www.projectisobel.com

Swings and climbing facilities are almost finished. Rustic seats are in place for guests and children to enjoy the gardens. The gardens, though a work in progress, have been made even more beautiful with additional donated plants, rockeries and creative fencing and our vegetable garden is developing nicely. We want to create an environment that guests and sponsors love to visit for its beauty, peace and interest. An area has been designated as on site ‘shop’ for second hand books, clothes, bric a brac, plants and produce. We still have to tile the floor but almost all the tiles we need were already on site.

4. To acquire an office computer [available locally at approximately 400GBP/600US$] to replace the old one I gave to the project but which was destroyed by a local power explosion [despite having a UPS in use].

We have received a donation specifically to purchase a replacement computer and are grateful for the professional advice we received about choosing a suitable machine and setting it up.

We were without mains power for 50 hours. The inverter discharged after approximately 10 hours, so as the pump requires electricity, we were also without water for the remaining time.

6. To maintain the existing status quo for staff, children and animals.

We have the resources to maintain the existing number of staff hours till the end of 2011, thanks to a commitment by one of our most loyal supporters. After that, without additional donations, cleaning and gardening staff hours will have to be reduced by a total of 6 hours a week. This is very upsetting, as both these part-time workers are loyal, committed and hard-working and there is plenty for them to do. They exist on very limited resources and a few hours’ employment with us keeps them just above the breadline.

Pastor and Maritza

7. To install electric fencing [promised] to divide our rented field, so that we can put all our animals out to graze at the same time rather than for a few hours each.

This is now installed and fully operational. We had to fit an extra row of wire as Jefe, the stallion, chose to barge through it despite the shocks he received, but he has now learned to treat it with respect! What would we do without our sponsors?

GOALS DEVELOPING AS A RESULT OF THE SITUATION SO FAR:

The ‘O’ in IsObel has always been a holistic symbol. Improving the lot of children and animals alike requires more than just providing a home for a few of them. It involves providing opportunities, education, resources and changing attitudes as a whole.

The situation of women here has always been a matter of concern. Many have minimal education and are left with children and no resources, thus leaving them with few options other than to send their children on to the streets to help the family budget.

We are examining the possibility of employing a few women to make jams, chutneys, soups, juices and mousses from the seasonal produce on our property, then selling it locally. The profits would be shared between them and the project, thus providing them with an income and also giving us much needed resources to work with the children and animals. It is something we can start small and grow.

Currently we sell approximately 120 – 140 coconuts every 3 or 4 months, and a few eggs and vegetables, but we have 6 Dominican cherry trees, many papaya trees, 3 mango trees, water chestnut, passion fruit, bread fruit, Seville oranges, lemons, guavas, bananas, noni [disgusting to taste but wonderful for its healing and antioxidant properties] and various vegetables. We are currently selling salad vegetables in a small way. With a ready supply of manure from the horses and our ground is very fertile. We are also working to grow comfrey as a very effective organic fertilizer. If it is good enough for Prince Charles, it is most definitely good enough for us!

Our vegetable garden

We are working on our free range egg production and attempting to grow our clutch of chickens and ducks. We now have 15 hens, 3 cockerels, 5 ducks, one drake and several chicks and ducklings, though the mortality of the babies is high. Periodically we swap a cockerel or a non-laying hen for a new hen to bring in new genes. We prefer not to eat our own stock, so if an animal kills one, we give it to neighbouring workers. We keep working on the safety of our birds but snakes and vermin are an ongoing problem in a country environment and the chickens are particularly delinquent when it comes to escaping into the territory of the dogs.

As we don’t yet have funding to maintain children on a regular basis, it is proposed to have them on site regularly for a few hours at weekends rather than on an ad hoc basis. They will receive a meal and the chance of a shower and to have their clothes washed. They will also be required to participate in collecting and preparing fruit and vegetables for the women to process and get involved in activities here. This will give them the chance to learn from the animals, to learn some personal and life management skills and it will provide them with some structure. It is easy to fail to see the covert experiential learning of general science, biology, hygiene, nutrition, numeracy, creativity etc., which can be acquired informally in such circumstances.

We have the support of the police and our legal advisors in this and a business plan is in process for the making and selling of produce.

Meanwhile, with insufficient funding, it has been impossible to do any regular work with children.