As our time in Paraguay comes to a close, I can’t help but be impressed by the maturity and commitment of the LearnServe students. Working with the students in the medio ambiente group (environment), I saw a drive and motivation that really struck a chord. Upon arriving at the site, there was a swampy, rocky field covered in trash that served as the playground for one of the primary schools. It was no playground. The children entertained themselves by fighting, pushing, or trying to play futbol in any open area. Using mostly recycled materials, such as tires and bottles, a playground was slowly erected. Our students worked tirelessly to hang a giant tire swing to a tree, a regular swing made of tire from another tree, a rope swing on a branch. They also dug trenches into the ground to build a bench and a tire pyramid, which was not easy considering the ground was 20% dirt and 80% rocks and trash. Then everything was painted to give the area a bit of color.
On the last day in Santa Ana, the students were supposed to be participating in a sports day. However, after seeing on Thursday that not everything at our site had been finished, this group of incredible students decided to miss out of the futbol games and relay races to build a soccer field, complete with goal posts and all. Their dedication paid off when the students were released for recess and were given a chance to play on their new playground. The excitement in the air was almost tangible as all lined up to use the new equipment. Giving the students a new playground is not just giving them a place to be kids. It gives them motivation and hope to see that a group from as far away as the US cares enough about them and thinks that they are important enough to come down and work this hard for them. The LSI students, along with our counterparts from Paraguay, really made a difference in the lives of those school children.
-Talia Shnider