Hi Everyone,

In June I will be traveling to Ojochal, Nicaragua with the organization Surf For Life to help build a much needed preschool. Currently, a volunteer teacher uses a local community house to teach the preschoolers, while not far away, seventy-three primary school age students share a two classroom school house, with just two teachers. Being a preschool teacher myself, I was brought to tears thinking about all these little ones in such a cavernous and emotionally disconnected learning environment. Preschool is a time to cultivate the LOVE of learning and a sense of trust in that loving environment. This connection between learning and environment is a vital aspect in child development and truly is why I feel so passionate about being a part of this project!

Please help me by supporting this amazing endeavor. I would love to hear directly from anyone who wants to learn more about this and/or get involved.

Lots of love,
Theresa

PS - below is some more info from the Surf For Life website. It gives a bit more in depth information about the program.

theresa.berkery@gmail.com
508 868 0245

In the past 10 years, the community of Ojochal has evolved due to tourism. The community has grown significantly, and the need for education is more important now than ever, but the current classroom space is overcrowded and insufficient. The Ministry of Education in Ojachal and the local leaders of the community have identified the need for an additional classroom as a top priority and have asked for Surf For Life and Project WOO to oversee the project.

Surf For Life, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, supports community projects in coastal communities throughout the developing world. By working with local stakeholders to address their most pressing self-identified needs, Surf For Life projects focus primarily on increasing access to education, health, and economic development. This process of building local capacity and community cohesion results in tangible projects such as the construction of schools, health clinics, and community centers.

Surf For Life projects are made a reality solely through the hard work and fundraising efforts of passionate partners and volunteers. Teams of 8-12 volunteers at a time work side-by-side with local community members on-site throughout the construction process. Your contribution will not only directly support the construction of these projects, but also build lasting local capacity and powerful cultural exchange.