2022

Ecuador

Progress is being made on the Inguincho water project. Vicente, Rockey, and Nicole went to see if the water was flowing through the whole system and met with the community to make sure all their questions were answered. Despite some delays due to COVID, the solar panels have been installed and the pumping station should be running shortly. Intake pipes have been placed and the water reception facility is waiting for the tanks to be filled. The last step is a final wash of the gravel filters, which can take some time as it requires a lot of water. The project with Rotary International will be completed soon!

Students at Sharon High School in MA are working with the students in Quichinche to raise funds to paint the school. They have also met on zoom a few times to learn more about each other and share hobbies. To raise more funds, Sharon students had a bake sale and had some traditional treats from Ecuador. The bread babies they made were a hit!

Veronica, our scholarship coordinator, organized an in-person high school scholarship parent meeting to answer any questions as we started the new calendar year. Parents had many questions and worried about if and when their children would return to in-person school full time. We also met virtually with the University scholarship students to share volunteer opportunities, hear about how classes are going in the everchanging pandemic, and check-in. 

In January, eight patients received medical care for a variety of medical issues including inflammation/infection of the cervix, arm fracture, scoliosis, arthrosis, hearing loss, and epilepsy. Unfortunately, due to the rise in COVID cases because of the omicron variant, the hospitals in Otavalo and Ibarra have temporarily closed outpatient clinics. Appointments are supposed to open up again mid-February. That being said, a young man from Cutambi underwent surgery in Quito to extract a vein deformation in his left leg. This surgery has been postponed since 2019 because of the pandemic so we are very happy he has finally received care!

Through our remote connection program, Sharon High School raised funds for the Urkusiki community school which went towards musical instruments. They donated another violin (in addition to one that was donated on a previous visit) and 10 traditional flutes. Students are looking forward to getting to use them!

Looking for ways to improve their school, the Quichinche high school student government asked Tandana for support with painting the outside of their school. Quichinche students in 10th grade connected with Sharon High school students to help raise the money and, parents, teachers, students, and members of Tandana painted together!

In February, a total of 17 patients received medical care for thyroid extraction, muscle pains, progressive muscular dystrophy, possible microcephalia caused by temporoparietal sutures, prostate problems, issues due to a fatty liver, poorly done sutures in the eye which requires reconstructive surgery, and hearing loss. 4 patients were seen at the ophthalmology clinic in Otavalo.

Thanks to Sharon High School's generous donations, a handwashing station, and bike racks have been installed at the school.

Tandana was able to provide donations of medical gloves, disposable underpads, urine collection bags, and packs of multi-fold paper towels to the Otavalo Hospital. Special thanks to Boston Scientific for providing the funds for these donations.

Tandana facilitated a one-credit course for Whitman College students on Andean and Western Healthcare in Otavalo, Ecuador.  Students had opportunities to interact on Zoom with a variety of practitioners of different forms of medicine from the Otavalo area in addition to readings and videos about the interactions of Andean and Western understandings, practices, and systems of healthcare.

The Inguincho water project has been completed. Prior to the inauguration of the water system, a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) training was organized on April 23rd. During the WaSH training conducted by a team of Rotaract (Rotary-sponsored service club for young men and women ages 18 to 30), community members learned about sanitation, hygiene, and the importance of drinking safe, filtered water.

Thanks to the funds raised by Sharon High School, we purchased and donated items to the Jaime Roldos Aguilera Intercultural Bilingual school in Urkusiki. The donation consisted of more paint supplies, easels, 2 violin bows, paint, and paper.

Paint was donated to the "Provincia de Pichincha" School in Tangali. The donation was used by teachers and students to repaint traditional games similar to hopscotch in different areas of the school grounds.

Mali

The 5 student mothers in our program this year received their supplies and food so that they can care for their babies and stay in school.

Four new school gardens are up and running. They are in Andjine, Tegou, Sal Ogol, and Nalou. The students, teachers, and parent representatives have all participated in training sessions about gardening and have started planting. We look forward to seeing what they harvest. These gardens were generously funded by AllPeopleBeHappy Foundation and the Nick and Edna Weller Charities.

The building at the Nounou Grain bank is complete, the management committee has received their training, and the first stock of millet has arrived! The grain bank will be extremely important this year, as the market price of millet is already climbing high. Luckily, the committee was able to put in their order quickly and get enough millet before it became too exorbitant. This grain bank will help the community towards food security this year and for many years to come. Thanks to the First Community Church Mission Council for helping make this a reality!

Construction is progressing on the workshop for making menstrual kits in Bandiagara, Mali.

10 new literacy classes for 300 women in Mali have started for 2022! The classes begin with a pre-test so we can see how much the students progress.

The Sal Health Center is officially open! An official ceremony was held to open the center with all of the staff, officials, village representatives, health center committee, etc. The Prefect of Bandiagara District gave a speech thanking the Foundation for making possible the realization of this project despite the crises of Covid-19 and insecurity in the region. He pointed out how rare it is to see a complete health center built, equipped, and supplied at one time, especially involving inspection from the rural engineering service. They now have a health center close to home where they can access medical care, and also an ambulance to take them to the hospital in case they need higher levels of care.

Our women's leadership workshops in Mali have kicked off for this year, with the first one in Mory. Women leaders who participated in the literacy classes last year are now learning how to form and lead women's associations and sharing their experiences getting involved in township elections and speaking up in their villages. The third women's leadership workshop was successfully completed in Kansongo. Women leaders learned how to form and lead women's associations, while also sharing their experiences with local decision-making and practicing their public speaking skills.

We held a training session for new literacy instructors with 11 participants who were among the best literacy students in past years. They will now be ready to take over if any of the current instructors become unavailable.

The Olouguelemo Environmental Association held its annual assembly and shared results from each village's efforts throughout 2021. They have built more than 18,600 meters worth of stone contour lines to prevent erosion and retain water in the soil. They have practiced assisted natural regeneration on 7,479 trees. They have made 95 improved cookstoves and built 203 houses. They have measured 2,725 acres of forests they have protected (and they still need to measure a few more protected areas). Congratulations to all the members of the association on their hard work!

Thanks to a generous donation from Kailua United Methodist Church, a school garden was created at the Amayowo school in Bandiagara, Mali. Students, teachers, and parent representatives have participated in a training session to learn about gardening and planted vegetables and fruit trees. They were able to build a fence and receive gardening tools.

The schools in Andjine and Tegou have received school first aid and pharmacy supplies, thanks to a grant from Nick and Edna Weller Charities. They now have the supplies they need to treat minor illnesses and injuries, which is very important since they are located far away from the nearest health centers.

The storehouse for the new cotton and indigo bank in Dassi was completed.  The leadership committee for this new bank was formed, participated in a training session, and received their supplies. They will manage a stock of both cotton and indigo dyeing materials using a revolving fund so that these materials are always available to local women who use them to generate income. Thanks to the U.S. Embassy Mali for supporting this project.

This is Fatoumata Bamia, one of the Dr. Ash B. Varma, M.D. scholars in Mali who is studying to be a tailor. She is already learning how to make some models of clothing.

In honor of International Women's Day, the village of Dassi organized an inauguration ceremony for the new cotton and indigo bank. There were many women present, as well as the village and township leaders. They had a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the bank management committee received their revolving fund.

The agroforestry students from the Dr. Ash B. Varma Scholarship Students in Mali participated in a practical training session to learn several methods of estimating the weight of livestock. They are also going to do some community service work with the environmental association Olouguelemo. The students are excited about learning practical skills that will enable them to help their communities.

The Kansongo carpenters discussed their priority needs and decided that their biggest challenge was the fact that the trained carpenters kept moving away from the village to seek work in the cities. They decided to hire 2 young men as long-term managers of the workshop and to send them to Bandiagara for training. After their training, they will be able to earn income by managing the workshop. They are currently in Bandiagara participating in a training session.

The school garden at the Amayowo school in Bandiagara, Mali is doing well! The students are enjoying working in the garden, and it is growing nice produce.

Representatives of the 8 new member villages of the Olouguelemo Environmental Association recently participated in a training session to learn how to build stone contour lines and other erosion control features. This work makes a tremendous difference in the amount of millet that can be harvested, contributing to food security. It is especially urgent this year since there is a food crisis in the region. Families need to harvest as much as possible after the coming farming season, and this erosion control work will help. Three of Tandana's scholarship students who are studying agroforestry also participated in the training session.

2021

Mali

The new literacy classes for 2021 have started! The chalkboards and furniture were made and delivered by the Kansongo carpenters. The 10 new literacy classes started in January with a total of 311 students. Each group meets for about four hours each afternoon, five days a week. They are all using covid precautions. Everyone is committed to success, and the classes are going well. Out of 311 students in the classes, 300 took the test (the other 11 were absent for various reasons). Out of the 300 who took the test, 240 earned passing scores. That is 80% which means that the goal for the entire year has already been reached. After a break for the agricultural season, the classes have started up again for 3 more months of instruction to reinforce and continue building the students' skills.

The first women's leadership workshop of 2021 was completed in Mali! 100 women leaders, 80 of whom were literacy students in 2020, participated in a 10-day workshop, learning about how to form and lead women's associations, participate in local decision-making, and make business plans. They also shared their personal experiences as women leaders.

The women's association of Goundoly Djeninke had a very successful year with their indigo dyeing business. They began with a startup fund of 750,000 cfa, which they received as winners of the business plan contest in 2018. Since then, they have expanded their fund to 1,400,000 cfa! In a general assembly, they decided to use some of the interest they had generated to buy koro taru, which are culturally significant musical instruments and decorations. These are used as shakers to accompany drums during dances and also as adornments for all kinds of ceremonies. Update: The village of Goundoly Djeninke is building a storehouse and meeting place for the women's association's indigo dyeing business. The association won a business plan contest and received startup funding. They have been working hard expanding their business, and now they will have a safe place to store all of their dyeing supplies and also to meet and work together while sharing ideas with each other.

The five women's associations who won the business plan contest in 2020 have shared their reports on their work since beginning their businesses. The groups had between 30 and 45 members, and their proposed businesses were market gardening, indigo dyeing, and raising sheep. Each group has seen a significant increase in funds. The market gardening group has increased their funds by 113,500 cfa; the indigo dyers have increased their funds by 424,000 cfa; and the three sheep-raising groups have increased their funds by 150,000 cfa. 

Due to its tremendous growth and popularity, the Ondogou Indigo Bank is being divided into three sub-banks, one for each village of Kondiougou, Guinekandah, and Indell. Tandana staff just conducted a training session for the leaders of each sub-bank so they are clear on their management responsibilities, and they divided their fund among the three groups. The villages of Indell and Guinekandah are in the process of breaking stones for the construction of a new storehouse in each village for their indigo banks. Members are motivated by their success and are excited to make these three new banks just as successful as the Ondogou Bank.

Residents of Wana have brought all of the sand, gravel, and stones needed for the construction of a well. The contractor was delayed due to a death in his family, but he has now been introduced to the village and is ready to start the drilling. Update: The Wana Well is now 13m deep. The community is looking forward to having reliable access to water. Update: The Wana Well project is nearing completion. The Management Committee was elected and their training took place on June 22-23. Update: The Wana well is complete!

Residents of Sandiam have brought the sand and gravel needed for the construction of a well. The contractor was delayed due to a death in his family, but now he has been introduced in the village and will soon begin drilling. Residents of Sandiam have to go a long way to another village to get water so they are really excited about having the new well soon. Update: The Sandiam Well is now 18m deep. They have hit a very hard rock layer, which means slower going, but the whole team is persistent and continuing to make progress. Update: The well in Sandiam is nearly complete! They have finished the cement lining and built the raised opening and watering basin for livestock. Update: The Sandiam well is complete!

The Kansongho Garden had a successful recent harvest. The red fruits are from the doum palm and the black ones are cashew fruits.

Quite a lot of progress has been made to the Sal Health Center. They brought in rigs to drill a borehole for a well that will be equipped with a solar pump to supply water to the center, they have now started building a water tower, and they are finishing construction on the wall around the whole compound. The ambulance and some of the furniture will be arriving soon, as well. Update: The waiting area is complete, and most recently, they have been working on the water tower and solar panels. Update: The Sal Health Center is complete! After various meetings and inspections this past month, the residents of Sal, finally, held an inauguration ceremony and huge celebration for the new health center! Even young people from Sal who live in Bamako and even further away came back to the villages for this important event.  They toured the center, gave speeches, and did performances in the morning, and then continued with a collective dance in the afternoon. Now that the management committee and ambulance drivers have received training, they are excited for the center to starting functioning.

The Olouguelemo Environmental Association now has a GPS unit, and the association's secretary, along with Tandana's Supervisor and Program Manager received training in how to use it. They are using GPS to measure the protected forest areas and record precise locations of boundaries, water sources, and other features. After completing the current survey, they will know the actual area and locations of their protected zones. They also are finding edible wild fruits, which are much more abundant thanks to their forest protection work. 

The mayor of Wadouba Township organized a big meeting to discuss the township's development plan for the next five years. In the past, women had not been included in these kinds of meetings, but this year, many of the women's associations that have formed thanks to our Women's Literacy, Leadership, and Enterprise program demanded that their representatives be invited to the meeting. The mayor agreed, and this year, for the first time, many women representing the different associations participated, sharing their ideas and opinions about plans for the Township in the next five years.

Tandana is supporting a community-based teacher for the school in Andjine. The school only had 3 teachers for 131 students in grades 1 through 6. Salimata Karembe grew up in Andjine, got a certificate in agriculture, and then returned to the village to be with her husband and raise her family. She participated in Tandana's literacy program and women's leadership workshop. She started volunteering at the school to help out, and now she is being paid, half by the community and half by Tandana. She is teaching the 43 students in 3rd and 4th grades. Congratulations to Salimata for great work with the students.

The participants in the 2021 women's leadership workshops have returned to their villages and created 10 new official women's associations. These new associations were invited to submit a business plan to a contest sponsored by Tandana to seek startup funding for their business. The five best proposals were selected and have received their initial fund. Previously-created associations were invited to submit proposals for a second contest, and five of these proposals were also selected to receive funding. The association from Komberou has found the best market to sell their dried fish, and four other associations - one from Andjine, two from Kilegou, and one from Nalou -  have bought their sheep and had them vaccinated. 

The leadership committee of the Sol Djeninke indigo bank participated in a workshop to learn how to manage their bank and also how to dye safely using both natural and chemical dyes. They also received their equipment and supplies, so the new indigo bank is up and running. They recently held their first meeting to reimburse the materials they used for their indigo dyeing. The meeting went well and the first campaign was successful. They all reimbursed the amounts they owed, and now they have ordered their materials for the next campaign.

The school gardens at Saredina and Ondogou are both doing well!  They are growing tomatoes, lettuce, onions, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and carrots as well as taking care of their papaya, pomegranate, mango, lemon, and guava trees. The students are eating produce in their lunches and as fresh snacks, and they have also sold some extra produce to earn money. The Saredina garden committee has earned about $30 and the Ondogou garden committee has earned about $17 from produce sales. They will use these funds to buy school supplies in October when the new school year starts.

Residents of Kansongo are busy constructing a classroom for their kindergarten. Update: The classroom construction is complete and is now ready for the children to use!

Our team in Mali took some photos recently that really show the value of the erosion control work that the Olouguelemo Environmental Association has been doing.  This is near the stock pond in Goundoly. You can see that the area is entirely barren, except for the green plants growing right by the stone contour line that association members built.

Dramane Pamateck, from Sal Ogol, has been selected as pharmacy manager for the new health center in Sal, Mali. He is currently training for his new role in Bandiagara.

The nursery at Gongo is providing 500 plants for the 2021 reforestation project at Kansongo. You can see a picture (left) of the plants that were grown and where they were planted.

We are happy to report that all 8 of the students in our student mothers program in Mali have passed the year! Five of them passed their DEF exam to receive the diploma of basic education. The other three passed from 7th grade into 8th grade.

The storehouse for a new grain bank in Nounou, Mali is under construction. Thanks to First Community Church Mission Council for supporting this project!

The women's association of Banakane, Mali held their annual assembly to collect the reimbursements for the cotton they have all turned into cloth and discuss the success of their business. They plan to order their next stock of cotton as soon as possible to keep working.

The women of Yarou Plateau, Mali have continued managing their cotton bank well, despite insecurity in their area. They held their annual meeting to reimburse the cotton they had used, and each group reimbursed 100%. Thanks to Ele Samakan, a local teacher supported by Tandana, for supporting their meeting, taking notes, and sending the details to Tandana.

Ecuador

McNair Scholars at the University of Cincinnati participated in a series of remote cultural activities. In one activity they joined Kawsaymi Cocina for a cooking class to learn to prepare traditional Kichwa dishes.

Congratulations to Ricardo Saransig, who recently graduated with a degree in architecture. We are excited to see where this new milestone takes him.

Community members in La Banda have completed the most recent phase of installing the pipes we had previously given to them for their potable water system. They received a generous donation for the final phase of the project and are working on the final phase of installing water pipes to reach all the homes in the community. Once this phase is finished, all of the homes will have water. Update: The La Banda Water project is complete! The last of the pipes needed to complete the system have been installed and are functioning.

Tandana donated 4 laptop computers and repaired 6 laptop computers and 1 printer for the computer lab at the school in Urkusiki, Ecuador. We are very grateful to Tech Service Corps who donated funds to make this happen.

In the continued effort to keep our communities safe and germ-free, we donated soap and paper towel dispensers to the Quichinche Health Center. We also donated a sink and paper towel dispensers to the Gualsaqui Health Center.

Kevin has received his new prosthetic leg! He will now be able to continue with his very active lifestyle. Kevin enjoys playing basketball, cycling, and skating, and, fortunately, he is still working in Ibarra despite the many layoffs due to the pandemic.

The medicinal and nutritional garden at the Quichinche Health Center is doing well. The health center staff and the health committee planted fava beans, runner beans, and medicinal plants, and they all participated in the harvest.

The Gualapuro Water Project is officially complete! All the homes now have access to clean water. A chlorination machine has been installed, an accounting system put in place, a small secure office for accounting, bill paying, and storing tools and supplies related to the water system has been built, and the whole community is very excited for what will come in the future. There have been talks of a family fun park which will include a zipline.

Juan Jose, a patient in our follow-up program, received his bone conduction hearing device after four hours of tests and learning how to use the device. His family is thrilled that he will now be able to hear.

The community of Motilón Chupa is working on the final phase of building their irrigation system. Most recently, they have been working on the water collection tank. Update: The water tank for the irrigation system in Motilón Chupa is complete! They just recently finished the major collection tank and water is flowing to the crops that need them in the irrigation system.

The community of Muenala, with materials provided by Tandana, is building a second story for their community center. This second floor will offer space for events, catechism classes, and community activities. They recently had a minga to pour the cement for the roof of the second story.

We are working with the community of Inguincho and Rotary International to plan a new, clean water system for the community. So far, a few of the 10,000-liter tanks have been delivered to the community and they have had held many community workdays to build the security area for the tanks and filtering station. The pipes have been located at the strategic sites. A big thanks to Rockey Anderson for his help coordinating this project.

Virtual summer school classes were a great success this year in Ecuador! 20 Students took classes in Math, English, Technology, Art, and Theater, just to name a few.

Tandana donated paint to the maternity ward at the Otavalo hospital. We also donated 135 3ml syringes to the Quichinche Health Center to be used for COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Cutambi Community Center is officially complete! Community members installed handrails and windows as the last few finishing touches.

Tiles were delivered for the floor of the community center at San Juan Loma. Members are making progress on laying the floor.

Tandana's favorite theater professional extraordinaire, Hank Fincken, taught a theater class again during summer school. His class, and the play, were conducted virtually, but the show went on without a hitch! Check out the video here.

Dayana Velasquez, a Tandana scholarship student, has graduated from university as an English teacher!  She has been a great participant in many Tandana activities and recently taught English in our summer school program. We are very proud of her and excited to see her next steps!

Tandana post-secondary scholarship students are leading young students at the La Joya school for children with special needs in creating a mural in the school. It's looking great! This project was made possible by a donation in memory of John Gehringer, who was Tandana's pro bono graphic designer for many years.

University Scholar Sergio Torres has graduated from Technical University of the North with a degree in electrical engineering.

The Otavalo Hospital is receiving needed supplies for its birthing unit thanks to a generous donation from Boston Scientific. Donated items include infant formula, infant diapers, infant clothes, crib sheets, blankets, towels, pregnancy gowns, a refrigerator to store breast milk, and sanitary materials for field birthing units.

2020

Ecuador

The Ohio Master Gardeners enjoyed a week full of farming, gardening, and cultural activities during this year’s trip. They spent 4 workdays at Saminay High School, a technical agriculture school about 40 minutes from Otavalo. They spent their mornings working with students and teachers to plant along the entrance of the school. They also had the chance to participate in a minga with all the families from the school, which was followed by a pampamesa (traditional potluck style lunch). In addition to their hard work, they learned about traditional Kichwa dress at Margarita’s, roasted guinea pig and learned about medicinal plants at Kawsaymi cooking school, cooked dinner on volcanic rocks at Pakarinka, and visited the nearby leatherworking town of Cotacachi. They also had the unique experience of traveling to Polylepis Forest, where they were able to compare plants in the highlands of Ecuador to the plants they see back in Ohio. Many participants look forward to bringing the new perspectives they gained in Ecuador back to their own gardens.

For many years, the Traveling School has come to Ecuador during their semester to work alongside communities and Tandana. This year was no exception as the girls arrived at the community of Agualongo where it all started. Students visited during the Carnaval holiday and got to participate in the festivities by throwing water and spraying foam on everyone. Living with host families and being part of a family away from home was just what the students needed. The students worked alongside the community, cleaning the road from a few landslides due to all the rain. They took their families on a trip to the lake and, on another day, hiked up to a fantastic view to cook lunch and enjoy everyone’s company in another successful “Dia de campo.” It was tough to say goodbye, and in the going-away party, the students showed gratitude to the community and families with songs, raps, and heartfelt words. Safe travels on your continued adventures!

This year Northeastern’s ACES program arrived during spring break to support the community of Gualapuro paint their community center. Students spent all week painting and plastering in the morning and building relationships and learning from community members in the afternoon. Participants took a tour of the large water project Gualapuro has been working on, made bracelets (pictured) and enjoyed freshly baked bread. They got to share the recipe for pizza with kids and community members and had a lovely afternoon playing outside. Each lunch students shared traditional food alongside people they worked with that day and in the morning and evening took turns cooking for the group. They had wonderful weather and were able to walk to the Living Kichwa museum to learn about Kichwa traditions and games. After the project was finished, students visited the nearby crater lake, Cuicocha. Finally, the week came to an end with a tearful despedida (goodbye party), complete with dancing and pamba mesa (potluck).

The group from Saline High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, began their trip to Ecuador with a warm welcome from La Banda, the community they supported in implementing a new water system. The welcome included speeches, dancing, a band, and a traditional pambamesa (potluck style) lunch. For the next five days, the group worked side by side with members of the community to dig 1m deep trenches, stretching almost 800m in length total! The group did not only work hard, they also played hard. With activities such as visiting Peguche waterfall, cooking dinner at Kawsaymi cooking school, visiting the Plaza de Ponchos market, and playing soccer with community members, this group had a busy week trying new things. They also had the chance to learn more about one of the main jobs people from La Banda do- working at weaving workshops! They were lucky to be able to see not only a modern weaving workshop, but also a demonstration at the Otavalango museum about traditional weaving and how techniques have changed over the years.

We've supported the staff of the Quichinche and Gualsaqui health centers with PPE, supplies, and medications, as well as transportation to visit the communities they are responsible for. With the lockdown, patients from other communities have not been able to get to the health centers, so the staff went to attend to those who needed assistance in the communities and also to deliver monthly medications to those who usually pick them up at the center.

Tandana recently donated 1,000 graduate conical tubes for COVID-19 sample collection. These vital supplies will help ensure that there is not a delay in testing in the Otavalo area so healthcare professionals can stay on top of testing. Thanks to all the frontline healthcare workers putting these test kits to good work!

Tandana has covered transportation costs for subcentro workers from the Gualsaqui and Quichinche health centers to travel to the communities to provide necessary medical attention directly to the communities for patients who are vulnerable from their preexisting conditions and are unable to travel to the subcentro for check-ups and medicines due to the stay-at-home order imposed by the national government. A total of 217 patients from 13 different communities in the Quichinche Parish have received care.

Our scholarship students are engaged in online learning and resourcefully finding ways to access the internet from their mountain communities so they can keep up with their assignments. We are supporting them with additional internet expenses during the pandemic. We've been able to support 20 students with internet costs so that they can continue their studies that are completely online.

Summer School was offered virtually via zoom this year. Veronica, our Scholarship Coordinator pre-zoomed with all 22 potential scholarship students who were eagerly awaiting to meet their teachers. They had classes online on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for 5 weeks from July 6 - August 7. Interns Mallory, Hannah, and Hank taught remotely from the USA together with 4 Ecuadorian university scholarship students, Amauta, Nicole, Dayana, and Lady. They taught English, Theater, Art, Leadership, Math, and Entrepreneurship. For an added bonus, Wednesdays consisted of a summer school-wide psychology class for students to get to know themselves and others in the program. 20 students completed the full 5-week summer school program and all 20 students that completed the course have been accepted into the high school scholarship program. Congratulations!

The fundraiser organized by Northeastern University’s Alliance of Civically Engaged Students (NU-ACES) was a huge success. 1280 masks were delivered in 21 communities of the Quichinche Parish including Padre Chupa, Motilón Chupa, Minas Chupa, Inguincho, Cambugán, Tangalí, Cutambi, Guachinguero, Achupallas, Urcusiqui, Muenala, Guayrapungo, Moraspungo, Gualsaquí, Panecillo, Agualongo, La Banda, Yambiro, Larcacunga, San Juan Alto, and Gualapuro. Also, 200 disposable masks and 100 KN95 masks were donated to the Health center in Gualsaqui and Quichinche. Additionally, other medical supplies, including bandages and alcohol among others were delivered to the Director of the Hospital of Otavalo and the Director of the Health Center in Gualsaqui.

The new school year kicked off in September, and because the classes are virtual, we decided to open the Panecillo office so scholarship students and community members could use the internet and computers to attend classes and do homework. Our amazing team has been helping students get their work done.

A computer was donated to the Panecillo Community Board. This will help the board during meetings, presentations, and other community events and gatherings.

Our Patient Follow Up program has been making strides during the pandemic. One patient has received her hearing aids and is very thankful to be able to hear clearly. She has been waiting for hearing aids since 2018. It has been important to keep up with seeing patients during the pandemic even though we have not been able to run our normal Health Care Volunteer Ventures.

The Gualsaqui Health Center was recently painted. Here's a look at the final product. It's more sanitary and gives patients more confidence to walk into a clean and sharp looking health center.

Mali

We kicked off the year with 10 new literacy classes, each with 30 women students. The 300 new participants are studied hard! Here's a look inside the classroom in Kilegou. They learned the alphabet, numbers, reading, writing, and arithmetic, skills that give them confidence and independence in the marketplace, in telephone communications, in keeping records for their savings groups and businesses, in reading signs, and taking notes at meetings. Of the 290 women who took the final exam last year, more than 90 percent of participants earned satisfactory scores or better on the literacy and numeracy final exams organized by the Tandana Foundation. Read all about it here on our blog.

A series of three 8-day workshops for 80 women leaders has been completed in Mali. Each literacy class from 2019 delegated class members to attend the workshops. Participants learned how to form, manage, and lead official women's associations, make business plans and keep records. They also had a chance to share their experiences as women speaking up and getting involved in local decision-making and provide encouragement to each other. At the end of the workshop, the participants showed off what they learned, and celebrated. Check out a video of their last day here.

Representatives of the 10 remaining Olouguelemo member villages participated in a training session to learn how to build stone contour lines and other features to prevent soil erosion. They received the tools they need to do this work and return home to share their knowledge and the tools with other farmers in their villages. This work greatly improves crop yield and conserves soil and water. Representatives of the other 9 member villages participated in this kind of training last year and are very pleased with the results of the harvest in the fields where they had built stone contour lines. You can find a blog post about the effects of this technique here.

The Olouguelemo Environmental Association held a socially-distanced meeting of the leadership committee and representatives from each village, instead of the large general assembly they would have had in the absence of the pandemic. They later announced the 4th Annual Olouguelemo Reforestation Campaign which was kicked off in Kansongho. The reforestation campaign is supported by the Olouguelemo Environmental Association, the office of the mayor of Wadouba Township, and The Tandana Foundation. It rained last week to water the trees which is a good sign for the success of the campaign. Also, thanks to the environmental protection work of the Olouguelemo Environmental Association in Mali, there are wild fruits growing abundantly in the protected forest areas. The reforestation campaign was completed with a total of 1,890 trees planted in 20 villages, at 3 schools, and at 5 other public buildings.

The residents of Andjine are taking full advantage of the stock pond that Tandana helped them create. This year, good rains filled the pond to the brim, and they are using its water to grow peppers, okra, eggplant, corn, squash, sweet potatoes, and cowpeas.

The emergency COVID response commission of Ningari has completed its work and held its final meeting. The commission thanked The Tandana Foundation for its support. Currently, all of the identified positive cases of COVID in Ningari have recovered, and there are no new cases reported. Families are using the small hand wash kits that Tandana provided, and residents are using the large handwash stations in public places.

The Papa Hubert Cotton Bank in Dana-Guire, Mali was started in 2018 and continues to function well, giving women an opportunity to earn income by transforming cotton into cloth. A few weeks ago, another NGO, without making any preparations with the village, sent a teacher to Dana-Guire to teach young people who are past school age. They brought the teacher with all of his luggage and told the village chief that he needed a classroom to teach in. Since he hadn't had any warning, the chief said that he could teach in the cotton bank building and that could be the classroom. But Kadidia Yanogue, the President of the cotton bank, stood up to the chief and said, "No, this building was built for our cotton bank. We need it to store the large lot of cotton that we will buy soon, and we use it as our meeting place for women. This can't be turned into a classroom. You will have to find another place for the teacher to hold classes." It took a lot of courage for a woman to speak up against what the village chief said, and her willingness to take this risk shows how important the cotton bank is to the women of the village, as well as the confidence that the women's leadership workshops have inspired.  The chief listened and decided that the men would build a shade hangar for the classes to be held in.

Work is starting on the construction of the new health center in Sal, Mali, thanks to a generous gift from Kitty and Dick Rosenthal. Here is a photo of the site for the new health center, which will serve about 9,000 people, who currently have to travel long distances over rough tracks to access health care. The residents of Sal have completed breaking the stones for the foundations of the five buildings, and the contractor is transporting the sand and gravel needed for the construction.

The school gardens in Saredina and Ondogou are ready for action! For both gardens, the fences have been installed, the management committees have been selected, and students, teachers, and parents have participated in training workshops on gardening techniques and management. Both trainings hosted more participants than expected, and we are now eagerly waiting for the plants to be ready for harvest.

Construction of the Sal Health Center is moving along. At the beginning of the month, the contractor, the masons, and some residents of Sal laid out the corners and built a water reservoir to store water for mixing cement and for other purposes throughout the construction. Now, they are almost finished with the foundations for the main buildings.

2019

Ecuador

Volunteers from the Ohio Master Gardeners joined Tandana for a week-long adventure to complete different gardening projects and cultural exploration. All week the group was accompanied by our knowledgeable, community friend, Matias Perugachi. They were able to help him work on his land and get dirty assisting with maintenance. The group spent three mornings working in Inguincho at the weather station planting medicinal plants and a variety of trees. Then, they were able to learn about the significance of the weather station to the area and the work that takes place. The group participated in a few afternoon cultural exchanges, learning about traditional dress and cooking methods, attending healing ceremonies and sharing meals and cooking with local friends. The group also had time to explore the Polylepis forest and learn about its unique ecosystem. On the final day, the group joined students and teachers at La Joya school to plant and enjoyed a snack and dancing together.

Students from The Traveling School visited and stayed in homestays with the community of Agualongo for a week. During this time, the girls continued their general high school studies all the while experiencing Indigenous Otavaleño culture. They assisted local community members in cleaning drainage trenches on the main road and then in a community minga, started the third wall for the soccer field and moved dirt and rocks to level out the field. The girls expressed their thanks by sharing words and a memory followed by a song in English and Spanish. The experience was enjoyable for everyone and the girls left the next morning full of ways they had grown and would continue to navigate their semester of travel.

Students from Arendell Parrott Academy began their week full of activities with a visit to Kawsaymi cooking school where they helped prepare a traditional meal and even tried a local delicacy- guinea pig. They spent their afternoons at the Panecillo school teaching art classes to the students. The kids loved making kaleidoscopes, giant paper flowers, seashell necklaces, and color-changing bracelets, and the group enjoyed practicing their Spanish to lead the projects. Additionally, the group contributed to 2 service projects- repainting the bathrooms, and painting a mural inside the school. On their final day at the school, the visiting students and Panecillo students played games and danced together. The event ended with a dance choreographed by the visiting students that the school dance group performed. The group enjoyed all of the activities that they participated in, but the highlight was working with students at the school where they made new friendships and hope to visit again one day.

The Tandana Foundation welcomed thirteen students from the Northeastern University Alliance of Civically Engaged Students (NU ACES) for a week long service project in the remote community of Motilón Chupa. Their project for the next four days was to work with community members to dig out a new water containment system. Fortunately, the first day on site was a minga (a community work day that included a representative from every household in the community). The afternoons were full of interesting activities with new local friends, like participating in the carnaval tradition of a community-wide water fight. Everyone was soaked and loving it. Mama Maria taught us how to make local cheese and Maria Cortez treated us to fanesca, a traditional soup that is served around Easter. We worked hard and ate well.

The inaugural group from Purcell Marian High School joined the Tandana Foundation in Ecuador on March 6th. The students and teachers quickly moved into their home stays in Agualongo and shared a week with their new families. They participated in three work days in the community cleaning the roads and putting in an drainage system for the soccer stadium. Students were able to learn about local indigenous Otavaleño culture while sharing meals and experiences every day. There was not a shortage of beautiful places as the group traveled to Lake Cuicocha, Lake Yahuarcocha and hiked up to a site to cook and eat lunch. When students were expressing gratitude and preparing to leave the community, an unexpected flight cancellation gave them three extra days. The extra days were spent visiting Taxopamba waterfall, a traditional cooking class, making bracelets, and a full day exploring Quito. The memories and friendships made will last a lifetime.

The 25th Health Care Volunteer Venture kept us very busy. Our usual pace of 10 clinics in 10 days was tempered by some great afternoon adventures like visits to the local cultural history museum and to the home of our dear friend Margarita. Our clinic mornings took us near and far as we traveled to remote communities like Motilon Chupa and Muenala, mountain top locations with views (on a clear day!) of distant volcanoes and valleys below. But we also stayed close to town with a visit to nearby community La Banda. With so many returning volunteers, we got off to a running start and our team came together very quickly. We tried out a new afternoon activity with a local leather shop, La Tierra. Volunteers had a chance to try their hands at leatherwork and everyone created a small passport-sized leather carrying case. It was a wonderful way to shift gears from the busy rhythm of clinic and relax for a moment. We appreciate the flexibility and dedication of our volunteers!

In May the Tandana Foundation was joined by a group of 8 students and one leader from Colgate University. The students stayed with host families in the community of Motilon Chupa where they were able to bake fresh bread, try colada morada, cook for the community, and work to help build a water tank at the top of the hill of the community. This was phase two of the project and students moved heavy mud and mixed and moved concrete to build the base and three walls of the tank. Students were pushed to their limits with 7 half days of hard work. Other activities included a cooking class, kichwa lessons and a talk about global warming and the effects on food, Otavalango museum to learn about kichwa culture, a speaker on local indigenous politics and also a day tour of the agricultural technical high school.

When the group from Bellbrook, Ohio arrived, they went right away to cook at the Kawsaymi cooking school and restaurant where they made a delicious traditional dinner. During the week they also participated in activities such as making dreamcatchers and bracelets, making bread, learning about Kichwa traditions and clothing, visiting the solar clock in Cayambe, hiking to Taxopamba waterfall, and of course spending some quality shopping time in the Plaza de Ponchos in Otavalo. All of these activities were on top of the service project that they completed at the local school in Tangali. They assisted the parents’ organization in painting the outside of the many buildings that make up the school. They also spent some time playing with the school kids, and partook in a couple of friendly soccer matches on our last day at the school. They had a fantastic week participating in the program, and many of them would like to return to work on another project and visit the friends they made at the school.

Now that the summer school has come to an end, we are exhausted but sad that it is over. The team of five teachers had a wonderful experience teaching English, art, sports, indoors games, theatre, math, science, documentaries, and animals classes. We had amazing trips to two lakes in the area and a pool nearby. Students presented their English knowledge and three plays in the final day performance. Afterwards 200 family members, staff and students enjoyed amazing hornado (a dish of potato patties, pulled pork and mote)! Fun was had by all!

Tandana recently had the pleasure of hosting a group from Boston Scientific. The group had the opportunity to do many different types of jobs from painting and gardening to building the walls of a water tank and digging a trench to repairing a road. The group also had a lot of fun. They spent time with many local friends cooking traditional dinners including guinea pig known locally as cuy. They also got to tour the traditional birthing rooms at the award winning Otavalo Hospital and see traditional cleansings to see how natural medicine is practiced. They had lunch in the communities and got to spend one afternoon painting with elders of the community. The relationships that were built will last a lifetime. Participants had a challenging week but were up to the challenge of stepping out of their comfort zone for the common good. They learned the word minga and were able to practice working together for the good of all the whole week.

Shortly after the ARCC group arrived in Otavalo they were whisked away for their week-long stay in Motilon Chupa. Mornings were spent working with community members on the third phase of a water tank project, and after a few long days of carrying supplies and mixing cement, the final wall of the structure was completed. During two of the “mingas” (everyone coming together to work for a common goal) the women of Motilon Chupa cooked lunch for everyone at the worksite, and the volunteers were able to try local cuisine such as potatoes, corn, fava beans, fresh cheese, and a traditional soup. The group of travelers also had the opportunity to engage with community members in the afternoon, doing activities such as bread making, pizza making, a hike to a microclimate where they were able to make and try sugar cane juice, and spending time with students from the local school. They were also able to see an exposition done by the mothers of the school about their project to knit and sell hats. The group’s energy made it possible for full days of work, activities, cooking, and playing with the kids. The week concluded with some heartfelt speeches from both the community members and the volunteers, and with handmade cards that the school children made for the group. After a fun night of dancing and eating, the group said their goodbyes and the next morning returned to Otavalo to continue on their journey.

Right after the semester ended, eleven students and two leaders from a Lindsey Wilson College community service group, came to Ecuador to support the community of Cutambi in Ecuador. These hard working participants had five full work days and managed to complete a painting and cement project alongside community members. They painted one room of the community center, cement paved a sidewalk and some stairs, and smoothed out the side of the community kitchen with cement. In the afternoons, LWC participants were able to take a local cooking class, learn how to make bracelets, learn embroidery, and play games with the students at the school in Cutambi. After dinner each night one would find the group at the kitchen table working on their embroidery projects. Margarita Fuerez, Tandana’s accountant, and our embroidery expert was so proud of all the work they did with their embroidery projects. The final day in the community students were able to experience a pamba mesa (potluck style meal) in the community while they said goodbye to all their new friends. Then, on their last day in Ecuador, they took a trip to Cuicocha Lake and hike for about two hours, this was followed by Tandana’s despedida (going away party) and then off to their airport. The Tandana Foundation hopes to host LWC participants in the coming year, what a great group!

Mali

Tandana's ten literacy instructors have begun new classes with 300 students! They are excited to bring numeracy and literacy skills to more women in more villages in covered, open-air classrooms. To the right is a picture of nine of the instructors who will be teaching the classes this year. To learn more about the Literacy program in Mali please click this link and then click on the literacy and leadership tab. We are excited about expanding this program to reach more women!

Representatives from the Olouguelemo Environmental Association's five new member villages and volunteers from nine additional villages learned how to make efficient cookstoves that reduce the need for firewood. Representatives of the new member villages also received bicycles and boots to help them in their conservation work in the protected forests. Leaders of the association also met with a contractor to survey the sites for the new stock ponds that will be created.

The women’s association of Kani-Gogouna, one of the groups selected to receive funding for their new business, has used their funds to purchase sheep and get training on how to vaccinate them. To the right is a photo of some happy members of the association with their sheep.

The Student Mothers Program exists because often times in Mali, when a female student becomes pregnant, she is unable to support herself and ends up having to drop out of school. The program was formed to support them through this critical stage of their development and allow them to continue to study. This year, the ten student mothers have received their food and supplies for this academic year and are ready to study. To the left is a picture of some of the mothers receiving their supplies.

With Tandana's help The Olouguelemo Environmental Association has created two stock ponds. The ponds will conserve water for livestock, which will also help keep the livestock out of their protected forest areas. Also, the village of Sal Sombogou has just joined The Olouguelemo Environmental Association, bringing the total number of member villages to 17.

The students who were elected to this year's Kilegou School Garden management committee participated in a training session to learn how to take care of the garden and how to keep records. They are excited to learn new skills and take care of this important garden. The garden also received new water containers to facilitate irrigation.

The women's association of Kedou was one of the groups who received funding for their enterprise turning cotton into cloth. They have all paid for the first lot of cotton and used the fund to buy a second lot. They have distributed this second lot among the members to be transformed into cloth and keep their businesses growing.

The Olouguelemo Environmental Association recently held a training session for representatives from 9 of its 17 member villages on the construction of stone contour lines for erosion prevention. A quick glance at the photos and it's clear how essential erosion prevention is for these farmers. During the training they learned how to construct stone contour lines to protect and enhance the new stock pond in Goundoly Dogon. The village representatives then went home and taught the techniques they have learned to other farmers in their villages. They also received tools, so that they will all have the ability to continue to build stone contour lines to prevent erosion in their own fields. This work will conserve both soil and water and increase crop yields.

Our Mali team recently completed a training session for Savings for Change "replicators." These women, who are all members of existing Savings for Change groups, have now learned how to form and support new groups in their fund-sharing ceremonies. Now that they have the knowledge to create new groups they can bring the program to more women in and around their villages and ensure the beginners manage their fund-sharing well.

Thanks to the protection of the forests through the Olouguelemo Association, there has been an abundant harvest of Gogdio fruits, which used to be rare. There are even enough for some residents to collect and sell in the market.

The school garden in the community of Yarou led by Ele Samakan, a teacher Tandana supports, is doing well. This is quite a feat as he is currently the only teacher at the school and has managed to keep it all running by himself.

2018

Mali

The fence is erected for the orchard of the school in Kilegou. The teachers and students have also received training in horticulture so that they can maintain this project on their own. This garden will help maintain a nutritious diet and also provide students with produce that they can sell in order to buy school supplies. The trend of school gardening is gaining strength and it seems that whenever school officials visit another school and see a garden, they would also like to have one.

The new furniture for the school in Sal-Ogol, Mali, has been finished and delivered by members of the Kansongho carpentry workshop. The furniture was delivered using the workshop's motorcycle. This furniture will ensure that schoolchildren have a comfortable place to sit and learn.

Construction of the storehouse for the grain bank in Dologou is complete, and the members of the bank’s management committee have received training. The management committee purchases a large stock of millet and sells it at a constant price year round so that residents can afford it when they need it.

The new cotton bank in Dana Guiri is called the Papa Hubert cotton bank because it honors the generous donations of Tandana friends and family members who gave in memory of Ed “Papa” Hubert. The construction of the building for the cotton bank is complete, and the bank’s management committee has also received their training.

Ecuador

A group of 13 people from the University of Cincinnati joined Tandana for a week in May to participate in a number of education-based activities and projects. UC students split into three distinct groups who had previously prepared a curriculum on a range of topics to present to several different local schools. The UC students observed classes at the schools to understand the dynamics of classrooms in this area. After observing, each group presented their lessons on weather, sports, and scientific method, respectively. Challenges were faced, lessons were learned and open minds were filled with information that helped broaden the perspectives and perceptions of the world and those who inhabit it.

The Kichwa community of La Banda hosted students from Dayton, Ohio, in a week-long collaboration to improve the community's water system. They all worked together through "mingas" (community work days), built a retaining wall in the La Banda water tank, and dug a new line for the water system. Visiting volunteers also learned about the local culture as they spent time with our friends in La Banda and the surrounding area of Otavalo.

This year's Summer School program began on July 9 and ended on August 3. Approximately 53 students between the ages of 10 and 16 attended this year's program. The Summer School Program Director and four ESL interns taught English and elective classes. A theater professional  returned for another summer and taught the students all about acting and public speaking.

Some of the electives included science, yoga, basic theater concepts, storytelling, and art. Two university scholarship students helped teach math and dance. This year's program took place at the Ati Pillahuasu School in the community of Panecillo. Highlights of this year's program included painting a mural at the school (right), visiting the Living Kichwa Museum in Otavalo, and performing a play on the last day.

This summer, a group of Lakeside School students joined Tandana for three weeks. During their stay, the students lived with host families in the Agualongo. While there, the group helped the community build a fence around their soccer field to solve the continuing problem of cars damaging the field. The students also participated in a series of cultural activities involving the community, including baking bread in one of a large brick oven, listening to the stories of the haciendas surrounding Agualongo, and climbing to the top of a mountain to spend a day roasting food and flying kites.

Eight Lakeside School students and two program leaders spent three weeks working and experiencing daily life in the rural community of Tangali. The students worked side-by-side with the community members to start building a community kitchen. They moved materials, mixed cement and sifted sand. The students also placed bricks to build the kitchen's walls, and they helped put up the support for the ceiling. The students also organized a five-day summer camp for about 35 children, ranging in age from 4 to 17 years old. They students prepared science, English, art and sports lessons, as well as other games and activities.

Tandana teamed up with local and international medical volunteers from all backgrounds to provide a week's worth of mobile health clinics. They visited 5 different communities over the course of the week, and were able to support nearly 350 individuals with free medical and dental care. What further marks Tandana, however, is the foundation's commitment to follow up with patients who cannot receive all that they need in the short time of a clinic; our professional medical providers referred many patients to continue in our Patient Follow-Up Program, through which Tandana staff will help them navigate the public health system and obtain their necessary treatment. Participants enjoyed learning from all the richness that the local culture and people have to offer. They took part in activities such as local museums, visiting master weavers, hearing local legends at a volcano crater lake, and cooking a meal at a family-operated cooking school.

11 volunteers joined with Tandana and friends from the Quichinche Parish to support several gardening and environmental projects. Over the course of the week, they worked with the students of a local high school, Saminay, in their school vegetable gardens. The harvest provides nutrients for the school lunches, while also providing agricultural and nutrition training for the students. They also joined Quichinche’s health center, to help continue their medicinal herb garden and promote the cultural integration of traditional and western medicines.

Two separate groups from Adventures Cross Country teamed up with the high school in Inguincho named Saminay, in order to engage with local students from rural communities. They donated and helped to organize a number of books for the school library, and in addition helped teach in English classes, cook lunches, work in the school gardens, and spend time learning with and from the school’s inspiring students. They also participated in a number of cultural activities, from hikes to trout farms, milking cows, and cooking traditional food with local families.

Mali

Grain Bank in Sal-Dimi – During the annual  meeting to evaluate grain bank operation, the village assembly congratulated the committee on their great management of the bank. The community members asked the committee to continue selling the remaining 6 sacks of rice that they have in stock and to purchase 2 tons of millet to sell throughout the coming year. To the left is a picture taken at the evaluation meeting.

Carpentry Workshop in Kansongho - The moto-tricycle purchased for the carpentry workshop is now being used. Two drivers received training on how to operate the moto-tricycle and are now using it to transport purchased materials to the workshop. To the right is a picture of the moto-tricycle.

Community Meeting Room in Kansongho, Mali - A great inaugural ceremony was held for the building on April 8th. The members of the Ologuelemo Environmental Association, the community members, and the local authorities are thrilled to have the building in use. To the left is a picture from the inaugural ceremony.

School Garden in De, Mali -There was another bountiful harvest from the garden. The students shared some of the vegetables they harvested with the school and sold cucumbers, lettuce, and cabbage for around $36. They used $27 of this money to buy chalk and notebooks.

Well in Ologuine, Mali – Community members are thrilled that the well is finished. There was water in the well throughout the entire dry season so that villagers completed the well's clean raised opening. The opening includes a trough for watering livestock.   

Savings for Change Program – Two savings groups in the village of Yarou Plateau held their annual fund-sharing ceremony. They divided the group fund among all the members, which will allow each member to buy her bean, sesame, and peanut seeds for this rainy season. Then they started saving again in their weekly meetings. Their combined funds were over $1,600, and each member received approximately $30 as her share. Now in December women in 15 more villages have asked Tandana to bring the program to their villages.

Mali

April 2016

“Dining for Women” Grant - Tandana is pleased to announce that it was awarded a grant by Dining for Women, a nonprofit organization that funds grassroots programs working in developing countries to fight gender inequality. The grant will help support Tandana's Literacy Program for women in Mali.

May 2016

Ologuine Well Project - The well has reached 21 meters in depth! They have not hit water yet, but the soil is moist and they expect to hit water soon.

June 2016

Literacy Program - To date, 1,117 women have completed the first phase of the Literacy Program. In this phase, the women have learned reading, writing and arithmetic.

July 2016

Kansongho Community Garden - The garden is thriving and the community members have even harvested fruit from the moringa trees!

Indigo Bank  - The new indigo bank, which Tandana supported, is officially open. Having the bank allows women in several villages in Ondogou Township to purchase all the supplies used in the indigo dyeing trade at an affordable and stable price. The women purchase the supplies they need on credit and once they have sold their product, they repay the bank. Training in safe indigo dyeing techniques was also provided for the women. Seven women were chosen to sit on the bank's management committee. The committee members attended a four-day training session to learn how to manage the bank and keep records. The committee members learned the skills needed to keep the records by participating in Tandana's Literacy Program.

Ecuador

July 2016

Quichinche - Master Gardener Volunteers purchased a tent for the Pastavi neighborhood in Quichinche so that community members would have a place to hold their community meetings and celebrations.

Lakeside Service Program - Eleven students from Washington state assisted the school for students with special needs in La Joya where they painted furniture for a living classroom that will teach students home economics and lifestyle. The students also repainted the community center in Tangali. Throughout their trip the students participated in various cultural exchange activities such as homestays, salsa dancing, a visit to the Kichwa museum, and participation in a cooking class.

REACH Service Program - Two different groups totaling thirty-two participants from Santa Barbara county in California joined Tandana for three weeks each. These groups are part of a four year scholarship and mentorship program who visited Ecuador as a culminating experience to end their program. One group stayed in the neighborhood of Pastavi, while the second stayed in the community of Agualongo. Both worked at the Quichinche school. There they installed a cement floor and put up the structure for the school’s new gazebo project, which will be used as a reading space and for lectures. They also spent a week working at Tandana’s summer school, where the REACH students worked in small groups to teach elective classes including dance, geography, food science, arts and crafts, and painting.

August 2016

Tech Service Corps Service Trip - The group of eighteen spent one week living and working at the Ulpiano Navarro School in the community of Quichinche. Work included installation of twenty desktop computers, one document camera, and the Rachel+ software system. They also installed 29 laptops and the Rachel+ system in Tangali as well as donated laptops to the Community Center, Milk Association, and the Water Coop. The participants had the opportunity to teach English classes that applied to the recently installed software system. Throughout their trip, the participants engaged in cultural activities such as the interactive Kichwa museum, salsa lessons, and a visit to the Afro-Ecuadorian community of El Juncal.

Late 2016

September 2016

10th Anniversary - In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Tandana Foundation, board members, staff, and friends of the foundation met in Ecuador for a week-long program in the end of September. The week was filled with presentations to help strengthen the work we do in areas such as scholarships, patient follow-up, expense reporting, storytelling, teambuilding, supporting our interns & fellows, community projects, and others. There was also time to do meaningful work in a few communities planting trees in Muenala, painting a community center in Cutambi, and cleaning out a drainage ditch along a road in Agualongo.

“Tandana is an incredible foundation that has priorities in place. It's an honor to work with such awesome people in both the communities and the Tandana staff.” – Shannon Cantor

October 2016

Health Care Volunteer Venture - From October 9-16th, the Tandana Foundation held its twentieth Health Care Volunteer Venture. Fifteen volunteers arrived from various locations in the US to Ecuador, where they teamed up to provide free basic healthcare to five different rural communities in the Quichinche Parrish. The group included 4 certified medical providers, several professionals in the medical field, and volunteers without medical background. Volunteers, Tandana staff, two local dentists, and professionals from local public health clinics all worked together to intake patients, direct them to the providers, vision center, or dental care, and finally to prescribe and give any needed medications. Over the course of the week, over 500 patients from 5 different communities were seen. For patients who necessitate continuing care, the Patient Follow Up Program will walk with the patient through the public health system to access the care they need.

"This was my fourth trip. After the first day, I said to myself: "this is going to be one of the best weeks of my life." – Chuck Birkle

Gardening Volunteer Venture - A small and dedicated group opened their hearts to Ecuador, planting 100 ornamental plants, 150 native trees and 25 medicinal plants during the last week of October. At the weather station in Inguincho, meteorologist Galo Perugachi shared observations about the impacts of climate change on Ecuador’s snowpack, species distribution, and growing seasons. Local friends joined the group on a field trip to the rumored to be 5,000-year-old Polylepis forest and to see the unique frailejon plants. Then, the group partnered with seventh graders from Quichinche school to beautify the school farm and share songs. They also planted Andean alders and other native trees along a streamside trail in Tangali, helping the community move toward its vision of a sustainable tourism venture.

“Great experience. Lovely, organized, gracious, patient, upbeat staff. Beautiful native Ecuadorians. Natural beauty can't be beat.” – Kelly McGee

November 2016

ARCC Programs - Two different group from ARCC's Latin America Gap Year program joined Tandana for a week each as a part of their travels and studies. The group is part of a three-month gap semester program which focuses on service learning and experiential education. The ARCC groups each stayed in the community center in Panecillo for a week while working at the Quichinche school. They contributed to creating the walls and ceiling for the school’s new gazebo project, which will be used as a reading space and for lectures. They also spent time learning about the traditions and practices of the region, and wrapping up their observations after their month in Ecuador.

“The work you do is work the community asks you to do, rather than work you think needs to be done. 10/10 for listening and following the needs of the people you help!!!” - Andrea Stanley

Student Mothers Project - The student mothers project supports girls from rural villages who are living in the town of Bandiagara, Mali, so they can attend middle and high school. They have to find families to host them, and, if they get pregnant, the families usually send them home and they have to drop out. This project provides training for the families to explain that they still host the students even if they are young mothers, and supplies food and basic medical supplies for the babies, so they are not an extra cost to the families. It helps girls stay in school despite the challenges of motherhood.

School Garden in De - Kaleb Poudiougou, director of the middle school in De, Mali, wanted his students to learn about gardening and also realize that they could earn money for school supplies they need. Tandana helped make this dream a reality. The students and teachers now grow vegetables, such as tomatoes, squash, lettuce, peppers, eggplants, etc., and then the students sell the produce to earn money to buy school supplies. Tandana also provided tools, seeds, and training for the teachers, students, and parents association representatives.

Bear Lake Health Care Volunteer Program –Three medical practitioners and twelve volunteers – all from the Bear Lake region of Idaho – joined Tandana and several local medical practitioners for a week of medical work in rural communities around Otavalo, Ecuador. In five days of clinics, the group provided care for 84 dental patients, 138 vision patients, 216 medical patients, and a total of 253 individuals. They also learned to cook a traditional Kichwa meal at Cocina Samyanuy visited the nearby town of Cotacachi, met with a local weaver and witnessed the traditional weaving process, explored Condor Park and watched a flight demonstration, and boated around the islands of the volcanic Cuicocha Lake. 

Ohio Master Gardeners Volunteer Venture – Fourteen dedicated master gardeners from Ohio joined Tandana for a week. They spent time in several communities around Otavalo, Ecuador; at the vivero (tree nursery) in Achupallas, they weeded countless beds, covered over 100 feet of piping for the sewage system of the new building, and prepared bags of soil for future use. In Muenala, they planted around 500 trees and participated in an incredible minga feast with the community. In Guachingero, they planted and weeded a community garden, helped build a fence around a new garden area, and created activities for the grade school students using vegetables, leaves, and other natural (gardening) products. It was a lovely week of service, education, and joy.

Northeastern University Group Service Project – Eleven students and one faculty member from Northeastern University in Boston spent a week building a bathroom at the community center in the community of La Banda. They worked alongside community members mixing cement, digging a trench for pipes, and laying cement bricks. They also had a lot of fun building relationships with the community members by not only participating in indigenous games but also by teaching them some of their own games, and enjoying community lunches with them. The community of La Banda enjoyed sharing this experience with a great group of students.

George Washington University Group Service Project – A group of eighteen students and two faculty advisors from George Washington University in D. C. chose to spend their spring break week in and around Otavalo, Ecuador. Every morning, they worked in the community of Panecillo, learning from a local maestro the art (and science) of mixing concrete, plastering, and paving. In the process, they also built a stove that the community will use to cook large meals for mingas and celebrations, plastered the community kitchen, and paved a patio. While in Panecillo, they taught English classes to students in the local primary school. They also spent time with community members in Panecillo; they spent one afternoon with a Tandana intern's host family learning about traditional embroidery and bracelet making; another afternoon baking bread with a different intern's host family; and learning to cook a traditional Kichwa meal at a Panecillo-based cooking school. Additionally, they hiked around the volcanic Cuicocha Lake, explored the Condor Park and watched a flight demonstration of eagles and kestrel, and adventured along the shores of Mojanda Lakes. It was a week of laughter, service, and reflection.

Health Care Volunteer Venture in Ecuador March 2015 – Over the course of two weeks, nine medical practitioners, one dentist, and thirteen volunteers from the U.S. and Canada joined Tandana and several Ecuadorian medical professionals to provide medical care in rural communities around Otavalo, Ecuador. In ten days of clinics, the group provided care for 218 vision patients, 406 medical patients, 706 pediatric patients, and 419 dental patients. They also learned to cook a traditional Kichwa meal at a local cooking school, visited a reed weaving cooperative, watched a master weaver practice his traditional craft, hiked to two lovely waterfalls, watched an instrument-maker create a pan-flute, played a game of soccer, hiked around Mojanda Lakes, participated in the Quichinche parade, explored the quaint village of Cotacachi, and boated around the sparkling San Pablo Lake. 

 

University of Cincinnati Education Program – In May 2015, 18 students and 4 chaperones from the University of Cincinnati joined Tandana to teach in four schools in different communities. The communities of Guachinguero, Cutambi, and Panecillo welcomed the students into their classrooms to teach English lessons, while the La Joya school offered the students a chance to work with 13 special needs children. The group enjoyed a wide variety of cultural activities including dancing in an Afro-Ecuadorian community, visiting a Kichwa culture museum, and learning about bilingual education after an exhilarating hike to Taxopamba waterfall. The trip was a wonderful way to end their semester after learning about Ecuador's culture and education system all semester long.   

In June and July, another group of high school students and leaders from Lakeside School in Washington became new members of host families in Agualongo, Ecuador. During their month together, the families and students worked in the fields, baked bread, collected firewood, worked in mingas to improve the new community center, played games and did art projects, and enjoyed a boat ride on Cuicocha Lake. The Lakeside group also spent a week improving the facility of the La Joya school for children with special needs, brightening it up and making it more magical for the students. They hiked Fuya Fuya volcano and visited El Juncal, an Afro-Ecuadorian community. When it was time to part, everyone was sad that the end of their time together had come and grateful for the new friendships formed.

In July, the community of Cutambi, Ecuador welcomed 15 students and 2 leaders from Adventures Cross-Country for a week. The students worked alongside community members constructing the first phase of the new casa communal. The students worked diligently and interacted with community members during their stay, making bracelets and playing exciting games of soccer. They enjoyed bathing in Peguche waterfall and learning about the vibrant Kichwa culture at the living museum. They were sent off with a wonderful despedida lunch of chicken soup and cuy and everyone was very excited and satisfied at the progress that was made. 

In October, Tandana’s Health Care Volunteer Venture visited five communities, namely Mojandita, Panecillo, Cutambi, Minas Chupa, and Guachingero. Four volunteer medical providers and nine non-medical support volunteers from the United States were joined by several local medical and dental providers, a few of Tandana's university scholarship students, interpreters, and other local team members. We provided medical and dental attention to 447 patients. This was our first medical program to incorporate EMR (electronic medical records). That first day in clinic was the test of our new technology and everyone wondered how it would work. After ironing out a few hiccups in the morning, as a team we got all our wires connected and ran a very successful day with our updated electronic records. There are many exciting advantages to the new electronic procedure, particularly in terms of the accessibility of patient histories for tracking patients’ medical concerns. Also, the new technology will allow Tandana even more accurate record keeping for patient totals, complaints, referrals, and other important documentation. And as usual, it wasn’t all work. Our group did several afternoon excursions to explore the Ecuadorian countryside and re-connect with many of Tandana Foundation’s old friends. We held our final luncheon at Tambo Inti in Quichinche and invited all of our team members; our amazing local dentists Doctors Pablo and Anita , our interpreters, our bus driver, and several of the Tandana Foundation Scholarship students who joined us in clinic were outstanding in their dedication and assistance.

Also in October, Tandana Foundation hosted thirteen volunteers in various gardening projects in the Otavalo region north of Quito, Ecuador. We spent our first two work days in the school garden at Cutambi, planting bougainvillea, hibiscus, and begonias as well as building and painting planters out of old tires. The school children were thrilled to participate in these projects with their new North American friends. The clear skies gave us extraordinary views of Volcano Cayambe, the third highest volcano in Ecuador. Spectacular! The following day, we ventured north of Ibarra, the capital of the Imbabura province, to visit the Afro-Ecuadorian community of El Juncal. There, we were treated to a tour at an organic fruit farm with our friend, Don Fabian, a delicious lunch at the cultural center, and a dance presentation by several girls from the community. Our next two work days were spent at the native plant nursery in Achupallas, supporting Don Matias in the important work he and UCINQUI are doing to revitalize native plants in this region. It is amazing to consider that in just four days we donated 288 hours worth of gardening work to local communities!

In November of 2015, a group of gap semester students from Adventures Cross Country came to the community of Cutambi to help with the second step of building the casa communal. 14 participants joined us for 8 days in the community where they stayed at the local school and worked in the mornings with the community members. They also enjoyed spending time with the community children and participating in cultural activities such as bread making, bracelet making, and a community hike. On the last day of the community stay, community members in Cutambi and the ARCC participants together finished the roof of the building, achieving their goal.

Mali 2015

Stove making – From January 12 to January 19, 2015, The Olouguelemo Environmental Association – in partnership with The Tandana Foundation – held a training session on making more environmentally-friendly iron stoves. These stoves are much more efficient than cooking on open fires, requiring much less firewood. Twenty-two participants, representing the ten villages that make up Olouguelemo, attended the training session. The participants learned how to make two types of stoves, then returned to their villages to continue production.

Cotton Bank in Sal-Dimi – The village and contractor have constructed a storehouse for the cotton bank, and the assembly of women chose a committee to manage the bank. Tandana provided training to the committee. The first stock of cotton has arrived, and the committee has divided it among the women in the village who want to work with it. Once they have sold the cloth made from the cotton, they will pay for the cotton they used, providing the fund for restocking the bank next year. Having the cotton bank will allow the women of Sal-Dimi to have access to cotton year-round at an affordable price. 

Cotton Bank in Yarou Plateau – As of April 2015, the cotton bank is operating, using a previously-built storehouse. The assembly of women has chosen a committee to manage the bank. Tandana provided training and the first stock of cotton to the committee. The women of Yarou Plateau are dancing with joy in the confidence that they will always be able to afford cotton to transform into cloth. 

Literacy Program – Our 2014-2015 session ended with a closing ceremony in each of the different villages where literacy classes were held. Students said that thanks to the classes they could count from 1 to 10,000, perform basic calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), and read words. They also said they now could identify the numbers on a telephone and sizes on shoes. In two villages, the students performed songs and skits expressing the importance of what they had learned and its impact on their daily lives.

Second Stove-Making Session-- Tandana, in partnership with the Ologuelemo Association, held a second stove making training session for the representatives from the four new villages who recently joined Ologuelemo. Just like the first training, this training was a huge success. The two representatives from Kansongho, who were at the first training session, also participated in this session as a refresher course.

Savings for Change-- Tandana held a training session for the trainer and supervisor who will be involved in the new Savings for Change Program in Ondogou Commune.  Aldiouma Tembiné, a local teacher, will be the trainer, forming groups of women and teaching them how to run the savings and credit program. Housseyni Pamateck, Tandana's Local Supevisor, supervises and supports Aldiouma. As of July 2015, there were 5 savings groups operating, with a total of 125 women. Each group had saved at least 35,000 CFA ($70) so far and loaned out the majority of that to members.