Some La Union Children Unable To Attend School

[ramesses]

Because many of them do not have clean clothes in good condition. The uniform is often the only decent set of clothes they have. Go and live in a barrio and see the kids with no shoes in the street wearing just a pair of torn shorts, no underpants and no shirt. Also if all the kids wear the same it is a great leveller - no one gets bullied for what they are wearing. I just wish the uniforms were not so expensive - nearly RD$2,000 is an awful lot of money to find at once, especially as most people here can't save, and that is only for one child. Imagine trying to find enough for 3 or 4.

Matilda

I understand what you are saying.

Tell me about the cost...I just helped clothe for school, 4 kids of a friend of mine and her sister who live in La Union. It was not cheap....I went with them to purchase the clothes, I was amazed at the cost.

 

[dv8]

it does not matter than in this or that country there are no school uniforms. there are in DR. i just do not understand why is this s**t - because they are s**ttly made - is this expensive?

 

[bob saunders]

Approx 3-400 for khaki pants, 2-300 for polo, 200 camiseta deporte, 210-300 sports pants, shoes 400-1000.
800- is what we charge for sports uniform plus polo, less for the little ones. Cactus and Velero are well made.

 

[bronzeallspice]

The Solidarity programme gives up to RD$1700 a month. The money has to be spent in authorised colmados, and can only be spent on certain products such as oil, beans, rice, tomato paste etc. Staples. The money is in the form of a card which is then swiped in a machine in the shop. It cannot be used for anything else and certainly not school uniforms. Whilst the card should be available to all poor people, in reality only the poor party members have it. It is also used as a tool during elections - vote for me and I will give you a Solidarity card.
Lindsey, you are not duplicating nor giving something that is not needed.

Matilda

With the card families can purchase cooking gas too.

 

[Matilda]

With the card families can purchase cooking gas too.

Bono gaz and Bono luz. Two gallons of gas a month and not sure on luz. And yes they are put on the same card.

Matilda

 

[bob saunders]

Bono gaz and Bono luz. Two gallons of gas a month and not sure on luz. And yes they are put on the same card.

Matilda

Programa Solidaridad | GSSP

 

[Pansy]

My group just bought uniforms, backpacks, pens, pencils, notebooks, and shoes for poor school kids. We are a small group. We could not provide to 500, as Sosua Kids does. But, I did the shopping for our group. Buying those items costs about 2,300 pesos per child.

I would be very interested in knowing the method Sosua Kids used to buy the uniforms. Getting sizes of all the children and then buying based on sizes was a job of huge proportion. Additionally, some public schools, such as the airforce base school, wear different uniforms, even though it is a public school. That required shopping at more than just La Sirena. I had a difficult time with buying for 80. I can't even begin to imagine 500! (Our group insisted on buying the items to make certain that the money went right to its intended purpose.)

Kudos to Sosua Kids if they, indeed, also provided uniforms.

Lindsey

Sosua Kids works in conjunction with Casa Nelson in Puerto Plata. The funds are deposited in advance with Casa Nelson (who also give Sosua Kids a 5% discount) and the children are issued with a voucher which they take to the shop. A member of Casa Nelson staff also accompanies the families to ensure only school supplies are purchased. Lists of children's names and voucher numbers have to be supplied in advance to Casa Nelson. I would be very surprised is Casa Nelson was not willing to work with your group.
When I helped Sosua Kids backpacks and related items used to be extras brought in by tourists etc.

 

[Matilda]

Thanks for that Pansy. Have been to see headmistress at Chivirico's school today and she confirmed many kids cannot go as cannot afford uniform. She will give me list with names and sizes, and have been to local shop and they have said will give 16% discount and some free items. Chivirico's friends around the world are sending money (US$30 buys a full uniform inc 2 shirts and shoes, trousers, socks) so in a week there should be many more kids at his school.

Matilda

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Pansy, thanks so much for this information. I figured there had to be a better way! Do you ever have the problem that some families do not even have resources to get to Casa Nelson? I would be concerned that would be the case for about half of those we helped. The only solution I could think would be to hire a guagua to take them there. And that might end in chaos.

Lindsey

 

[Pansy]

Pansy, thanks so much for this information. I figured there had to be a better way! Do you ever have the problem that some families do not even have resources to get to Casa Nelson? I would be concerned that would be the case for about half of those we helped. The only solution I could think would be to hire a guagua to take them there. And that might end in chaos.

Lindsey

Maybe someone with more recent experience can answer this question, but in my time it was something we discussed and never satisfactorily resolved. So we just gave out vouchers not travel expenses.

I understand Casa Nelson liked the fact that the families went in individually rather than by the bus load. All I can say is we never had many (if any) uncashed in vouchers.