Today I woke up to a loving text message,
“Do you want to get some coffee today? Or I can cook you
lunch. My morning is free for you.”
I had met a young woman about 3 or 4 months ago in the combi
from Madrigal to Chivay. We made casual conversation and ended up realizing we
had a ton in common. Her family is from Madrigal, she lives in Arequipa right
now because she is studying English and Art. She has a degree in Education, and
is always all smiles. She is just the sweetest, post positive thing in the
world (ok, so maybe we don’t have that
in common).
When I come into the city I ring her, and when she is in
Madrigal she finds me (she even came to see me speak at the “Strong Women’s
Convention” last month.
Being the dedicated Peace Corps Volunteer that I am, I
immediately imagined her running the VALE program after I leave.
Today, we got coffee to discuss. All I can say is, she gets
it. She not only understands the importance of the program, but loves the idea
of it. She even has some ideas to make the art projects easier. She got me way
too excited about the potential of the program. She brought up expanding it to
other towns not even knowing that was my pipe dream and that some villages have
already expressed interest. To top it off, her family lives in Madrigal, so she
would want to be there (for most professionals, moving to the villages is like
a punishment because they are so cut off).
Seeing this program as something seriously sustainable makes
my stomach turn with excitement. My brain just starts running with ideas and
doesn’t stop. But now, the question is… funding.
The plan:
Finish the next 3 months of the program in Madrigal.
Run the data to determine its success.
(if successful in reaching its goals) Advertise its success like
a crazy person to Peace Corps volunteers and staff all over the country, to
other villages in the canyon, and to potential funders (Municipalities, The
Ministry of Education, NGOs, philanthropists).
Train Lucia on how to manage the program.
Run second round of program in Madrigal.
Then… depending on funding and being able to find other
professionals interested in teaching in the canyon… begin to teach other
community leaders on how to develop the program.
Monitor success of the programs (from afar? Or extend my
service a third year?)
Serious chimera.
“Some of the world’s greatest feats were accomplished by
people not smart enough to know they were impossible. -Doug Larson
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