FEISA provides Literacy Programme for Indigenous Women

We were greatly encouraged by the 50 people from the indigenous community of Yatnata who turned out in March to sign the agreement to work with FEISA this year. (Photo 1)


What excited them most was the prospect of having an adult literacy programme for the first time ever in the community. 2 teachers in the community have volunteered to run the literacy programme three times a week after school. FEISA is providing the programme (in their Indian language, Enxet), the resources, training for the teachers and supervision.

At 4:00pm, when school finishes, 23 women and 7 men are waiting outside the classroom eager to begin their lesson. (Photos 2, 3 and 4) They need to make the most of the daylight as the community has no electricity.




The teachers have shown tremendous commitment and the community are simply thrilled with the programme. It is hard for us in the UK to comprehend what it means for an adult to be illiterate and have the opportunity to be able to read and write. A Paraguayan lady that Sam was teaching to read said through her tears, "It's like I was blind and now I can see."

FEISA will evaluate the programme in November and, if it has been successful, hope to take it to other indigenous communities, where we have already had requests from women desperate to learn to read and write. Please pray for the teachers, whose role is vital, and for wisdom for FEISA to adapt the programme to the needs of the community if necessary.

Rup and Sam on National TV...almost.

It's something similar to Pop Idol, only the contestants sing in order to have a dream fulfilled. This is the latest popular TV programme to hit Paraguay and it's called Singing for a Dream (Cantando por un Sueño).

10 members of the public are selected according to their singing ability and their dream. They are then paired up with a Paraguayan celebrity with whom they sing in an attempt to win the competition. The public vote each week to determine which couple will be eliminated. The prize is the fulfillment of your dream.


Out of the 660 people who auditioned for the programme, one of the selected 10 contestants is the daughter of our close friend and work colleague, Ana Maria Demestri. Her name is Analu and she is the youngest contestant - only 18 years old.(Photo 1) She is a wonderful Christian girl with a beautiful singing voice. Her dream is to fully equip a sparsely resourced rehabilitation centre for drug addicts. Her Paraguayan celebrity singing partner is an ex-drug addict and plans to do talks with her in schools and on the radio to educate young people on the dangers of drug use.


We were delighted when Analu got us tickets to see the show live last night.(Photo 2) However, in true Paraguayan style they gave out 150 tickets and set out only 100 chairs. We were able to stand at the side but sadly Rup's hand-made "Hello Mum!" poster was not caught by the cameras! It was a unique and memorable experience, not least to see the way the presenter interspersed his commentaries with sudden advertisments for everything from chocolate eggs to ladies sanitary towels! Somehow I don't see it taking off in the UK. We'll keep you posted with Analu's progress in the competition.

FEISA working with International Development Bank to help Indigenous communities

In 2005 the indigenous Enxet community in Yatnata requested help from FEISA to improve their Preschool education. Indian teachers have no formal teacher training, the communities have no money for educational resources and children receive on average only 2 years schooling. Photo 1 shows an indigenous home, where there is no electricity, running water or sanitation.

In 2006 FEISA received a donation that enabled us to provide an 8 month training programme for 4 teachers and 10 mothers in Early Years teaching methods as well as furniture and educational games and resources for the classroom. (See photos 2 and 3 which show the Preschool classroom before and after FEISA's involvement.)



The 1st grade teacher commented that: “The community has been suffering from poor teaching in Preschool for years. Without a firm educational foundation it is very difficult for the children to advance in their learning. This project is wonderful and just what the community needed for its children to progress in their education.”

We were thrilled to see the results of the project. Hygiene improved as children learnt to wash their hands and parents told us that the children now love going to school and are learning more. The mums involved in the training have also benefited as they have grown in confidence and have started speaking up at community meetings to fight for their children's educational needs.


FEISA has been asked to continue our work with the community and also provide a literacy and numeracy programme for the women, who have realised that to help their children they need more education. Most can't read or write. As the saying goes, "Educate a woman and you educate a community." We have also been asked to take the programme to 5 other schools in another indigenous community.

We were encouraged in February to receive the news that the Ministry of Education and International Development Bank accepted our request for funding to set up the first ever indigenous play scheme in the community of Yatnata. So we have 4 indigenous projects planned for 2007!

We need great wisdom to manage the projects in culturally sensitive ways. Sam is coordinating the work and feels rather daunted! Your prayers are very much appreciated.

February News 2007

Mysterious Silence
Apologies for our long silence. We were home for Christmas and illness in the family caused us to focus our time and attention here. We're both back in Paraguay now in time for the start of the academic year though Sam's journey was somewhat of a nightmare. Though it has always been Rup´s dream to get his flight cancelled and be put up in a hotel, it certainly was not Sam's! I can honestly say it's not all it's cracked up to be, though at least I was given a suite. But the worst was arriving in Buenos Aires to discover the flight attendents had removed my laptop from the cabin hold during a stopover in Sao Paulo as they thought it might be a bomb! Being fast asleep, I was totally oblivious to the announcements asking who the bag belonged to! No-one thought to wake me up! One week later, I remain laptopless. Please pray for its speedy return.

FEISA news
Please pray for all the staff as we begin the academic year and especially for Rup with the financial end of year procedures. So far we only have 10 1st year student applications for the diploma course and need a minimum of 20 to run the course. Photo 1 shows us with our FEISA colleagues.


Degree Course breaking news
Great news! Our degree course has been given the go ahead to start in April. Please pray for Estela and Gloria, the Head and academic coordinator seen in the front right of the photo, to make wise decisions in their hiring of teachers and organisation of the timetable. Pray also for the minimum number of 20 students needed to run the course.

Dengue Epidemic
There has been a lot of rain in Paraguay since the beginning of the year, which is wonderful for the crops and wells in the countryside. Unfortunately it has also caused an outbreak of dengue fever, which is a viral infection transmitted by stripy mosquitoes (photo 2) with symptoms of high fever, nausea, backache and severe headaches. It can prove fatal if the patient is old or has had it before. There have been over 12,000 cases of the disease since January including 4 deaths. Unfortunately there is no vaccine for dengue fever.


Please pray for the clean-up operation being carried out by the authorities which includes emptying all standing water and spraying insecticide to keep the mosquito population down. Having recently returned to Paraguay, Rup and I are prime targets for blood thirsty mossies so please pray for our protection as well as the staff and students of FEISA.

Vehicle Donation for FEISA's Mobile Toy Library

There has been great excitement in October with the purchase of our own vehicle for the Toy Library and our work amongst indigenous Indians in the remote Chaco region (photo 1). It follows a year of intense fundraising by adults and children from churches and schools all over the UK, inspired and coordinated by Ann Varley from St Peter's Church, Oundle. We definitely felt it was heaven sent as it is perfectly equipped for every aspect of our work.

The aim of the Toy Library is to provide children from poor schools and neighbourhoods with the opportunity to learn through play (photo 2). This means transporting the games and toys all over the city (photo 3) as well as bringing the children to the Play Scheme if they live too far away (photo 4). For children who spend their days washing windscreens on the street corner to feed their family, this is often their only escape and education. One such child who attended the scheme asked us, "Why are you so kind to children?" The love and personal attention they receive is new to many of them.

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been involved in this immense undertaking. You cannot imagine the joy that the play scheme brings to these children. The vehicle has both facilitated our work and enabled us to extend it.


"God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10

November News 2006

Degree Course Application

Thank you so much for your prayers. Every aspect of our application has now been accepted by the Universities' Council and we are at the final hurdle - an inspection of the premises. We have been told to start promoting the degree course for next year which is a very positive sign.

Please pray that the inspection would take place quickly and give us the final seal of approval we need.

Visit to Yatnata Community

On November 18th, Sam makes her final visit to the indigenous community of Yatnata where we hope to collect traditional Enxet songs, stories and games from the community to incorporate into their preschool programme next year.

The Paraguayan Ministry of Education is now interested in our work amongst the Indians. They have invited FEISA to apply for government funds to set up a contextualized Toy Library in Yatnata. They would like to monitor our work and learn from us. There is nothing like filling in a government application to test your patience to the limit! We wait to see if our project is approved.

Please pray that the community would bring plenty of ideas to share and that the trip would be a positive experience for everyone, including the Ministry of Education who have asked to accompany us!

Publicity and Promotion

Please pray for Rup has he prepares the budget for next year and coordinates all the publicity and promotion for FEISA for 2007. We need to be attracting 25 students for the teaching diploma course and 20 for the degree course.

Paul Young and Ronan Keating in Paraguay

If you’re anything like us you’re thinking, “Sure, via satellite!” However, on 21st of September they really were in Paraguay with other well known international singers to participate in a concert called “Music against Hunger” (Musica vs Hambre).

Organised by the First Lady of Paraguay in conjunction with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the aim was to "raise awareness of poverty and hunger in Paraguay and money to finance sustainable projects designed to help small-scale farmers produce more food for their families and communities". It was totally ground breaking, being the first concert of its type in a developing country.

It was a spectacular event with over 70 Paraguayan musicians forming the orchestra and first rate artists from the UK, Ireland, Latin America, Israel and Italy. The Paraguayans (not renowned for their organisational skills!) excelled themselves and put on a concert that easily rivalled Live Aid. People were even given free Paraguayan flags and plastic fluorescent rods to wave around enthusiastically! We wait to see how the money is spent and the impact it makes on some of the 32% of Paraguayans who live below the poverty line.

I know Paul Young is not Bono and U2 but hey, you’ve got to start somewhere!

Toy Library goes to Argentina

We were very excited though rather daunted to be invited to do a workshop on the Toy Library at the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) conference in Santa Fe, Argentina from 7th-10th September.

Four of us went - Fiona, Ana, Samantha and Noemi.(Photo 1) We arrived with furry teeth in a rather dishevelled state on Friday morning after a 14 hour overnight bus journey with lots of loud snoring and very little sleep. Travelling on a bus with 8 suitcases full of toys is quite a challenge!

Our 2 workshops were well received and it was great fun to watch the Director of ACSI Latin America (photo 2) and participating teachers (photo 3) return to their childhood days and play enthusiastically in the Toy Library. The difficult part was removing them! Many said they hoped to start a Toy Library in their school.

We even had time to do some sightseeing along the beautiful river front of Santa Fe before our 14 hour bus journey back to Asuncion. (Photo 4)

We had many hair-raising moments with power cuts, broken powerpoint projectors and technical hiccups but we experienced the Lord´s faithfulness in a wonderful way. Thank you for your prayers.

Rup & Sam Holidaying in UK

General News August 2006

We had a relaxing holiday in stunning Provence with Rup´s family in July and even managed to squeeze a few days in England to enjoy time with Sam´s family and the heat wave!

Degree Course application.

Our degree course has finally been accepted by the Evangelical University and is currently with the Ministry of Education and Universities´ Council awaiting their approval.
Please pray for a rapid decision that would enable us to promote the course this year and open it next March.

The Ministry of Education has introduced a new Early Years curriculum and in July FEISA was selected to pilot the new teacher training programme. FEISA was chosen because, according to the Head of Early Years Education at the Ministry, it is ”the best Early Years teacher training college in Paraguay.” Although this is a great privilege for us, it also presents a huge challenge. Many of our subjects have to be changed or adapted. Teachers are having to rewrite their curriculum.

Please pray for the Head, Estela, and the Academic Coordinator, Gloria, as they co-ordinate these sudden changes and for wisdom for the teachers to know how best to restructure their courses in the light of the new requirements..

Librarian

FEISA needs a new librarian but trained librarians are in very short supply.
Please pray for the right person to be found.

The Toy Library goes to Argentina.

Following on the success of our Toy Library workshop at the Association of Christian Schools conference in Asuncion in May, we’ve been asked to do the same in Argentina. This is an honour and a challenge. We don’t know the teachers and need wisdom to pitch the presentation accurately.

Pray for the preparation, safe travel and presentation on the 8th and 9th September of teachers Ana, Noemi, Samantha and Fiona.

The Yatnata Preschool Training Project

This continues to go well, with Indian teacher Esteban implementing the new teaching routine, strategies and resources. The Indian mothers are helping faithfully. Bible stories in their own language will be introduced this month.
Please pray for the translation of these and the next training visit on 22nd and 23rd September of teachers Marisol, Noemi and Susana.

Third Year Students Visit to Chaco

Our Third Year students go on their visit to Indian schools from 25th-27th September. They will be preparing games and activities for the indigenous children in Yatnata.
Please pray for Ana and Samantha as they lead the group and that the students will be impacted by the needs they see in these marginalized areas and made aware of how much they can contribute.

Publicity and promotion for 2007

This month the Administration team begins the publicity campaign to attract next year’s students. Ana Demestri visits schools to promote interest in FEISA.
Pray for Rup as he coordinates all this and that God will use Ana´s presentations to attract the right students to the college.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support

Rup and Sam