Friends of Alalay (Santa Cruz)

Many thanks to both Megan and Marjorie for organising my recent talks to the Soroptimists Epsom and District group and Wick and Doynton United Ladies’ Guild (photo above). It was great to be able to talk to so many interested people about my work with Bolivian street children and we were able to share many ideas and thoughts together.

It has been a busy few days for Friends of Alalay here in the UK!

On Saturday, I was interpreting at an International Womens’ Day event in Bristol and was able to speak with Guisell Morales-Echaverry (the Nicaraguan Ambassador) regarding my work with Bolivian street children. We also discussed an innovative new Nicaraguan TV series called “Contra Corriente” (Against the Current) which has been aiming to air social issues in a way in which they can be openly debated in all levels of society. Many of the issues with which it deals are hugely prevalent in Bolivia too, such as sexual exploitation of minors, domestic violence, poverty and so on, and it was useful to share ideas. Read an interesting interview about the programme and its aim in Nicaragua here.

Then yesterday we visited the brilliant Ellbridge Quail Farm where we spent a long time discussing the challenges of raising quail with owner Tattie Steele-Mortimer. Tattie was a mine of information, and hopefully armed with her knowledge and expertise we will be able to achieve even more with our quail project at Alalay.

Finally, I received a very warm welcome at Victoria Womens’ Guild, Keynsham, where I spoke to their group and answered a number of questions from the ladies. It was fascinating to find out about their own experiences in developing countries many years ago, and their continuing passion for supporting charitable organisations. Many thanks to Pat and the rest of the ladies for their kind words.

Many thanks to the South Wales Branch of the English Speaking Union for their kind invitation for me to speak at their luncheon last week, held at Cardiff City Stadium. Over 100 people attended and mine was one of four short presentations from people who had been sponsored by the branch in the last year.

The photo on the right shows Sandra Skinner (Chair of Hay2Timbuktu charity), Captain Sir Norman Lloyd-Edwards (ESU branch President and past Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan), myself, Alexander Palmer (outstanding second year Shakespearian student at the RWCMD) and Anna Rose Thomas (2013 National Schools Public Speaking Competition winner).

Many thanks to the Rotary Club of Bristol for inviting me to speak to their members last evening. After dinner I gave a presentation to the group – explaining about life on the streets for Bolivian children, Alalay’s work and my involvement, followed by some time for questions. I received some very positive comments and suggestions, and hope to follow up on some useful local and international links!

Life at Alalay is busy as ever. The Alalay children are now back at School after their “Summer holidays”, and this year’s group from Tudor Hall School, Banbury are due to arrive in Santa Cruz this Sunday for an action-packed week. Alongside their main work they will also be organising craft and sporting activities with the kids, teaching them English and having lots of “play time”! Find out more about last year’s trip directly from one of the group here.

In the UK, news of my work with Bolivian street kids continues to spread. Last week I was invited to the South West Travel Meet and also a reception at the House of Lords where I spoke with the new Bolivian ambassador to the UK, and many other interesting people.  Next week I have talks to the Bristol Rotary Club and the South Wales branch of the English Speaking Union. You can always find out more about upcoming events here.

Last week we sent out the Winter 2013/2014 newsletter to all of our wonderful supporters, detailing the most up-to-date news at Alalay and here in the UK. Click on the image to read this newsletter, or find previous editions here. Please get in touch with us if you would like to receive a copy in the future.

Tomorrow I am invited once again to attend a reception with the All-Party Parliamentary British-Latin America Group at the House of Lords. This is a fantastic opportunity for me to discuss my work with a great variety of people, including representatives from the Latin American Embassies, members of the Latin America Travel Association and media representatives.

Whilst recently in Bolivia I was able to donate a huge number of beautiful teddy bears to Alalay – each had been hand-knitted here in the UK and given to me via The LATA Foundation. The bears were given to the youngest children and the rest have been put in the stores to be used as presents for birthdays throughout the year.

I also took out a large donation of basic medical supplies (bandages, plasters, antiseptic wipes and so on) to be used in our on-site medical centre (at the aldea) and to create mini first aid kits for the welcome houses.

In December last, The Musical and Amicable Society kindly offered to organise a concert to raise money for Friends of Alalay. The group, a flexible collective of professional musicians, performed on classical music on instruments of the time, including harpsichord, double bass, cello, viola and violins, and played pieces from Vivaldi, Mudge, Teleman and Bach. All who attended said it was a truly magical event and an amazing total of £1,400 was raised, which will make a huge difference in Bolivia.

Our very many thanks to The Musical and Amicable Society, our amazing team of volunteers who helped before, during and after the concert, Mengmeng for the following beautiful photos, and all those supporters who attended the event.

 We would just like to wish all of our wonderful Friends of Alalay supporters a very happy and peaceful new year in 2014.

I have returned to England after an extremely hectic month back in Bolivia: monitoring and visiting all existing projects, meeting with members of the Bolivian Parliament and discussing exciting future projects with Alalay staff. After a short Christmas holiday I am now trying to catch up with all outstanding work here in the UK, so please bear with me!

Life here in Santa Cruz continues to be hot, but I am running around like a mad person trying to get things done! It has been amazing to see things working and the changes we have managed to implement through our projects – children now consuming fresh bread, milk and eggs, a fully functioning carpentry workshop, adolescents supported through vocational training…

I’ve also managed to meet up with lots of young people who have been through Alalay and are now studying at University, have their own flats, partners and children, have steady jobs and a good income… Change really is possible.