driver, Oxford, UK