Cartas de Cocha: Amanecer

Dear Family and Friends,

As I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs (I know I'm well overdue for an entry about how the school year is going) Amanecer, the organization I volunteered with from August 2010 - December 2011, is in serious trouble.

I first found Amanecer on the internet when I was looking for volunteer opportunities after graduation from ND. Shortly after finding it online, a dear friend of mine, Katie Smith, who had studied Spanish in Cochabamba one summer at the Maryknoll Institute, validated that it was indeed a real organization. After Katie's assurance I confirmed that I would spend 10 months after college in Cochabamba with Amanecer. As I spread the news, a connection in the Campus Ministry department introduced me to a couple who had graduated from Notre Dame several years before, Ricky and Kelly Klee, and who had also volunteered with Amanecer. These two small-world coincidences put me at ease in 3,000+ mile trip down to Cochabamba. And I find myself believing that this is where I was meant to be - maybe I can help to be a part of saving the organization that has brought so much joy and enrichment to my own life...

During my free time the past few weeks I have met with several of the directors and workers at Amanecer to help write a letter to all of our previous volunteers soliciting help. In Amanecer's history they have never actively solicited funds like this, they prefer to receive donations from those who have a connection to the organization, but they are desperately in need of help. Although this letter was written for previous volunteers and friends of Amanecer, I would like to share it with all of you because I believe that through my blogs over the past few years you have glimpsed into the world of Amanecer and can appreciate all of the wonderful and important work they do for the abandoned children of the streets of Cochabamba.

This is a subject that is extremely close to my heart and my heart breaks to think that the beautiful children of Amanecer would be in any way effected by the financial struggles the organization is facing.

If you feel so inclined please contact me via email or facebook for any questions or suggestions of how to help.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for any and all help and support - even if it just means taking the time to read this blog.

Dear Friends and Volunteers of Amanecer,

Greetings from Cochabamba! We hope this letter finds you healthy, happy, and successful in all your endeavors.

We are pleased to reestablish contact with you, a former volunteer with Fundación Amanecer, although we wish it were on better circumstances. As a previous volunteer, you are a crucial part of Amanecer’s history. You gave the children of Amanecer part of your life and changed theirs for the better. Without the help of dedicated volunteers like yourself, Amanecer would not be able to make a difference in the lives of 500 abandoned and abused children from the streets of Cochabamba every day.

This is a time of crisis for all in Amanecer, especially for those children who have no possibility of being able to return to their families. For the last five years the government has mandated a very substantial pay raise each year. Last year alone was 12% and this year is close to 10% including the increase in benefits. There is also a law which requires that when a person stops working, either by his own decision or because the organization no longer needs him or cannot financially continue with his services, he/she is owed an extra month’s salary for each year of service, always calculated at the latest and highest level. We have close to 150 workers and many have been with us for over twenty years. Due to the increases in salaries we were forced to send a letter to all of our employees in July informing them that as of September 1^st they no longer have a job.

We are in the process of trying to sell the vocational complex, Yaykuna and one other house in order to survive. If we can do this we hope to be able to continue, though with around half of our previous employees and consolidating a few of the houses. The legal requirements before selling a property in Bolivia are complicated, difficult and take months to complete. We are in desperate need of funds to get us through the next months. If you are able to help out in whatever small way or know someone else willing to help, we would be extremely grateful. We know that many of you are also with financial problems due to the world economic crisis, which makes it difficult even to find a job. Many of you have young families and are trying to pay off college loans. However, any small donation from all who care deeply about the children of Amanecer can be part of the total amount that will allow us to continue.

As part of our efforts to raise these funds we have reached out to you, our previous volunteers, who have a special connection to our mission and understand the overwhelming need for services among the children on the streets of Cochabamba. We have sent this letter to all of the emails we have on file for our previous volunteers, however we know that there are a large percentage of volunteers who have changed their email or may not have had an email address at the time they were with us. We ask that you help us to reestablish our network by forwarding this email to any other volunteers with whom you are still in touch. Throughout the years we have lost contact with many of our previous volunteers and we are hoping to use this occasion to reestablish that contact and provide updates to you on a more regular basis.

We have always considered you to be a friend of Amanecer from a distance, but with the increase in technology we hope to bridge the gap and bring you closer to us.

We are in desperate need of your help. Please consider contributing in whatever way you can so that Amanecer can survive.

Sincerely,

Germán Sánchez M. Hna. Catherine Feldewert Hna. Mery Elko Katie Weber

President Amanecer Director Casa Nazareth President Honoraria Volunteer

Donations can be sent to:

CANADA

FRIENDS OF AMANECER

c/o Sherri Hohert

5451 Alderley Road,

Victoria B.C., V8Y 1X9

AMANECER

c/o Sisters of the Most Precious Blood