Ranguana Caye
Project
Big Falls School is a rural community school located in southern Belize. The school serves 350 children from the ages of 3 through 14 years old. The students are predominantly of students of Mayan descent (indigenous people). Most of the students are lacking basic needs as it relates to school supplies and equipment and varied other resources that can be useful to help them to perform in school and to be successful. Parents of these students are subsistence farmers and are of very low socio-economic back ground.
It is important to note that being in a remote community with lack of job opportunities it is not always easy for parents to provide the necessary for their children. Also being in a remote community limits access to supplies and materials and equipment.
Needs
General School Supplies:
Chalk, College-Ruled Paper, Colored Construction Paper, Colored Pencils, Compasses, Crayons, Dry-Erase Markers, Glue Sticks, Markers, Pencils, Pens, Rulers, Solar Calculators, Solar Lantern Lights, and Wide-Ruled Paper
Reference Materials:
(English) Dictionaries and Age Appropriate Encyclopedias on CD
Flash Cards:
(English) *English Alphabet (Upper and Lower case), *Math, *Number Operations (Addition, Division Multiplication and Subtraction), *Homonyms, Rhyming Words, *Synonyms, and *Spanish Alphabet (Upper and Lower Case)
Laminated Wall Charts:
*Human Body, Language, Math, Science, *Human Body and Body Systems, Language (Figurative Language, Parts of Speech) Math, Science, Solar System, and World Maps
Text/Reading Books:
(English and Spanish) *Age-Appropriate Story Books, *Anthology of Poems, Plays and Short Stories, *Biology, *General Science, *Health, *Language/Grammar, Math and Anthology of Poems, Plays and Short Stories
Hesperian Health Guides:
(English) Disabled Village Children, Helping Children Who Are Blind, Helping Children Who Are Deaf, Community Guide to Environmental Health, HIV Health, and Your Community
Art Supplies:
Acrylic Paint Brushes and Paints, Beads for Bead Work, Buttons, Colored Strings, Cotton, Craft Glue, Craft Scissors, Earring Hooks, Fashion Magazines, Foam Materials Gage Wire, Glitter, Glitter Glue, Ribbons, Sewing Needles, Styrofoam Balls, Thread, Watercolor Paint Brushes and Paints, and Wire Cutters
Computer Hardware/Software:
Educational Software, Flash Drives/Memory Sticks, Mobile Phones, Printers, *Printer Cartridges (for hpdeskjet 662 XL BLACK and COLOUR – we use at least 8 of each for the school year), *Toner for Printers and Scanners (TK- 1175 Black and GPR “22 Black – we use at least 4 toners TK-1175 for each school year and about 3 GPR “22 for the school year), *Toner for Brother Printer (TN “420 or TN – 450), *Solar-Powered Working Laptops, Tablets, USB Cables, and Working Laptops
Educational Games/Toys:
Chess Sets, Connect Four, Puzzles, Scrabble, and Stuffed Animals/Soft Toys
Sports/Outdoor Activity:
Frisbees, Inflation Pumps, Jump Ropes, Soccer Balls, Team Uniforms/Kits for Soccer, Tennis Balls, and Whistles
First Aid/Health:
Antibiotic Ointment, Band-Aids, Bandages (for Sprains) First Aid Kits, First Aid Training Manual, Sanitary Napkins, and Tampons
Office Supplies:
Markers, Pencils, Pens, Printer Paper, Rulers, Scissors, Solar Calculators, and Staplers
Initiatives Supported
Listed on this page are the specific needs requested by the community project(s) so you can choose exactly what to pack for a purpose and express your gratitude to the local community with the supplies you take them. If you prefer, you may reach out directly to them to inquire about items which may be available for purchase locally. Arranging visits to community projects is beyond the scope of our mission. If you wish to visit a project, contact the participant and they can let you know what is possible.
Candy and balloons are not on the needs list as they are harmful for the children and the environment for the following reasons:
• Few of the children benefiting from these projects have access to toothpaste, toothbrushes, or a dentist. The candy promotes cavities.
• The balloons once they become deflated are a choking hazard for local wildlife.
Instead of taking candy or balloons, use that space for additional requested supplies, as they are priceless.
