bdmowers Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Yes, there are many families needing help here in the lakeside area. We decided to focus on one near Christmas time that our Mexican friends took us to meet. Sylviana and Emilio are two older people living with their daughter and her 3 children in a very small, very old crumbling house with 2 small rooms in San Antonio. Below grade so it floods whenever it rains and the toilet is below the sewer line so problems occur there quite often too, as you can imagine. They have 3 old beds, just pieces of foam, and no other furniture. The roof consists of pieces of corrugated plastic. One of the sheets is clear so some light enters the house during the day. But only during the day since there is no lighting in the home but the sheet has holes in it so when it rains, water comes through. There was no food in the house when we visited. So, first thing, we took a trip to Soriana and bought a shopping basketful of food and cleaning supplies and brought it back to many tears and and much thankfulness. They will eat well for Christmas for the first time in a very long time and for a good week or two or so. They need some things to make their life a bit less painful. If you wish to help this family, following is list of items they need and approximate costs. If you wish to donate the items or wish to donate money to buy these items, PM me. We have set aside my Paypal acct to receive donations, bdmowers@gmail.com. You can note in the message area when you make your donation what to use the money for. One matrimonial mattress, 2,000 pesos 2 twin size mattresses, 1,500 pesos each folding table for 4-6 people (folding because they don`t have the room to keep a table up all the time, 700 pesos folding chairs, 5 needed, 300 pesos each 1 toilet, 1,500 pesos 1 sink, 3,000 pesos 1 clear fiberglass panel, 350 pesos We can pick your items up, even your donation, if you wish. Thanks so much to those who have already given to Sylviana and Emilio´s family. In the coming future, we intend to see if we can build them a new home. The one they have, though they have made it work as well as possible, of course, is simply appalling. You wouldn`t want anyone you care about to live the way they do. We figure, why not care about these people? We have many contacts in the area for materials and work and believe we can do it extremely cost effectively. Something like $15,000 USD is all it will take. We will be fundraising for this in the near future. Muchas gracias. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimpychimp Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Do they own the land they are living on? If not anything you build could be taken back by the owner of the land. Its very nice of you to try to help them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Do they own the land they are living on? If not anything you build could be taken back by the owner of the land. Its very nice of you to try to help them. Yes, this is the number one issue. In San Miguel, the Rotary Club had a project in which money and skills were donated to build small houses for the very poor, like this family. Perhaps one of the local charitable groups could take on a project like that. The results in SMA were impressive. Meanwhile, BMowers, you get the Santa medal of honor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdmowers Posted December 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Thanks, we`ll certainly have to check out about their ownership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Do they have cement floor? If not the government has a program and they pay for those check with Oportunities. Ask DIF what they can come up with. Do you speak Spanish? There is help for very poor people the trick is to know where to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Do they have cement floor? If not the government has a program and they pay for those check with Oportunities. Ask DIF what they can come up with. Do you speak Spanish? There is help for very poor people the trick is to know where to ask. The program you mentioned started life during the Zedillo administration as Progresa. It subsequently changed its name to Oportunidades. Now it is called Prospera. The link to the website takes you to an "Access Restricted" page with no information. The program you mention, Piso Firme, apparently no longer exists. http://www.milenio.com/hidalgo/Fracaso-programa-Piso-Firme-Sedesol_0_148785597.html On the other hand, if this family does have a dirt floor, it wouldn't take much to install a cement floor--just a small collection of funds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 They still refer to it as Oportunidades in Chiapas and they give some help to poor people.. The government is building cement floors all over the place so I do not see why not in Jalisco and the fund collected for the floor could go to other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdmowers Posted December 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 I originally understood that the family`s house had only a dirt floor (probably my poor understanding of Spanish) but upon meeting the family yesterday, I found a cement floor (old, broken and uneven, but cement). Anyone know of funding support for building new houses where the old is appallingly substandard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 Millions of people live in substandard houses so I doubt it. But maybe somebody knows.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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