Volunteer work at Ludoteca Minga Valpo
Last Friday we headed to Cerro Merced, a zone of Valparaíso that was effected by a major fire in 2010. The area is still in the process of re-building. Our destination was Ludoteca Minga Valpo, a non-profit after-school center for the neighborhood children. The ludoteca is constructed of natural, sustainable materials (soil, hay, repurposed glass) and utilizes eco-friendly architecture practices.
In order to help advance the project, we divided into groups to work in the garden--weeding, cleaning, building flower boxes, etc. Other groups also worked with the children to learn a song in Spanish/English and to prepare the afternoon snack. We worked side-by-side with Valparaíso natives as well as a group of international volunteers.
The kids were very dedicated to making a difference in the community. We were impressed with how much was accomplished in only a few hours!
We also learned that in Chile a "Minga" is an event in which the community comes together to complete a project. Per tradition, we finished the afternoon with good food and song.
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