Soon the children of Hogar Zelada orphanage will be able to take
warm showers. Soon they will have sinks in which to wash their
clothing and a roof that will keep them dry. Thanks to the
tremendous efforts of the Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Hollister and San
Juan Bautista Rotary Clubs, which have already raised $10,000, the
lives of these Bolivian children are beginning to have some
hope.
Soon the children of Hogar Zelada orphanage will be able to take warm showers. Soon they will have sinks in which to wash their clothing and a roof that will keep them dry. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Bautista Rotary Clubs, which have already raised $10,000, the lives of these Bolivian children are beginning to have some hope.
The needs of this orphanage were brought to the Rotary Club’s attention after Elizabeth Perrier, a Bolivian native and Morgan Hill resident, visited Ururo, a small town 14,000 feet above sea level outside Bolivia’s capital, La Paz. The town contains may orphanages, almost all of them government-owned.
“Bolivia, like other South American countries, is plagued by corruption and political problems,” Perrier said. “Unfortunately, these institutions are at the bottom of the priorities of the government.”
Perrier said the Bolivia government allots $300 a year to the orphanage.
During a visit to her homeland, Perrier visited a number of orphanages. She described Hogar Zelada as the most decrepit. The building itself was built in the late 1800s, and it was donated to the government for use as an orphanage in 1940. The building has not been renovated or improved at all by the government, and with a budget that can’t even spare money to buy bed blankets, the orphanage has no way of making repairs on its own.
“The needs are tremendous,” Perrier said.
The orphanage currently houses 95 boys from 5-18. The children bathe and wash their clothes in cold water drawn from a well, and at an altitude of 14,000 feet. The two restrooms are non-operational, so the boys must walk a half-mile to outdoor toilets. The roof leaks and causes floods inside the house during rainy season. It has also caused extensive damage to the walls, which are falling apart.
Many of the windows in the dormitories are broken, allowing the freezing cold air to come inside during the night. The boys also need new dining room chairs, so they can sit in their own chair. The orphanage has also asked for a medicine cabinet with first aid supplies.
With the Rotary Club in Oruro in with emotional support for the project, the Morgan Hill Rotary has outlined a plan with a contractor to completely renovate the orphanage. The first part of the project will be a new plumbing system for the showers, restrooms, and laundry areas. Eight new toilets will be installed, along with 12 shower stalls and laundry sinks with warm running water. The windows, roof, and walls will all be redone to keep the boys warm and secure. The project is first focusing on making the orphanage livable for the boys because “A healthy environment for the children takes priority even over education.”
Although $10,000 has already been raised, $13,000 more is needed to complete the project. The Live Oak Interact Club is putting together several projects to support Rotary’s cause.
The first one, a photo contest, is at 6 p.m. Friday in the Live Oak library. Student-contributed photos will be sold by silent auction. These photographs span many categories, and judges are awarding prizes to the best photos in each category.
Interact is hoping for a great turnout to support both the Hogar Zelada orphanage and Live Oak High’s talented photographers. Those who attend will also be able to learn more about the orphanage itself by viewing a short video.
The Interact Club is also putting on the Bolivia Aid benefit concert in May in support of the orphanage. In addition, the club’s adviser, Charlene Wiltsee, is working with Perrier to set up a pen-pal program with the boys of the orphanages.
Perrier is excited to share with the boys at Hogar Zelada the people who are helping to improve their lives. “I want them to know how young people can make a difference,” she added.
Jessica Rubenstein is a Live Oak junior and member of the school’s Interact Club. She can be contacted through ed******@mo*************.com
