Save Our Schools 4 Our Kids & United Way of Panama, Veracuz Partner to Help Mothers Feed 100 Babies and Children
“When Americans vacation to exotic, naturally beautiful sites in culturally and ethnically inclusive countries such as Panama, we believe it’s essential to be mindful of those living in the country in scarcity.”
Yvonne Renee Davis, President, Save Our Schools 4 Our Kids Foundation
"I grew up in an inner-city community with the same social, economic, health, and safety problems right here in Veracruz. Poverty has no color; it affects all of us."- Donald Lavon Green, Jr. Founder
Save Our Schools for Our Kids Foundation has expanded its reach to Veracruz, Panama, establishing a partnership with Fondo Unido de Panama-United Way. Last week, Founder Donald Lavon Green, Jr., and President Yvonne Renee Davis reached out to the amazing Coordinator de Monitorio y Evaluacion Proyecto, Eufracio Centella, to support children and families in need living in the most impoverished communities in Vera Cruz.
Veracruz is one of the most impoverished towns in Panama. Panama is a beautiful, well-developed, socially, economically, and politically stable country.
With the recent election of the new President promising to jump-start a slowed economy and close the Darien Gap migrant route, there are pressing challenges with higher poverty (rising from 17% to 21%) and social inequalities affecting the quality of life for all Panamanians; primarily Indigenous peoples (Ngäbe and Buglé), and Afro-Panamanians,
Save Our Schools saw the stark reality between beautiful touristy living and abject poverty in a community policed by day but rampant with danger and drugs by night.
Community members, particularly mothers (primarily single), face numerous social challenges that prevent them from meeting their basic needs. With little to no education or literacy, the United Way of Panama has stood in the gap, working with the Panamanian Government to maintain a continuing presence of social protection and health programs to help protect babies from disease with vaccinations. The impact is significant on the lives of women and children who need it most. However, even with this support, the safety net is unsafe.
Poverty Has No Color
Mindful of Those In Need Where Ever we Go
“When Americans come for a vacation and downtime as couples, solo or with their family, to exotic, naturally beautiful sites in culturally and ethnically inclusive countries such as Panama, we believe it is essential to be mindful of those living in the country in scarcity,” said Yvonne Renee Davis, President. “We wanted to experience the best of Panama while giving to the least and neglected in Panama, showing love and caring for those who need extra care without asking.”
Caring for the Mothers & Their Babies
In partnership with United Way, Save Our Schools went shopping at the local Supermarkets in Vera Cruz. Our organization purchased baby cereal, milk, and baby food for 100 babies three months to 3 years of age to eat for a week. United Way Panamá is a private non-profit organization established in May 2010 to promote the development of Panama's most in-need people and communities. The mothers in Veracruz rely heavily on corporate and private donations to keep the organization funded, feed families, and educate them on life skills training and values. Sadly, the needs still outweigh the resources.
What inspired us to start saving our schools?
Early Saturday morning, the founder and president met with Eufracio to meet the mothers and their beautiful babies and share our hearts and treasures. “Going to school with my Daughter every day and seeing the lack of educational resources for the children inspired me to start Save Our Schools for Our Kids Foundation in 2018,” said Donald Green, Jr., Founder. We have fed tens of thousands of children and families in three states since July 2020, during the height of COVID-19 and in our communities hit with poverty. I grew up in an inner-city community with the same social, economic, health, and safety problems right here in Veracruz. Poverty has no color; it affects all of us.
“…The second evil that plagues the modern world is poverty. Like a monstrous octopus, it projects its nagging, prehensile tentacles into lands and villages worldwide..." Dr. Martin Luther King
Over 21% OF THE pANAMANIAN POPULATION LIVES IN ABJECT POVERTY
The Amazing Teachers who give their time, talent, and passion to the mothers and their children!
The smile of a little girl is priceless!
Breakfast Cereal for the Babies and the Children
. To quote Martin Luther King when he gave his Nobel Peace Prize address in 1964:
“…The second evil that plagues the modern world is poverty. Like a monstrous octopus, it projects its nagging, prehensile tentacles into lands and villages worldwide. Almost two-thirds of the world’s people go to bed hungry at night. They are undernourished, ill-housed, and shabbily clad. Many of them have no houses or beds to sleep in. Their only beds are the sidewalks of the cities and the dusty roads of the villages. Most of these poverty-stricken children of God have never seen a physician or a dentist.”
Now, if Dr. King said this in 1964, fast-forward to 2024—sixty years later—how are we in the same position then and now? It is the system that spreads poverty and inequities,” stated Green.
Giving to these families on the eve of Panama’s Presidential election was a blessing for Save Our Schools, announcing a partnership to continue to help the 100 Mothers and children and an additional 200, totaling 300 in the future, with not only resources but life skills and self-esteem workshops for the mothers.
“To the two Fathers present, we applaud you for being here with your families. You are an example,” Davis said to the audience of 100 women and children. The next time we come, we want to see more fathers show up with their families. Daddies matter, too.”
Save Our Schools appreciates the leadership of our new friend Eufracio, who took the time to bring us shopping, share his time, and tell us a story about Veracruz. He is a giant among leaders, with nine teachers who work with over 300 babies, toddlers, and children daily. We feel blessed to be able to call and have a lovely woman pick up the phone and put us in contact with Eufracio. This is not the end. We will be back again to spend more time in the coming months. In between times, we will create a Video Teams Pen Pals between the children in Veracruz to meet other children the same age in Connecticut who experience poverty.
When we return, we want to help educate mothers about self-esteem and self-worth and how to care for their children. We also will expose the children to photography and videography. Ultimately, we will love them.
For more information on how you can join us on the next trip and help with donations, email us at dgreen@saveourschools4ourkids.com or yvonner@saveourschools4ourkids.com.
