The next step

We left Rwanda knowing we wanted to find another opportunity to serve abroad, so as to channel our energy into other similar activities rather than go back and fall into depression and bitterness. We also knew we needed something to come up soon, as it would be better to take this month as a sort of holiday between two assignments, rather than settle back into "standard" life and maybe leave again in the future, which would be harder, especially for the children.

We are happy to say we've been lucky and we've found an exciting project to dedicate ourselves to: on the 7th of April we're leaving for Guatemala, in Central America, just south of Mexico.

We are going to work with UPAVIM (Unidas para vivir major, which in Spanish means United to Live Better), a 25-year-old local organisation based in a slum of the capital, Guatemala City, which runs several projects and focuses on women (hence "unidas", which means united but implies female people) - click on the name to find out all about it!

Mattia will teach English in their primary school, which thanks to the English programme 8 years ago managed to move from half-day to full-day, thus offering children not only more in academic terms, but also a way to spend more time in a safe and constructive environment rather than on the street. Elena will work in conjunction with their medical team (they have a clinic&pharmacy), training women on health issues, with the aim of widening the programme currently focused on nutrition and fitness to include disability, and possibly start a Paper Furniture workshop, which can be such an asset for any community-based project and was definitely a highlight of her Rwanda experience.

The boys will attend the school where Mattia will teach, so they will have to learn Spanish, which should not be too hard for those two bright minds, thanks also to them already speaking Italian, currently enhanced by this month of Italian schooling.

Guatemala is a violent country and the Esperanza neighbourhood isn't any different, on the contrary is a slum plagued by gang violence, but we've been trustily assured that volunteers are safe and have never been affected or have never witnessed any violence-related incident, though of course all this is a major aspect in the life of the people we're going to work with, from children to women.

To increase our security, and alleviate your fears, most likely we're going to be accommodated with other volunteers on the forth floor of in the main building of Upavim, which is completely safe.

The organisation is not supported by any big NGOs or similar entities, so this time we won't be rich salaried westerners, but volunteers with paid expenses. It means we owe a huge debt of gratitude to all those who kindly decided to support this new serving adventure of ours, by funding us very generously (which was a much needed help as we're paying our flights, health insurance and other Irish expenses, like mortgage-rent balance and house insurance): to Granny Chiara, Grandad Patrizio, Grace and Daphne our biggest and most sincere THANK YOU, as without you we wouldn't be able to do this!

We plan to stay there for a year and a half, because the local school year runs from January to October, so this year we're missing the first term but next year we'll be able to complete it.