Yes, school has started. It is 102 degrees inside this classroom as the teachers teach and the children learn. Like their parents and grandparents, the children don't say much about the heat. They have a job to do.
Sometimes a child faints during class, but this is usually due to being undernourished and hungry. We don't see this situation where we provide meals for the children.
Today I am just outside of Acuna, in the farming and ranching colonias where the poverty is stark. The little school only has 65 children and one employee. He serves as the director, teacher and janitor. He lives in a very dilapidated one room house on the school grounds. There is no plumbing in the house and a garden hose from the school is his shower.
The children arrive hungry and most remain hungry throughout the school day. Parents sell meals at cost. They are prepared on a two burner hot-plate and served in an empty building. Many children cannot afford the meals, even though the price only includes the cost of ingredients. The teacher would help, but he has not been paid since June. His pay is always late and there are always excuses.
We want to take on this school and three similar schools as part of our free cafeteria program. We are meeting with politicians and parents at the schools and will help if the government does its part - including the timely pay for this poor teacher. Our past experience has been that the government will respond when we get involved with the people. Of course we invite the media.
The challenge will be new donors. $20 a month would do the trick.
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