Kinda Proud

I ‘m kinda proud of myself.

About a week ago Yolanda phoned and asked if I would do the voiceover for a video.

I didn’t think much of it.  I know that I am a bad voice talent, but I thought I should be able to muddle through.

Friday came.  It was the day the foundation was going to hand over Keyner’s House.

After spending an hour at the house, we went to the Foundation to do the recording. At this point it dawned on me that I wasn’t just the voice talent, but the technical director/ recording engineer for this project.  We tried for a couple of minutes to get a decent sound into the Foundations laptop.

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Casa Rebuild Progress

Monday June 6th 2016

There was a meeting at Keyner’s house. This meeting involved Lawyers, Engineers, Suppliers, Builders members of FOLM and the family of Keyner. This was, I believe, the first time all of these people had been together in one place.

There were still some documents that had to be signed, some contracts to be approved, but it is moving forward.

The people involved in Keyner's new house, Suppliers, builders, family, and FOLM.

The people involved in Keyner’s new house, Suppliers, builders, family, and FOLM.

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Keyner is getting a NEW house!!!!

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision and lives with his mother and grandmother at El Pueblito, Canton Rocafuerte. The structure, walls and floor of his house were affected by the earthquake, leaving it uninhabitable. Keyner needs a new house because he and his aunt are still living there in spite of the danger posed to them.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision and lives with his mother and grandmother at El Pueblito, Canton Rocafuerte. The structure, walls and floor of his house were affected by the earthquake, leaving it uninhabitable. Keyner needs a new house because he and his aunt are still living there in spite of the danger posed to them.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision.

I first met Keyner at a park in Portoviejo. He was laughing  on the teeter totters and enjoying himself as 7 year old boy do. He has low vision capabilities, so he wasn’t running around much.

The day in the park playing with other Children ( part of the work the Fundation Oswald Loor does ) was a great respite for him and his family. This is one of the goals of the FOLM luz program, to allow visually impaired people to meet with others who are like them.

Vision impaired children interacting at a FOLM event.

Vision impaired children interacting at a FOLM event.

The next time I met him was when we visited his house. His family lives in the delta of the Portoviejo river ( Rio Portoviejo). This area is full of small rice fields, and other small farms. Most of the people who live in the delta do not have a lot of money. This is evident in the houses. Keyner’s house showed this… it was a small 2 room bamboo structure.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision

Then the earthquake.

I next visited him to help document the damage created by the quake. The small house was still standing but had visible shifted. He and his aunt are still living in the house.051116-072

Yesterday I learned that his family had been chosen to receive the first house in the proyecto resurgir/resurgence project. I will be documenting the building of his house so people can see where the funds are going….Now FOLM is going to build him a new house, a place he can feel safe.

I feel happy for him, but I also feel sad for the others that we can’t help rebuild their lives…

If you can help please donate.

Donate  Outside of Ecuador you can send me funds through my paypal ( I will post an update accounting for these funds), inside Ecuador you can deposit directly in the bank account of FDOL.  You can also send the funds directly to this account from outside Ecuador!   We are setting up a gofundme, but the 8% in fees that are charged could be better spent on houses.




Link to Paypal donation record page

Thank you for reading and any help would be appreciated.

Power of black and white

Since the Earthquake I have pressed the shutter button on my camera more than 3590 times.  I am not sure of my actual shot count because there are some where  the exposure was off or the focus didn’t catch and those I tossed.  Most of these images are just record shots, documenting conditions for the Resurgence Project.

Included in these images are a few that are interesting, from a photographic perspective.

Some of them work in colour… in this case the colour is one of the things that makes it interesting.050516-c280

Some of them could go either way. This one, for example, has only one hue. I think it looks equally as dramatic in black and white as it does in colour. What do you think?
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But other images get their power by processing them just into black and white images.

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I have put together a gallery on my   grs photography portfolio site B&W Faces of some of the faces that I captured. If you like black and white images please have a look.

We are still working hard to build some of these people new homes.

Donate  Outside of Ecuador you can send me funds through my paypal ( I will post an update accounting for these funds), inside Ecuador you can deposit directly in the bank account of FDOL.  You can also send the funds directly to this account from outside Ecuador!   We are setting up a gofundme, but the 8% in fees that are charged could be better spent on houses.




Link to Paypal donation record page

Thank you for reading and any help would be appreciated.

PROYECTO RESURGIR / RESURGENCE PROJECT May 25, 2016

PROYECTO RESURGIR / RESURGENCE PROJECT

Link to project details

When I walked into the Fundacion Today, Yolanda was extremely excited.

We have enough money for, at least, one house ( there are deposits that are not reflected in the bank statement yet).  People have promised enough for at least one more!

This is actually happening!!!!

Donate  Outside of Ecuador you can send me funds through my paypal ( I will post an update accounting for these funds), inside Ecuador you can deposit directly in the bank account of FDOL.  You can also send the funds directly to this account from outside Ecuador!   We are setting up a gofundme, but the 8% in fees that are charged could be better spent on houses.




Link to Paypal donation record page

Thank you for reading and any help would be appreciated.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision and lives with his mother and grandmother at El Pueblito, Canton Rocafuerte. The structure, walls and floor of his house were affected by the earthquake, leaving it uninhabitable. Keyner needs a new house because he and his aunt are still living there in spite of the danger posed to them.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision and lives with his mother and grandmother at El Pueblito, Canton Rocafuerte. The structure, walls and floor of his house were affected by the earthquake, leaving it uninhabitable. Keyner needs a new house because he and his aunt are still living there in spite of the danger posed to them.

bank statement May 23/ 24

bank statement May 23/ 24

Resourceful

Rebuilt wheelchair shows the resourcefulness of Ecuadorians

Rebuilt wheelchair shows the resourcefulness of Ecuadorians

One of the things I like about Ecuador is the resourcefulness, of the people.  This may come from having so little, so everything is reused when it can be.

A kitchen in the house of a visually impaired women. Her house was relatively undamaged in the Earthquake.

A kitchen in the house of a visually impaired women. Her house was relatively undamaged in the Earthquake.

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A kitchen in the house of a visually impaired women. Her house was relatively undamaged in the Earthquake

Food storage in a house in Ecuador

Food storage in a house in Ecuador

When you don’t have much, you use what you have.

A doll on a bed in a house in Ecuador.

A doll on a bed in a house in Ecuador.

I think is one of the things that makes me so sad when I see the houses of some of the visually impaired that the Fundation is trying to help. They had so little to begin with, and then to lose that to the earthquake.

A bed and other debris on the side of the road after the april 16 earthquake in Ecuador

A bed and other debris on the side of the road after the april 16 earthquake in Ecuador

In my photographing for the PROYECTO RESURGIR / RESURGENCE PROJECT( a project to help rebuild the houses, the lives, of some visually impaired people ( and their families)). I notice a lot of broken Induction cooktops. These were sold with subsidies from the government, to cut down on the use of gas. I don’t know how easy it will be to fix these.

A new Induction cooker damaged by the earthquake. The government had a program to help people to buy these to save gas, but many of them are now broken.

A new Induction cooker damaged by the earthquake. The government had a program to help people to buy these to save gas, but many of them are now broken.

I am still looking for help for these people, please like and share so I can get the attention of the people who can help.



PROYECTO RESURGIR / RESURGENCE PROJECT

Modelo

I need you to help to build some houses




On April 16th Ecuador had a devastating Earthquake.  There are many stories of selfless and heroic acts, but  Over 650 people died from this event.

Since then there have been several major aftershocks.

Thousands are homeless because they are afraid to stay in their homes, or their homes do not exist any longer.

Fundacion Doctor Oswaldo Loor wants to help some of these people

One of the reasons I am in Ecuador is the work of an amazing lady ( Yolanda) and the foundation she has built and runs. The foundation deals with several aspects of visual health but the part I have been doing photographic work for is the LUZ program…. helping people with severe Visual impairment.

In a developing country, blind people are at a major disadvantage, more so in the time of crisis. Blog post with images

In situations like we are in now, the disadvantaged will just rebuild with what they have, ready to be knocked down, by the next crisis.  FDOLM wants to change this, at least for a small group of people.  We want to build houses that won’t fall down, where the people can feel safe and secure.

The People we want to help

Aleska Cevallos Macías , 7 years old, suffering from cancer as well as a profound visual disability and lives with her maternal grandparents in Las Cumbres, a neighborhood in Manta. The structure, walls and slab of the house of his grandparents were very affected by the earthquake. The house rented by their parents was also greatly affected. We need to build a house for Aleska urgently because they are currently living in temporary plastic conditions at outside the home of relatives that was also destroyed.

Aleska Cevallos Macías , 7 years old, suffering from cancer as well as a profound visual disability and lives with her maternal grandparents in Las Cumbres, a neighborhood in Manta. The structure, walls and slab of the house of his grandparents were very affected by the earthquake. The house rented by their parents was also greatly affected. We need to build a house for Aleska urgently because they are currently living in temporary plastic conditions at outside the home of relatives that was also destroyed.

Carlos Pihuave Reyes, 20 years old, has profound visual disability and lives with his parents and younger sister in the neighborhood Las Cumbres,Canton Jipijapa. The structure and walls of their house were affected by the earthquake, and the situation is made worse by the fact the house is located on a slope. We urgently need to build him a new home elsewhere because they continue to live there in spite of the risk to do so.

Carlos Pihuave Reyes, 20 years old, has profound visual disability and lives with his parents and younger sister in the neighborhood Las Cumbres,Canton Jipijapa. The structure and walls of their house were affected by the earthquake, and the situation is made worse by the fact the house is located on a slope. We urgently need to build him a new home elsewhere because they continue to live there in spite of the risk to do so.

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José Loor Bermello, 20 years old, has severe low vision and lives with his father, who has diabetes and a bowel disease, his mother, two brothers and a nephew in the Maria Auxiliadora neighborhood of the city of Manta. The walls of his house were seriously affected by the earthquake. We need to urgently build a house because in spite of the risk, they continue to live in their home.

Evelyn Buste Cedeño, 7 years old, has moderate low vision and lives with her parents and sister in the Miraflores neighborhood of Canton Bolivar. The earthquake affected the structure of their house leaving it uninhabitable.

Evelyn Buste Cedeño, 7 years old, has moderate low vision and lives with her parents and sister in the Miraflores neighborhood of Canton Bolivar. The earthquake affected the structure of their house leaving it uninhabitable.

Kléver Mantuano Mendoza , 38 years old, has profound visual disability and lives with his parents in the parish of Bachillero, canton Tosagua. The structure and walls of his house were affected by the earthquake. We need to build him a new home urgently because, even despite the risk, they continue to live at home.

Kléver Mantuano Mendoza , 38 years old, has profound visual disability and lives with his parents in the parish of Bachillero, canton Tosagua. The structure and walls of his house were affected by the earthquake. We need to build him a new home urgently because, even despite the risk, they continue to live at home.

Jose Mendoza Mantovano, 69 years old, has low vision and lives with his wife and son in La Elvira a Crucita parish of the canton Portoviejo. The structure and walls of his house were destroyed in the earthquake. We need to build him a new home urgently because they are living in an improvised shelter built with wood scraps left over from his house.

Jose Mendoza Mantovano, 69 years old, has low vision and lives with his wife and son in La Elvira a Crucita parish of the canton Portoviejo. The structure and walls of his house were destroyed in the earthquake. We need to build him a new home urgently because they are living in an improvised shelter built with wood scraps left over from his house.

Milagros Cruz Zambrano, 9 years old, has profoundly low vision and lives with her parents and seven siblings in the neighborhood of El Astillero, Leonidas Plaza, Cantón Sucre. The structure and walls of her house were affected by the earthquake, so Milagros and her family can no longer live there. We need to build her a new house. At the moment, she and her large family are living in a tent located in the neighborhood park.

Milagros Cruz Zambrano, 9 years old, has profoundly low vision and lives with her parents and seven siblings in the neighborhood of El Astillero, Leonidas Plaza, Cantón Sucre. The structure and walls of her house were affected by the earthquake, so Milagros and her family can no longer live there. We need to build her a new house. At the moment, she and her large family are living in a tent located in the neighborhood park.

Loyda Mejía Zambrano, 8 years old, has profound visual disability and lives with her grandparents in Canton Flavio Alfaro. The structure and walls of the dwelling house were affected by the earthquake. The family is currently living in Casa Campesina in Canton Flavio Alfaro. We need to build her a new home urgently.

Loyda Mejía Zambrano, 8 years old, has profound visual disability and lives with her grandparents in Canton Flavio Alfaro. The structure and walls of the dwelling house were affected by the earthquake. The family is currently living in Casa Campesina in Canton Flavio Alfaro. We need to build her a new home urgently.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision and lives with his mother and grandmother at El Pueblito, Canton Rocafuerte. The structure, walls and floor of his house were affected by the earthquake, leaving it uninhabitable. Keyner needs a new house because he and his aunt are still living there in spite of the danger posed to them.

Keyner Celorio Vera, 7 years old, has low moderate vision and lives with his mother and grandmother at El Pueblito, Canton Rocafuerte. The structure, walls and floor of his house were affected by the earthquake, leaving it uninhabitable. Keyner needs a new house because he and his aunt are still living there in spite of the danger posed to them.

 

The houses

The houses are small and  sturdy.  They are designed for the climate and landscape, for ease of building and ease of care.

The foundation will be a floating concrete slab with a wire mesh.  The supporting framing structure will be metal instead of the standard poured concrete.

Planos inglés (1)

Another failure point in Ecuadorian houses is the use of brick walls.  In order to cut on cost the bricks are placed on their narrow side and they don’t have  many  or any connections to the concrete supports.  The Resurgent houses are designed with metal connections every 4 rows and the construction is concrete block

The roofs are metal on metal frames.  The roof line is constructed in such a way that airflow is enhanced.

 

Price of house costed out, complete ( electrical, sanitation etc ) $9,811.53

 

One of the problems with donating to causes is you are never sure if the funds will get to where they are supposed to go.  With Yolanda and her group of people I have no doubt the money will be spent helping the people that need it.  ( Full accounting records of this project will also be posted online.)

What can you do to help?

Like and share!  The more people who hear about this the better chance we have of achieving our goal.

Spread the word I am not a good communicator so anything you can do to help spread the word through blogs, word of mouth whatever.  We need to connect with people who have the resources to make this happen

Donate  Outside of Ecuador you can send me funds through my paypal ( I will post an update accounting for these funds), inside Ecuador you can deposit directly in the bank account of FDOL.  You can also send the funds directly to this account from outside Ecuador!   We are setting up a gofundme, but the 8% in fees that are charged could be better spent on houses.




Link to Paypal donation record page

Thank you for reading and any help would be appreciated.