Apr
News from Communities, Scholarships
Letters from scholarship recipients studying amid the pandemic (PROGRESO)
Today we want to share letters from Celina and Ercilia. Celina, from the Agua Caliente community, is in her fifth year of Modern Languages at the National University. Ercilia, from Marianella, is in her fourth year of English at the Universidad Tecnológica.
We think it is important to showcase the realities people face in the communities we work at. Modern solutions are not always the best alternative for inclusion.
CELINA
Suchitoto, April 20th, 2020
Dear Sister Cities friend,
Greetings from María Celina Montalvo Funes, a fellow of the scholarship program that PROGRESO and CRIPDES administers thanks to your help, I am from the Agua Caliente community, I study at the University of El Salvador. I hope that you are in good health and that the situation the world is experiencing is not affecting you too much.
I am writing you to share how I am living these quarantine days as a student. Since the quarantine began on March 11th, I have been home, and as of Monday the 16th, the teachers told us to continue the school year. I do not receive online classes, which is a relief because otherwise, I could not take them since there is no internet signal in my community and I do not have a computer, also for economic reasons I cannot purchase a data plan. What our professors do -since many students are on the same situation as me- is that through WhatsApp they send us documents to read, and work guides for us to develop, in addition, we work with the Google classroom and Quizziz apps. When there are doubts about any topic, professors answer to us clearly. It is difficult to work like this, since I have to do all the work from the phone and, to send them, I have to look for signal in particular places, for example, in the branches of a tree. The good thing about all this is that our studies continue despite the difficulty and that our school year is not lost.
I say goodbye amicably, with the hope that this will soon end and that we will come out of this pandemic well. I thank you for your help and God for all the blessings we have.
With love, Celina Montalvo.
ERCILIA
April 22nd, 2020
Sister Cities
It is a pleasure to be able to address you, trusting that you are in good health surrounded of your loved ones.
Given the situation that is being experienced worldwide, such as the Covid-19 Pandemic, most companies, offices, shopping centers, even schools, colleges and universities have closed, and that is not the exception in our country.
Universities suspended classes on Wednesday, March 11th. Since then, classes are provided online at the same time, so I have to try to connect to the Internet every day. I already had virtual support classrooms for some subjects so that made it easier for me as it is a resource some professors already used. However, professors use other resources such as teaching class through video conferences which makes it very difficult for me. I work from my phone and here the signal is not that good. I have to go out and look for it at the yard. Sometimes I can connect to Microsoft team but the voice is distorted and I have not yet been able to connect at Zoom.
So far, I have completed all my assignments which have been participation in online forums, guides and projects. All digital. When I do not understand, I try to find information on my own. I take exams every month. I already took those from second period. All online. This week I am taking the ones from third period.
I don’t know how long we will continue like this. I honestly do not like classes like this because it is super difficult for me since I do not have a computer to carry out the activities. I do them on my phone but there are activities that require one. I have to lend one to the Youth Committee in my community, but the signal is another problem that I face. I feel it is not the same as having face-to-face classes, but health is important, so we have no other option.
This semester I needed to do teaching practice for a subject. Unfortunately, this is no longer be possible. I was practicing in a school in my Canton with three classes and they will not be taken into account.
A few weeks ago, a group of students and I made a letter to the university requesting a reduction to the monthly fee since the institution had not informed anything. Knowing that the facilities would be closed, there would be no use of electricity, Internet, parking lot, among other things, however we were not heard. Tuition is the same and the only thing that will not be charged are additional fees. They have given a three months moratorium to pay everything in the end.
I cordially say goodbye to you wishing you the best. Many blessings and health, thank you for your interest in us and for your unconditional support on behalf of the community. I send you a big hug in the distance and encouragement in the situation we are going through. I also want to take advantage of this to express that our community misses you very much and we wait for you with open arms.
Sincerely, with much affection
Ercilia Del Carmen Alas Alas
Marianella Community
Scholarship recipient.
The Sister Cities staff appreciates the committees support to the different scholarship programmes. You can also help through PayPal and state that you want to contribute to the scholarship fund. You can also contribute to our covid19 fundraising.
