The reality of the life of a child in the villages is that there simply is no money for the ‘basic’ needs of life. Many don’t have enough food to eat, decent clothes to wear or warm blankets at night. In 95% of the families, up to six children have to “bed down” on a dirty, cold, damp dirt floor. There is no money for an extra bed.
The Bed Project will help every child in over 300 homes by giving them a bed – up to four or more will sleep in this one, over-sized wooden bed. This will keep them off the dirt, so they can be warmer each night.
Stan and Paco deliver the first bed!!
This is a health improvement project as much as anything. We see many sicknesses in the children due to sleeping on the dirt floors, and the use of these beds will help to dramatically improve their health. Respiratory problems and other sickness will decrease if the child doesn’t have to sleep on the dirt floor.
Happy children on the new bed.
The cost of a sturdy wooden bed, 4 ft by 7 ft, is $40.
We are seeking sponsors so that we will be able to provide a bed for each needy family.
These aren’t “hand outs” – the people pay for the beds by giving us Volunteer Hours. Each family works for 13 hours in exchange for a bed. Work includes helping with the school kitchen including construction of the new kitchen, cleaning up trash, helping with maintenance work at our clinic, helping to make beds and build stoves for other needy families, and doing community project work.
We are excited about The Bed Project, because while it IS about the beds, and it IS about improving the health of children, as families work out their hours it will also be a great catalyst to create a better sense of community. We’ve seen it before, even in the USA, that when poor people help others in need, and help to improve their community, it creates a sense of self-esteem and community pride.
THANK YOU.