Tutoring and General Hygiene

Tutors work with our Ecudorian partner, La Fundacion San Martin, helping children ages 2-13. The foundation assists families with their children's school fees in exchange for their commitment to finding work and caring for their children properly. The hope is for an improved next generation in which the children will have the opportunity to seek better careers and improved living situations, while impressing on them the desire to help those less fortunate. Each day, the tutors work toward these goals by assisting the children with their schoolwork since the parents of these children are away at work all day, or simply not educated enough themselves to assist the child with his/her homework.

The tutors take a bus up into the mountains of San Martín to help an average of fifty children from the community (this number varies day to day - anywhere from 40 to 75 students come to receive help.) These students walk from their schools or homes to gather at an outdoor classroom built by The Quito Project. Many of the children who come to receive tutoring would otherwise be left alone in their homes due to most of their parents working long hours during the day as laborers in construction. Tutors heavily encourage students to come to the tutoring site, as they know that the lack of parental supervision can result in many negative consequences - the majority of which seem to be serious injuries to the younger children. Those who come to get help also bring the majority of their siblings, as they all take care of one another. The children of San Martín are amazingly independent, resilient and resourceful.

Before tutors begin working each day, they make sure the children have clean hands, faces, noses and, sometimes, ears. Last year hygiene maintenance was expanded to dental care, thanks to donated toothbrushes and toothpaste. For most of these children, this is their only opportunity to brush their teeth.

Tutoring begins with the tutors and students setting up wooden benches and tables, built by The Quito Project, in the outdoor classroom. Many of the students bring their homework and classwork to finish. In addition, students also work with tutors on math utilizing games and flash cards. Tutors also work with the smaller children on basics such as coloring and shapes, while also creating educational activities for all age groups. All tutoring is done in Spanish.

Besides loads of energy and enthusiasm, the tutors also bring a protein drink, filled with vitamins and nutrients to the tutoring site. Along with a daily vitamin, the colada is invaluable to the wellbeing of most of these children who are malnourished.

The tutors supply much more to these children than homework help, hygiene and nutrition supplements; they are mentors, role models, and quickly become beloved friends. As a monthly shift of tutors is introduced, they are taken in as best friends and immediately loved; and as their month ends, they are not easily forgotten.

The children, in turn, teach the tutors so much; how to appreciate the little things in life, how to continue persevering, and most importantly, through it all, to keep smiling.