Barefoot Angels

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Hola todos,

I apologise that it has been such a long time since my last entry, the past few weeks have been so busy and this really is the first chance i've had to write to you all! So i'll start from the beginning...

I arrived in Santa Ana nearly 3 weeks ago now. It's a beautiful, colonial city (although it feels much more like a town), full of life and vibrancy albeit a little rough around the edges. There is so much to see outside of the city also, volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls, artisan villages, I am really looking forward to exploring this beautiful region!

Shortly after moving to Santa Ana I began working at the Barefoot Angels project which has really exceeded all of my expectations! It is part of a larger organisation called ASAPROSAR which has projects all over the country, working in health care, microcredit programmes, refugee programmes and, in the case of Barefoot Angels, education and child labour eradication. I didn't realise just how much they are doing here in El Salvador, it's incredible!

Barefoot Angels is such a beautiful project and already I can feel myself becoming very attached to the children. It provides a space for children to come and learn, play and express themselves whilst promoting a strong social message that all children are of huge value and are entitled to their rights.

Primarly I will be teaching Music and English, however, I have been involved with other projects during the last few weeks which I am gaining so much experience from. For the last 5 days two North Americans from Magicians Without Borders, Tom and Maria, have been here helping the children to develop their magic and performance techniques (they come two or three times a year). At the weekend we took some of the children to a beautiful house just outside of Santa Ana where Tom and Maria organised a series of workshops, it was so much fun and it made me realise just how much these kinds of projects can help children in difficult situations.

This weekend I am going to the beach to spend time with Jesus and his family, I can't wait! As much as I love working with children it is very tiring!

Anyway, I must get back to the project now, I hope you are all well and it would be great to hear from you soon!

Cuidate mucho,

Amor,

Laura x x x

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