Equator: visit in a very poor suburb

Yesterday I went to visit a mother's kid with a teacher called Cecibel. The mum of Nestor, Monica, took us on a taxi ride to her place. After driving on the normal road, we took a dirt road and went all the way till the end. I'd been told the kid was walking everyday to the school and back with his mum. It was around 1 hour walk and I could hardly imagine this 5 year old kid having to walk that much under the rain or sun...

This is of the poorest suburbs in Babahoyo and my throat got more and more tight as we were getting close to Monica's home. Most of these houses are made out of plaks, and built on stilts to avoid flood during heavy rains. Some have a concrete structure, but most of them are supported by bamboo palls. I could hear the music being played loud as in lots of houses, many persons were in hamacs or outside spreading water on themselves. Dogs and cats were everwhere, sleeping in the shade.

It was really hot that day and we could feel it inside the housein spite of all the air passing through the 'planches' and windows. The inside was not that bad compared to what I was expecting. Monica is living there with her husband, her two kids aged 5 and 3 and the mother in law, whose house it was. Being aged 23, it means Monica was a mum at the age of 18, not that bad compared to other mums I met, aged 20 with a kid of 8 yrs old...

They have electricity, water was supplied by a 'puits' but 3 weeks ago they just got linked to the network bringing water of the city. Two bedrooms, one for the grandmother, one for the parents and two kids. They also have a cat with 3 kittens, a dog and 3 babies, a pig, a duck and a few chickens.

The conversation was casual, the purpose was to talk with them, about the husband's job, the kids, but nothing like 'why is your kid not coming to school more often' or anything like that. The aim was more to get to know them, see in which conditions they were living and create a personal relationship. We took some pictures and had a bit of a laugh when I insisted Monica gives me a smile as she was being really serious on the pictures, look at the first one

another one

then the good one!

After that success we left.

One of their neighbours is Jacinta, the lady who cooks at school so we stopped by. I was really stricken by their poverty. Indeed, I guess this house is the poorest of the place, set on the ground, with no protection whatsover from the rain, so if it was to be strong, the water will surely flood the house. 7 kids to raise and feed, both parents are working and trying to set this house on a concrete struture before they get flooded. We got offered mangos... I really keep being surprised by the hospitality of these people, even having nothing, they will still share it with you. So poor hygiene conditions: rubbish everywhere, dust, heat... In addition of the 7 kids, they have 9 ducks, chickens, dogs and cats... The walls are protected by huge plastic protection to avoid the rain to get into the house...
The husband was talking of the money he needed to finish the concrete, $70 only, as he had all the necessary wood to build the floor and the bricks for the walls. I just felt like giving this money to them without further thinking but I did not have it with me and wanted to talk to Oscar first to know if could do something for them.

It's when you see such a thing that you realize how lucky you've been to be born in a rich country. These people are just surviving, trying to have enough everyday to feed themselves and their family. However, like in the DR, you will see them with mobile phones, digital cameras, things you would think shoud be optional. But it's not for me to judge, just to present the facts and express my feelings: a lot of sadness, the desire to live in a better world and to do something for them.
We complain about the crisis in Europe or Spain. Believe me, visiting places like these make you be aware, if it was not done yet, that what we face in Europe is nothing compared to the daily reality of these people here.