(Saturday, May 30, 2015)
Today was our last full day in Ecuador. Because it was a Saturday, we did not return to Huantugloma; yesterday was our last day in the community.
Instead we opted to do touristy things. We stopped at a textile workshop and learned about the traditional process for making a macana, or shawl. We strolled around the city of Gualaceo, famous for its shoes and shawls, and observed families celebrating their children's first communion. We ate lunch in a park with a wobbly bridge and reflected on the week. We went shopping for souvenirs in Chordeleg, a city known for its jewelry. We ate dinner at a restaurant and tried cuy (guinea pig), the most unusual traditional dish of the Andes. We went to a salsa place and danced enthusiastically until late in the night.
All of these activities were enjoyable and allowed us to learn more about Ecuador's culture. However, there was a sense of sadness and dissatisfaction in the group. During reflection, many people expressed a sentiment that they felt their work was unfinished and a wish to stay longer.
That's because our work is unfinished. There are countless things that the children of Huantugloma need in order to have any chance of making it to college.
They need enough teachers for every grade so that some of the children don't go without attention. They need teachers that are paid well enough that they aren't forced to leave the community in order to feed their families. They need transportation to school so they don't have to walk two hours up and down mountainsides every day, even when it rains. They need proper nutrition so they aren't starving and unable to focus during their classes. They need reference books and Internet so their overworked teachers aren't their only source of information.
It is incredibly frustrating to know that during our ten days in Ecuador, we cannot give them these things. In fact, even if we work our entire lives, we may not be able to give them these things. Even if we can somehow provide Huantugloma with top-notch education, there are millions of communities around the world with the same exact unmet needs.
It is easy to feel frustrated and overwhelmed in the face of this knowledge. How can we, fourteen students at the University of Maryland, create the kind of drastic structural change needed to ensure every child in the world equal access to quality education?
There are no easy answers. However, the fastest way to ensure that nothing changes is to give up. We must remember that fifty years ago, indigenous communities in Ecuador did not have access to education at all, and that our school in Huantugloma exists today because of indigenous activism led by Dolores Cacuango. We must stand in solidarity with advocates like Malala Yousafzai, who risk their lives every day to fight for educational opportunities around the world. We must start conversations with our friends and families about the educational disparities we have witnessed.
We may only be fourteen people, but I am confident that we are up to the challenge. I know because today, when I was writing "yearbook" messages to each member of the team, there was not enough space for all the positive things I wanted to say. I know because when I was anxious about teaching a class of kids in my second language, my teammates' wholehearted support gave me the confidence I needed. I know because I watched each and every person on this experience grow attached to the children in Huantugloma and become passionate about providing them with the education they need. I know because young leaders like us have, throughout history, become forces for change in the world.
I have to believe that there is a way to create structural change and provide children around the world with quality education. I don't know what, but I do know that whatever it is, it starts with us.
-Niko Schultz
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