| The Netza School Gets Some Much Needed Support |
THE Netzahualcoyotl (“NETZA”) INDIAN SCHOOL, Escuela Primaria Bilingue Netzahualcoytl, in Zihuatanejo, Escuela Indigenas, is a Primary Bi-Lingual School for Indigenous Children.
In the 1970’s when Ixtapa was being developed into a major resort area, tens of thousands of people flocked to this area from all over Mexico for work as craftsmen, manual laborers and artisans. Many were from indigenous backgrounds, speaking native languages like Nahuatl, Mixteco, Tlapaneco or Amusgo, with very little Spanish. A requirement for better employment and economic opportunity is the ability to speak Spanish –native indigenous people often do not. It puts them and their families at a great economic and social disadvantage, as access to the public schools requires Spanish.
The Netza School was established nine years ago, largely by volunteers and families in the community, to help indigenous children learn Spanish, so they can attend public school. The school now has almost 250 students, ages 6-14, and 8 teachers. The school Director is Maria Sanchez Hernandez, one of the founders. Four native tribal languages are spoken and the objective is to teach Spanish, as well as provide a general curriculum in reading, writing, math, geography, etc. Books and study guides are in multiple languages and, until very recently, the school has been operated in 8 very rustic wood/open air classrooms around a center dirt courtyard, with an open air kitchen where 250 lunches are served each day at 10 am. School hours are 8 – 1 pm five days a week, and school is open from early September to late June.
The school is located about a mile from the center of town, in a very poor neighborhood where most houses don’t have running water. About 40 of the children are street orphans; living with relatives who can’t care for them, or on the street. Many work selling trinkets to tourists, or cleaning houses to help pay for food. In 2001 the federal and city government began basic construction of cement buildings as a permanent home for the school: 11 classrooms, 2 bathrooms, a more sanitary kitchen, and space for 300 kids.
In conjunction with federal and city government support. the Netzahualcoyotl school is also the beneficiary of a generous program started by American Lisa Martin and supported by Rotary International. To date Martin has helped raised almost $28,000 US for the school with the involvement and donations from eight US rotary clubs in Massachusetts, Michigan and California, and donations from private individuals. The Rockport, Massachusettts Club (Martin’s home club) started the project after Lisa visited Zihuatanejo for the first time in February 1999 on a yoga retreat at the Sotavento/Catalina Hotel with well-known teacher and long-time Zihuatanejo visitor Gayna Uransky from California.
Lisa Martin had seen a few of the children on the beach at a fundraiser auction held by the local community to support the school, and picked up a flyer about the school’s many needs and unique education program for indigenous children. Upon returning home, she brought the school to the attention of her Rotary club and the next year in February of 2000 when she returned again for her yoga class, Martin hired a taxi to find the school, bringing them a $400 cash donation from the Rockport Club. She spent time with the children, and Marina Sanchez Hernandez, the school’s founder and director; took a lot of photos; and then began what became an almost two-year fundraising effort to get a “Matching Humanitarian Grant” from Rotary International.
Martin worked closely with the local Zihuatanejo Rotary Club, Club de Rotario de Zihuatanejo, A.C., as a necessary partner on the project. The local Rotary district in Mexico contributed $2,000 US, as well as valuable help in assisting with monitoring construction progress at the new school site. The Rotary funds so far have helped repair an important retaining wall, and the bulk of money to come in 2002 will help buy new furnishings, kitchen equipment, bookcases, fans, etc. as the school grows from 250 to over 300 children, ages 6-12 from 4 indigenous tribes.
Martin and Sharon Gusby, long-time Zihua resident and owner of Insititute Calmecac, a Spanish-English school, and Rocio Madrazo of GalArt gallery in Villa del Sol, have also established a scholarship program to help keep Netza graduates in 7th grade as they move onto Spanish-speaking public schools. Martin has found U.S. sponsors for 5 students who started school in September 2001. As well, The First Annual Zihua Sailing Festival held early this month, chose the Netza school as their local charity and raised almost $4,500 US from the resident and regular visiting boating community. The Rotary Matching Humanitarian Grant program (which matches every donation made) hopes to apply the bulk of the funds to help improve and equip the new school, and to help keep the lunch program going; it’s key to getting many children to come to school as, for some kids, it’s the only daily meal they get.
The local Zihuatanejo Rotary Club in Mexico, Club de Rotario de Zihuatanejo, A.C., has helped greatly in the past, and is the local liaison to help assure donations and Matching Grant funds are properly applied and delivered to the school. Rockport Rotarian Lisa Martin has traveled several times to work directly with the school, community, city and the local Rotary Club on the best ways to apply the donations toward a long-term plan. Much land and site work is needed at the new school grounds; beds are needed for the future shelter, and on a positive note the newer school is attracting more students, so more supplies are required.
For more information about the Netza school matching grant program you can contact Club de Rotario de Zihuatanejo, A.C. President Pablo Espinoza or English speaking contact member, Dr. Rogelio Grayeb at 554-3334. And Lisa Martin will again be in Zihuatanejo working with the school from February 12 to March 5, 2002 and can be reached at Hotel Sotavento/Catalina or by email during her stay and afterwards at lisam@gis.net
February 2002
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