Delegation from Sheridan, Wyoming Visits Los Tehuistes!
Welcome to Los Tehuistes!
Delegation participants from Sheridan Community College’s TRIO program in Sheridan, Wyoming.
From March 25 to April 3rd this spring, 13 students and professors from Sheridan Community College in Sheridan, Wyoming made their way to La Paz, El Salvador. The students are a part of the TRIO program, a federally funded program designed to assist first generation college students, those with limited income or a disability that affects learning. They were led by Professor Joseph Aguirre and Rafael Jose Escoto, the brother of CdA’s founder, Blanca. The people of Los Tehuistes generously hosted the delegation, and we’re ecstatic to say that it was a success!
Walking Tour of Los Tehuistes
After receiving a warm welcome from the community, which included introductions and a dance performance, the delegation was given a walking tour of Los Tehuistes so that they might have a better idea of not only the layout of the communities but also what a day in the life of a Tehuistan might be like.
Included in the walking tour were the natural springs where families used to gather their water before the water system project was implemented in 2015, the parcelas, where families grow rice, beans and sugar cane, as well as the moliendas, where the local sugar cane is processed into candies.
A Day at School in Tehuiste Arriba
On their second day in Los Tehuistes, the delegation assisted the CdA scholarship students and the Department of Health from nearby San Juan Nonualco with a Healthy School campaign at the elementary school in Tehuiste Arriba. The delegation students measured elementary school students’ weight and height, played with the children while others were being seen, led a fun science experiment with the kiddos, and picked up trash around the school.
Working in the Community Garden
During their time in Los Tehuistes, the delegation had the opportunity to work in the Community Garden twice! They were taught and helped to make organic compost, prepare the earth for planting, dig holes for the posts of the greenhouse, and build the greenhouse itself. So helpful! This community garden and greenhouse is the fruit of community members learning organice farming and gardening techniques in 2018. The garden and greenhouse will serve the community nutritionally as well as serve as a school for teaching future organic farmers in the community. Thank you for helping to get it up and running, Sheridan Delegation!
Environmental Awareness School
The Environmental Awareness School (EAS) was started in January 2019 by CdA’s Program Director, Manuel Dominguez, along with university scholarship students Juan Carlos, Jessica Idalia, Mayra, and Noel. The EAS is held monthly at the two elementary schools in Tehuiste Abajo and Tehuiste Arriba to teach the students conservation, preservation, and recycling skills.
Continuing with the EAS’ work, the delegation participated in and helped to facilitate the school’s monthly activity in Tehuiste Abajo and Tehuiste Arriba. The goal? To build trash cans out of plastic bottles and bamboo, as well as signs detailing what to throw in which trash can and how to preserve our environment.
University students Mayra Coreas, Noel Enrique, Idalia Gomez and Juan Carlos Flores led the activity, helped by scholarship committee member Freddy Servellon. Colorful trash bags were donated by local Priscila Servellon. Thank you, Priscila!
Trash management in Los Tehuistes is a struggle, and this helps the community move one step closer to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly system. What a success!
Tour of San Juan Nonualco
In order to better grasp the location and history of Los Tehuistes, as well as have some fun, the delegation visited the town and municipality of San Juan Nonualco. Municipalities in El Salvador are kind of like counties here in the U.S., and Los Tehuistes are villages located within the San Juan Nonualco municipality. A local church group was generous enough to give the delegation a walking tour of the town San Juan Nonualco, as well as a visit to the local museum.
The neighboring municipality and town is San Rafael Obrajuelo, home to CdA founder Blanca and her family. Blanca’s brother, Rafael, who is now living in Sheridan, Wyoming and works for Sheridan Community College, led the delegation in a soccer game and to the pool at the local community athletic center.
That evening, CdA’s scholarship students put on a cultural performance back in Los Tehuistes, which included a theatrical performance, cultural dances, and typical Salvadoran food.
Visiting the Homes of CdA Scholarship Students
One of the objectives for the delegation was to expose the Sheridan students to the realities of the scholarship students in Los Tehuistes. So on one of their last days in the community, after getting to know the scholarship students on a daily basis, the delegation visited several of the scholarship students’ homes: Erika Orantes’, Erik Santos’ and that of Emerson Echeverria.
Unforgettable Moments
We at Caminos de Accion are so grateful for the support from the TRIO program and its professors and students from Sheridan, Wyoming. Thank you for taking the time to visit Los Tehuistes and getting to know its people!