Organization: FidoNet node 1:3820/2 - The Lyceum, Brownsville TX
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Hello everyone,
My class is participating in the PLANET project dircected by David Nafissian and Pat Cooke via the Texas Education NETwork (TENET). The PLANET project is composed of three humanitarian-based projects, each focusing on a country in need of help.
Group 1 - Aid to Somalia
This group has conducted research on the plight of people living in Somalia and is currently going from class to class, teaching other students what they have learned. They have produced an "Aid to Somalia Coloring Book" on recycled ditto paper that they will sell to raise money to send to Somalia via the Red Cross.
Group 2 - Yugoslavian Petition to the United Nations
This group has conducted research on the civil war in the fomer Yugoslavia and is also teaching other students what they have learned. They have composed a petition and are collecting signatures to send to Cold Spring Harbor High School in New York. It will then be hand-delivered to the United Nations. The petition asks the United Nations to step in and stop the bloodshed.
Group 3 - Water Pumps to Nicaraguans
This group has conducted research on remote villages in Nicaragua that do not have access to a municipal water supply. These people rely on water wells for their water. Most do not have water pumps and must therefore use buckets to gather the needed water. The buckets are not always clean; therefore, the water becomes contaminated. Anyone who drinks from these contaminated wells will most assuredly get sick. The horrible part is that these people KNOW they will get sick if they use the water, but
they have to use it anyway because it is the only water they have.
For $100.00, these villagers can purchase the materials necessary to build their own "bomba de mecate," or rope water pump. This will prevent direct contact with the water and thus prevent it from becoming contaminated. This group is going to sell a school newspaper to raise money to send to certain specific villages in Nicaragua.
We're doing all we can to get our school involved. We have been working on these projects for several weeks and need all the encouragement we can get!
