Ecuador 2018
South America
- “The walls of our school have been strengthened.”
I was always nervous because the boundary walls of the Inesem school were tilted. But now the walls have been rebuilt to be strong enough to withstand any potential earthquakes in Ecuador. Our school started as a disability center 16 years ago and an increasing number of repairs were needed as time went on. Thus, with the grace of God, we restored the sloping walls of pillars with the help of the Global Children Foundation. These new walls provide us with the peace of mind that we will be able to keep everyone safe. However, we are not able to paint the walls yet, so we will paint the fence with the patronage of thankful contributions in the second half.
- “We are helping the disabled students of Inesem School maintain healthy bodies and contented minds.”
In addition, after the walls had been rebuilt, we were able to reconstruct the once sparsely-used area into a fitness facility. Now students can exercise in physical education classes and play games during recess. This new construct has been especially beneficial for our obese students with Down syndrome because they can now exercise in a safe space under discreet supervision.
Students with hearing disabilities and/or intellectual challenges are also greatly enjoying the new fitness area with all the new equipment. In order to use this facility, the students simultaneously learn how to follow rules such as waiting in line and taking turns to use equipment. We have not been able to have many facilities like this in the past due to their high expense, but we appreciate the fact that there is a space like this now for students to practice their athletic activities.
