Bocas Del Toro Volunteer Trip
Donation protected
On February 1st, 2018 I will be embarking on an exciting adventure in Panama. The purpose of this trip is to volunteer for 8 days with my Salesforce peers from across the country. We will be the first group of volunteers to support a 3 phase construction project in Bocas Del Toro this February.
The Bocas Del Toro province, located in the Caribbean archipelago, is known for it's beautiful beaches, turquoise waters and rich culture. As the country continues to shift from agrarian to tourism, the indigenous communities remain marginalized with less access to educational support and community infrastructure.
There are currently 1,181 students registered in preschool through sixth grade at the Nicaragua school in Bocas Del Toro, including 230 preschool students (ages 4-5) but there are only two preschool classrooms. There is the potential for higher student enrollment but some have been turned away due to lack of space. The average preschool class size is currently 30-35 students whereas most preschool classes are 20-25 students around the country of Panama. The video linked above shows how local children get to and from school in this part of Panama.
We will be helping to build a two classroom addition to the preschool. This will allow for 4 new classes of preschool students (80-100 children) to be served by the new space, thus lessening the burden on the existing classrooms, reducing the class sizes, and allowing more students to enroll. In addition to constructing the additional classroom for the preschool, we will spend parts of the days working with the local teachers and students on various school programs.
'It always seems impossible until it's done"
- Nelson Mandela
Please consider helping me get there!
My fundraising goal of $3,000.00 will offset the costs of my $2,500.00 volunteer contribution, round trip flights from Chicago to Panama City to Bocas Town, and supplies for the week.
I will be collecting funds on this GoFundMe site until 1/10/2018.
Looking forward to this experience and adventure of a lifetime. Thank you for your support!
-Cath
The Bocas Del Toro province, located in the Caribbean archipelago, is known for it's beautiful beaches, turquoise waters and rich culture. As the country continues to shift from agrarian to tourism, the indigenous communities remain marginalized with less access to educational support and community infrastructure.
There are currently 1,181 students registered in preschool through sixth grade at the Nicaragua school in Bocas Del Toro, including 230 preschool students (ages 4-5) but there are only two preschool classrooms. There is the potential for higher student enrollment but some have been turned away due to lack of space. The average preschool class size is currently 30-35 students whereas most preschool classes are 20-25 students around the country of Panama. The video linked above shows how local children get to and from school in this part of Panama.
We will be helping to build a two classroom addition to the preschool. This will allow for 4 new classes of preschool students (80-100 children) to be served by the new space, thus lessening the burden on the existing classrooms, reducing the class sizes, and allowing more students to enroll. In addition to constructing the additional classroom for the preschool, we will spend parts of the days working with the local teachers and students on various school programs.
'It always seems impossible until it's done"
- Nelson Mandela
Please consider helping me get there!
My fundraising goal of $3,000.00 will offset the costs of my $2,500.00 volunteer contribution, round trip flights from Chicago to Panama City to Bocas Town, and supplies for the week.
I will be collecting funds on this GoFundMe site until 1/10/2018.
Looking forward to this experience and adventure of a lifetime. Thank you for your support!
-Cath
Organizer
Catherine Phaneuf
Organizer
Chicago, IL
