First Bilingual School for Migrant Children - YWC
Donation protected
WELCOME TO YES WE CAN WORLD FOUNDATION AND THE YES WE CAN MOBILE SCHOOLS !
The 1st Bilingual educational program for migrant children at the US - Mexico Border.
Here are 5 ways to get involved now.
1. Donate on this Go Fund Me campaign.
2. Donate on Venmo:
@YESWECANDONATIONS
*Make sure the there is a blue logo on the Venmo account. You can also see the public donations others have made on our profile. Venmo is a free app that works like PayPal but it's faster and easier to use.
3. Start a facebook fundraiser for Yes We Can:
- Go to the Yes We Can Facebook profile and click on start fundraiser.
4. Amazon wishlist:
http://bit.do/TIAHwishlist1
5. Mail donations:
Yes We Can World Foundation
P. O Box 4067
Burbank, CA 91503
Only accepting: new backpacks, new school supplies, bilingual work books, interactive learning toys, school related tools, kids tennis shoes boys/girls, please check amazon wishlist for samples.
*Yes We Can World Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax deductible organization. Donations over $250 are tax deductible.
Share this campaign and/or share the NowThis video :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press PLAY to watch the video coverage from NowThis:
Video coverage from the news outlet NowThis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you all for your support! We could not be doing the work we are doing without your contributions. Some of you have been here since day 1, some joined us when the bus was just a vision, and some of you are just learning about Yes We Can World Foundation and our Schools On Wheels Bus. Welcome everyone and Thank you!
Thank you so much for believing in this initiative and for being kind to migrant children at the US - Mexico Border.
Here are some pictures and videos of what we have accomplished TOGETHER.
First Day of Class July 15th 2019. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi.
Kids participate in class activities with the teachers. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi.
Children go on board the Schools On Wheels Bus. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi.
Kids receive brand new backpacks with their personal school supplies to thrive in the program. Each child also receives two uniform t-shirts. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi.
OUR FRIENDS IN THE PRESS:
NEW YORK TIMES: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/08/06/world/americas/05reuters-usa-immigration-mexico-school.html
REUTERS: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-mexico-school/at-u-s-mexico-border-a-bus-becomes-a-school-for-migrant-children-in-limbo-idUSKCN1UV25J
GLOBAL CITIZEN: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/yes-we-can-schoolbus-program-us-mexico-border/
NEW YORK POST: https://nypost.com/2019/08/06/migrant-kids-offered-chance-at-education-on-converted-bus/
STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT!
HERE IS A VIDEO OF THE WORK WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WITH YOU HELP AND KINDNESS.
PRESS PLAY:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
Most of you have already gotten a sneak peak but we are now making it Go Fund Me official and Internet official!
WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE OUR SCHOOL ON WHEELS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE MIGRANT CARAVANS!!
EVERY CHILD HAS A RIGHT TO EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF THEIR LOCATION!
We are humbled to be invited to continue our bilingual school program at the next government shelter for the upcoming migrant caravan 2019 currently traveling through Central America. With the success of the pop-up school program at the Barretal Refugee Camp we are excited to announce an organic addition to our growing educational program through our SCHOOLS ON WHEELS program.
A huge shoutout to the HCL5 LEADERS team for raising $12,000 in 24 hours!
Thank you so much for your trust and support of the SCHOOL ON WHEELS program since day 1! Thank you to all 50 of your leaders for pouring your hearts out to share this vision with more than 200 people. Since the fundraiser last week this campaign has received over 200 donations and currently has 494 shares on facebook! That's what we call a community fundraiser! Your support has turned this vision into a reality and we are so excited to provide this bilingual school program on wheels for the children of the migrant caravan.
Thank you for believing in a young girls ambitious vision to bring education to children in need regardless of their location or situation.
This is truly special! We will make you and all of our donors proud!
Estefania Rebellon
YES WE CAN
Founder &
Executive Director
To stay up to date on our program and where all the donations are going please follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YesWeCanWorld
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswecan.world
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCikdyoRcM8riUyOxWB9lYfA
Website: https://www.yeswecan.world
Founder's personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estefania.rebellon
Inspiration photos from: The "Self-Determination Project" by the organization Five Keys.
Five Keys website: https://www.fivekeyscharter.org
WHAT IS THE SCHOOLS ON WHEELS PROGRAM?
The SCHOOLS ON WHEELS program brings mobile classrooms to children in need from refugee camps to rural areas to inner cities.
At YES WE CAN we believe every child has a right to education regardless of their location or circumstances. This program allows for the classrooms to come to the students where ever they are and support a greater vision for education without borders or barriers. The SCHOOLS ON WHEELS program takes away the distance factor that prevents thousands of children from attending a school. In the case of the children of the migrant caravan we learned that without our initial pop-up school program the children would not have gotten access to a bilingual educational program. We are grateful for your support and the support of the Mexican government and can't wait to bring this program to the children of the migrant caravans.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? AND WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP:
This is a project that can only be made possible by our community members. The HCL5 LEADERS team gave us a giant push to kick off this project and with the $12,000 raised in 24 hours we will be able to buy the city bus BUT we need your help to convert the bus into a classroom with construction supplies, cover bus expenses, teachers stipends and school supplies.
1. BUY THE BUS (This includes all costs to register the bus and the insurance):
- We are currently working with experienced professionals and LA City connections to find the ideal city bus for our upcoming project. We already have a lead on a bus and will be having a mechanical inspection this week. We will also be hosting a bus party as soon as it's a done deal and we would love to invite all of our donors to come out and celebrate with us when we get the keys in the next two weeks.
- Please follow our facebook page to get the event invite. We will also send invites through Go Fund Me.
2. BUS CONVERSION:
We are excited to share that an amazing women led team will be taking on the task of converting the bus into a classroom. The team consists of experienced welders, builders, engineers, and designers all volunteering their time. We are so inspired by women taking the lead and working together to help the children of the caravan. We will be providing a list of all materials needed shortly.
- (4) Solar Panels.
- More coming soon.
- If you would like to join the bus conversion team please email us asap: [email redacted]ld
3. Furnishing the bus and school items:
- (4) Desk top fold down tables.
- (20) Chairs.
- (1) Built in library.
- (20) Laptops computers.
- (1) Built in reading couch.
- (1) Drop down white board.
4. School items:
We have many of the school items from the purchases made with the early donations. We will update you if we need more.
We have an amazing and talented team of volunteers ready to go to work on the bus conversion! If you would like to join the team please email us asap we would love to have you on board, email: [email redacted]ld
Thank you to all of our donors who helped bring the first pop up school program at the barretal camp to life! Your generous donations have helped the children of the first caravan immensely and the school supplies purchased will continue to enrich children's lives as it will be used inside the mobile classroom for the upcoming migrant caravan. Below are some pictures of the school supplies thanks to your donations!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DONATIONS!
We have been working around the clock running the school program in Tijuana from December to January and haven't had time to update this campaign page on Go Fund Me. As many of you have been following our journey and been updated on the progress and purchases through our founder's personal Facebook (link below) we will begin to share updates more often on this Go Fund Me page for all of our new donors! We are so grateful and humbled by the massive support our program has attracted and could not have started this pop-up bilingual school program without your trust, support, donations and our amazing volunteers. On behalf of the children of the caravan we THANK YOU for helping us create a safe and secure learning environment with your donations and support.
As the Mexican Government and a few selected non-profit organizations transition from the current shelter of "El Barretal Refugee Camp" both the government and selected organizations prepare for the upcoming arrival of a newly formed caravan this time with a projected count of 15,000 people. The caravan is currently at the Guatemala - Mexico Border and it's expected to arrive at the US-Mexico Border in the coming weeks.
For more information check out this article:
Link: https://www.newsweek.com/new-migrant-caravan-15000-hondurans-arrive-mexico-coming-days-1272963
We are humbled and excited to announce we have been invited to provide our bilingual school program at the next official refugee shelter opening in 2019.
Description: Our founder Estefania Rebellon welcomes an invitation to extend the school program from the Barretal Camp to the upcoming shelter in 2019.
From left to right: Mario Medina (Barretal Camp Operations Manager), Estefania Rebellon (YES WE CAN Founder), Leonardo Neri (Federal Mexican Government Camp Coordinator).
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL... STAY TUNED FOR AN EVEN BIGGER ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON!!!
To stay up to date on our program and where all the donations are going please follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YesWeCanWorld
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswecan.world
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCikdyoRcM8riUyOxWB9lYfA
Website: https://www.yeswecan.world
Founder's personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estefania.rebellon
Check out how your donations have helped and supported the children of the migrant caravan and scroll down for a fun video live from the camp as our founder walks us through the YES WE CAN Christmas Festival hosted to celebrate the holidays and school program at the camp!
CHILDREN'S CLASSES:
Large tents provide an open and light learning environment.
Description: Veronica engages interactive teaching methods to keep the children active and supportive of one another throughout classes. Subjects covered are reading, writing, spelling, math and art.
Items purchased through GoFundMe donations: Large canopy tents, white erase board with stand, comfortable teal and royal blue carpets, variety of school supplies, storage bins, among others.
- Floor tarps were kindly donated to our school program by the Mexican Government.
The Children share their names and practice spelling in English.
The class enjoys going to the Jungle. They learn about saving the planet and practice naming animals in English.
ENGLISH ADULTS CLASS:
Stefanie teaches English greetings to members of the camp during an adults class.
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL DECEMBER 2018:
This was our way to celebrate the Holidays and official opening of the school program.
We teamed up with the organization World Central Kitchen to provide a delicious holiday lunch, invited Mariachis into the camp to kick off the party and our volunteer Santa handed out presents donated to YES WE CAN for the kids, teens, and adults.
PRESS PLAY AND TURN ON YOUR SOUND:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE CHILDREN OF THE MIGRANT CARAVAN NEED YOUR HELP!
The migrant caravan has settled at the The Barretal refugee camp in Tijuana, Mexico; it currently houses approximately 2,000 people of which 300 are kids from 2 to 18 years old. Due to their refugee status parents are not able to register children in schools in Tijuana or any Mexican cities. That is why YES WE CAN is bringing a bilingual school program for the children of the camp because we believe every child has the right to education regardless of their current legal status or economic background.
YES WE CAN is a newly formed organization, fully volunteer based, and with no private funding. We were born out of the needs of the Barretal camp and so far have been able to set up the school with a little bit of our own money but we need help for the school to continue for the next few months.
Our website: www.yeswecan.world
First day of school at Barretal Refugee Camp was Friday, December 20th, 2018!
Kids and teachers celebrate the first day of school at the Barretal Refugee Camp.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP?
We can't do it alone we need your help to cover the cost for the school tents, school flooring, school supplies, kids uniforms, art supplies, school backpacks, healthy snacks, 2-4 computers, and to pay our teachers a small stipend for their work and lastly to cover lodging for teachers traveling to Tijuana to teach.
We currently only teach on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11am-2pm because of our limited funding. But our goal is to provide the school program from Monday through Friday from 10am-3pm.
We are humble and excited to announce that we have been invited to be the fifth organization to provide permanent aid at the camp and work alongside international organizations such as: UNICEF, ACHNUR, World Vision, and World Central kitchen. We are at the beginning of our journey as an organization and have taken on this ambitious project because the children of the caravan need education support.
We count with the support of the caravan leadership, camp operations management team, and the Mexican Federal Government AND NOW WE need your support and donations to bring the school program to the camp ❤️
PRESS PLAY + TURN UP YOUR SOUND:
Kids learn how to say "First Day Of School" in English for the first time in their lives.
WHY A SCHOOL IS EXTREMELY NEEDED?
- One of our students is 13 years old but stopped attending school in 3rd grade at 9 years old to work and financially help his mom.
- The kids at the camp are experiencing displacement and having to escape their homes. Through education we provide much needed relief from their stressful situation by providing them a beautiful warm place to learn, play and create.
- Our school goes beyond books. The school in a couple of days has become a safe space for kids and parents to forget about their problems and enjoy learning.
- The kids are eager to learn English! We focus on bilingual education programs to introduce the English language to the children and engage them to create a collaborative learning environment.
- Our teachers hold PHD titles and are board certified.
- All of our teacher are fully bilingual and have experience working with kids in refugee camp scenarios.
Inside of the school.
HOW WILL YOUR DONATIONS HELP THE CHILDREN?
1. LARGE CANOPY TENTS (4) - PURCHASED!
We need to buy 4 large canopy tents to function as the school facilities. The camp is currently inside an abandoned concert venue and there are no structures for the school to function in. We currently have 1 tent which was donated to us by the organization Families Belong Together but we need more to have space for more children.
2. FLOORING
- The ground at the Barretal camp is concrete and it gets wet and dirty all the time. We are currently using plastic tarp to cover the floor and carpets BUT need a layer of flooring to provide a sanitary place for the kids to sit on the floor for the activities and to prevent any diseases from happening.
*We need about 10”x30” per tent.
3. LARGE WHITE BOARDS (4)
4. SCHOOL DESKS WITH CHAIRS AND TABLES
5. FLOOR CARPETS
- Helps us provide a comfortable place for the kids to sit and work on their class work as well as sit down for reading time. We are aware and trained to work with kids in traumatic situations such as living in a refugee camp and find that comfortable and welcoming environments help the kids tremendously.
The kids enjoy activities on the comfortable carpets instead of the area with tarp.
The kids enjoy reading time with Vero our head teacher.
6. SCHOOL SUPPLIES
- Notebooks (200-400)
- Construction paper
- White paper
- Line writing paper (normal)
- Line writing paper ( wide lines for elementary kids)
- Large Poster board paper (white)
- Pens: Black and Blue
- Pencils and pencil sharpener
- Crayolas, markets, colors, etc.
- Sissors for kids
- Glue
- Paint, water color paint, glitters, playdo, etc.
- Paint brushes / Art supplies
7. SCHOOL BOOKS + DICTIONARIES
- Bilingual reading books ages 2-5, 5-12, 13-18.
- Bilingual books that teach english for kids and adults.
- Kids bilingual dictionaries.
- Adults bilingual dictionaries.
8. TEACHERS STIPEND AND LODGING
- We appreciate the work of our teachers and we are extremely grateful for all that they do. After covering the initial cost of the school we will like to use some funds to pay our teachers a small stipend for the time they have donated to our program. Based on the school schedule we hope to accomplish the teacher would be working full time at the camp. We also hope to be able to provide lodging for our teachers so they don’t have to cover lodging costs out of pocket when they volunteer at Barretal.
That is all that we need for the school program to take place at the camp for the next few months while the asylum seekers at the camp work out their asylum process.
If we surpass our goal here is our wish list and where the money would go:
WISH LIST:
- 2 to 4 desk top computers (new or lightly used)
*If we get the computers we will start a computer program to incorporate a technology learning program, coding, and more.
- Kids uniforms
- Kids backpacks
- School library bookshelves
- Bean bag chairs
On behalf of the caravan children at the Barretal camp we truly appreciate any donations you can make and even if you can’t donate please share this campaign with your friends ❤️
Estefania Rebellon (Founder) and the children of the caravan enjoying the holiday weekend.
Thank you and Happy Holidays ❤️
Sincerely,
Estefania Rebellon
YES WE CAN
Founder & Executive Director
www.yeswecan.world
The 1st Bilingual educational program for migrant children at the US - Mexico Border.
Here are 5 ways to get involved now.
1. Donate on this Go Fund Me campaign.
2. Donate on Venmo:
@YESWECANDONATIONS
*Make sure the there is a blue logo on the Venmo account. You can also see the public donations others have made on our profile. Venmo is a free app that works like PayPal but it's faster and easier to use.
3. Start a facebook fundraiser for Yes We Can:
- Go to the Yes We Can Facebook profile and click on start fundraiser.
4. Amazon wishlist:
http://bit.do/TIAHwishlist1
5. Mail donations:
Yes We Can World Foundation
P. O Box 4067
Burbank, CA 91503
Only accepting: new backpacks, new school supplies, bilingual work books, interactive learning toys, school related tools, kids tennis shoes boys/girls, please check amazon wishlist for samples.
*Yes We Can World Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax deductible organization. Donations over $250 are tax deductible.
Share this campaign and/or share the NowThis video :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press PLAY to watch the video coverage from NowThis:
Video coverage from the news outlet NowThis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you all for your support! We could not be doing the work we are doing without your contributions. Some of you have been here since day 1, some joined us when the bus was just a vision, and some of you are just learning about Yes We Can World Foundation and our Schools On Wheels Bus. Welcome everyone and Thank you!
Thank you so much for believing in this initiative and for being kind to migrant children at the US - Mexico Border.
Here are some pictures and videos of what we have accomplished TOGETHER.
First Day of Class July 15th 2019. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi. Kids participate in class activities with the teachers. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi. Children go on board the Schools On Wheels Bus. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi. Kids receive brand new backpacks with their personal school supplies to thrive in the program. Each child also receives two uniform t-shirts. Pictures by Yes We Can World Foundation photographer Norbert Tsi. OUR FRIENDS IN THE PRESS:
NEW YORK TIMES: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/08/06/world/americas/05reuters-usa-immigration-mexico-school.html
REUTERS: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-mexico-school/at-u-s-mexico-border-a-bus-becomes-a-school-for-migrant-children-in-limbo-idUSKCN1UV25J
GLOBAL CITIZEN: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/yes-we-can-schoolbus-program-us-mexico-border/
NEW YORK POST: https://nypost.com/2019/08/06/migrant-kids-offered-chance-at-education-on-converted-bus/
STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT!
HERE IS A VIDEO OF THE WORK WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WITH YOU HELP AND KINDNESS.
PRESS PLAY:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
Most of you have already gotten a sneak peak but we are now making it Go Fund Me official and Internet official!
WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE OUR SCHOOL ON WHEELS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE MIGRANT CARAVANS!!
EVERY CHILD HAS A RIGHT TO EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF THEIR LOCATION!
We are humbled to be invited to continue our bilingual school program at the next government shelter for the upcoming migrant caravan 2019 currently traveling through Central America. With the success of the pop-up school program at the Barretal Refugee Camp we are excited to announce an organic addition to our growing educational program through our SCHOOLS ON WHEELS program.
A huge shoutout to the HCL5 LEADERS team for raising $12,000 in 24 hours!
Thank you so much for your trust and support of the SCHOOL ON WHEELS program since day 1! Thank you to all 50 of your leaders for pouring your hearts out to share this vision with more than 200 people. Since the fundraiser last week this campaign has received over 200 donations and currently has 494 shares on facebook! That's what we call a community fundraiser! Your support has turned this vision into a reality and we are so excited to provide this bilingual school program on wheels for the children of the migrant caravan.
Thank you for believing in a young girls ambitious vision to bring education to children in need regardless of their location or situation.
This is truly special! We will make you and all of our donors proud!
Estefania Rebellon
YES WE CAN
Founder &
Executive Director
To stay up to date on our program and where all the donations are going please follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YesWeCanWorld
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswecan.world
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCikdyoRcM8riUyOxWB9lYfA
Website: https://www.yeswecan.world
Founder's personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estefania.rebellon
Inspiration photos from: The "Self-Determination Project" by the organization Five Keys.Five Keys website: https://www.fivekeyscharter.org
WHAT IS THE SCHOOLS ON WHEELS PROGRAM?
The SCHOOLS ON WHEELS program brings mobile classrooms to children in need from refugee camps to rural areas to inner cities.
At YES WE CAN we believe every child has a right to education regardless of their location or circumstances. This program allows for the classrooms to come to the students where ever they are and support a greater vision for education without borders or barriers. The SCHOOLS ON WHEELS program takes away the distance factor that prevents thousands of children from attending a school. In the case of the children of the migrant caravan we learned that without our initial pop-up school program the children would not have gotten access to a bilingual educational program. We are grateful for your support and the support of the Mexican government and can't wait to bring this program to the children of the migrant caravans.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? AND WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP:
This is a project that can only be made possible by our community members. The HCL5 LEADERS team gave us a giant push to kick off this project and with the $12,000 raised in 24 hours we will be able to buy the city bus BUT we need your help to convert the bus into a classroom with construction supplies, cover bus expenses, teachers stipends and school supplies.
1. BUY THE BUS (This includes all costs to register the bus and the insurance):
- We are currently working with experienced professionals and LA City connections to find the ideal city bus for our upcoming project. We already have a lead on a bus and will be having a mechanical inspection this week. We will also be hosting a bus party as soon as it's a done deal and we would love to invite all of our donors to come out and celebrate with us when we get the keys in the next two weeks.
- Please follow our facebook page to get the event invite. We will also send invites through Go Fund Me.
2. BUS CONVERSION:
We are excited to share that an amazing women led team will be taking on the task of converting the bus into a classroom. The team consists of experienced welders, builders, engineers, and designers all volunteering their time. We are so inspired by women taking the lead and working together to help the children of the caravan. We will be providing a list of all materials needed shortly.
- (4) Solar Panels.
- More coming soon.
- If you would like to join the bus conversion team please email us asap: [email redacted]ld
3. Furnishing the bus and school items:
- (4) Desk top fold down tables.
- (20) Chairs.
- (1) Built in library.
- (20) Laptops computers.
- (1) Built in reading couch.
- (1) Drop down white board.
4. School items:
We have many of the school items from the purchases made with the early donations. We will update you if we need more.
We have an amazing and talented team of volunteers ready to go to work on the bus conversion! If you would like to join the team please email us asap we would love to have you on board, email: [email redacted]ld
Thank you to all of our donors who helped bring the first pop up school program at the barretal camp to life! Your generous donations have helped the children of the first caravan immensely and the school supplies purchased will continue to enrich children's lives as it will be used inside the mobile classroom for the upcoming migrant caravan. Below are some pictures of the school supplies thanks to your donations!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DONATIONS!
We have been working around the clock running the school program in Tijuana from December to January and haven't had time to update this campaign page on Go Fund Me. As many of you have been following our journey and been updated on the progress and purchases through our founder's personal Facebook (link below) we will begin to share updates more often on this Go Fund Me page for all of our new donors! We are so grateful and humbled by the massive support our program has attracted and could not have started this pop-up bilingual school program without your trust, support, donations and our amazing volunteers. On behalf of the children of the caravan we THANK YOU for helping us create a safe and secure learning environment with your donations and support.
As the Mexican Government and a few selected non-profit organizations transition from the current shelter of "El Barretal Refugee Camp" both the government and selected organizations prepare for the upcoming arrival of a newly formed caravan this time with a projected count of 15,000 people. The caravan is currently at the Guatemala - Mexico Border and it's expected to arrive at the US-Mexico Border in the coming weeks.
For more information check out this article:
Link: https://www.newsweek.com/new-migrant-caravan-15000-hondurans-arrive-mexico-coming-days-1272963
We are humbled and excited to announce we have been invited to provide our bilingual school program at the next official refugee shelter opening in 2019.
Description: Our founder Estefania Rebellon welcomes an invitation to extend the school program from the Barretal Camp to the upcoming shelter in 2019. From left to right: Mario Medina (Barretal Camp Operations Manager), Estefania Rebellon (YES WE CAN Founder), Leonardo Neri (Federal Mexican Government Camp Coordinator).
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL... STAY TUNED FOR AN EVEN BIGGER ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON!!!
To stay up to date on our program and where all the donations are going please follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YesWeCanWorld
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswecan.world
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCikdyoRcM8riUyOxWB9lYfA
Website: https://www.yeswecan.world
Founder's personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estefania.rebellon
Check out how your donations have helped and supported the children of the migrant caravan and scroll down for a fun video live from the camp as our founder walks us through the YES WE CAN Christmas Festival hosted to celebrate the holidays and school program at the camp!
CHILDREN'S CLASSES:
Large tents provide an open and light learning environment.Description: Veronica engages interactive teaching methods to keep the children active and supportive of one another throughout classes. Subjects covered are reading, writing, spelling, math and art.Items purchased through GoFundMe donations: Large canopy tents, white erase board with stand, comfortable teal and royal blue carpets, variety of school supplies, storage bins, among others.
- Floor tarps were kindly donated to our school program by the Mexican Government.
The Children share their names and practice spelling in English.The class enjoys going to the Jungle. They learn about saving the planet and practice naming animals in English.ENGLISH ADULTS CLASS:
Stefanie teaches English greetings to members of the camp during an adults class.CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL DECEMBER 2018:
This was our way to celebrate the Holidays and official opening of the school program.
We teamed up with the organization World Central Kitchen to provide a delicious holiday lunch, invited Mariachis into the camp to kick off the party and our volunteer Santa handed out presents donated to YES WE CAN for the kids, teens, and adults.
PRESS PLAY AND TURN ON YOUR SOUND:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE CHILDREN OF THE MIGRANT CARAVAN NEED YOUR HELP!
The migrant caravan has settled at the The Barretal refugee camp in Tijuana, Mexico; it currently houses approximately 2,000 people of which 300 are kids from 2 to 18 years old. Due to their refugee status parents are not able to register children in schools in Tijuana or any Mexican cities. That is why YES WE CAN is bringing a bilingual school program for the children of the camp because we believe every child has the right to education regardless of their current legal status or economic background.
YES WE CAN is a newly formed organization, fully volunteer based, and with no private funding. We were born out of the needs of the Barretal camp and so far have been able to set up the school with a little bit of our own money but we need help for the school to continue for the next few months.
Our website: www.yeswecan.world
First day of school at Barretal Refugee Camp was Friday, December 20th, 2018!
Kids and teachers celebrate the first day of school at the Barretal Refugee Camp. WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP?
We can't do it alone we need your help to cover the cost for the school tents, school flooring, school supplies, kids uniforms, art supplies, school backpacks, healthy snacks, 2-4 computers, and to pay our teachers a small stipend for their work and lastly to cover lodging for teachers traveling to Tijuana to teach.
We currently only teach on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11am-2pm because of our limited funding. But our goal is to provide the school program from Monday through Friday from 10am-3pm.
We are humble and excited to announce that we have been invited to be the fifth organization to provide permanent aid at the camp and work alongside international organizations such as: UNICEF, ACHNUR, World Vision, and World Central kitchen. We are at the beginning of our journey as an organization and have taken on this ambitious project because the children of the caravan need education support.
We count with the support of the caravan leadership, camp operations management team, and the Mexican Federal Government AND NOW WE need your support and donations to bring the school program to the camp ❤️
PRESS PLAY + TURN UP YOUR SOUND:
Kids learn how to say "First Day Of School" in English for the first time in their lives.
WHY A SCHOOL IS EXTREMELY NEEDED?
- One of our students is 13 years old but stopped attending school in 3rd grade at 9 years old to work and financially help his mom.
- The kids at the camp are experiencing displacement and having to escape their homes. Through education we provide much needed relief from their stressful situation by providing them a beautiful warm place to learn, play and create.
- Our school goes beyond books. The school in a couple of days has become a safe space for kids and parents to forget about their problems and enjoy learning.
- The kids are eager to learn English! We focus on bilingual education programs to introduce the English language to the children and engage them to create a collaborative learning environment.
- Our teachers hold PHD titles and are board certified.
- All of our teacher are fully bilingual and have experience working with kids in refugee camp scenarios.
Inside of the school. HOW WILL YOUR DONATIONS HELP THE CHILDREN?
1. LARGE CANOPY TENTS (4) - PURCHASED!
We need to buy 4 large canopy tents to function as the school facilities. The camp is currently inside an abandoned concert venue and there are no structures for the school to function in. We currently have 1 tent which was donated to us by the organization Families Belong Together but we need more to have space for more children.
2. FLOORING
- The ground at the Barretal camp is concrete and it gets wet and dirty all the time. We are currently using plastic tarp to cover the floor and carpets BUT need a layer of flooring to provide a sanitary place for the kids to sit on the floor for the activities and to prevent any diseases from happening.
*We need about 10”x30” per tent. 3. LARGE WHITE BOARDS (4)
4. SCHOOL DESKS WITH CHAIRS AND TABLES
5. FLOOR CARPETS
- Helps us provide a comfortable place for the kids to sit and work on their class work as well as sit down for reading time. We are aware and trained to work with kids in traumatic situations such as living in a refugee camp and find that comfortable and welcoming environments help the kids tremendously.
The kids enjoy activities on the comfortable carpets instead of the area with tarp. The kids enjoy reading time with Vero our head teacher.6. SCHOOL SUPPLIES
- Notebooks (200-400)
- Construction paper
- White paper
- Line writing paper (normal)
- Line writing paper ( wide lines for elementary kids)
- Large Poster board paper (white)
- Pens: Black and Blue
- Pencils and pencil sharpener
- Crayolas, markets, colors, etc.
- Sissors for kids
- Glue
- Paint, water color paint, glitters, playdo, etc.
- Paint brushes / Art supplies
7. SCHOOL BOOKS + DICTIONARIES
- Bilingual reading books ages 2-5, 5-12, 13-18.
- Bilingual books that teach english for kids and adults.
- Kids bilingual dictionaries.
- Adults bilingual dictionaries.
8. TEACHERS STIPEND AND LODGING
- We appreciate the work of our teachers and we are extremely grateful for all that they do. After covering the initial cost of the school we will like to use some funds to pay our teachers a small stipend for the time they have donated to our program. Based on the school schedule we hope to accomplish the teacher would be working full time at the camp. We also hope to be able to provide lodging for our teachers so they don’t have to cover lodging costs out of pocket when they volunteer at Barretal.
That is all that we need for the school program to take place at the camp for the next few months while the asylum seekers at the camp work out their asylum process.
If we surpass our goal here is our wish list and where the money would go:
WISH LIST:
- 2 to 4 desk top computers (new or lightly used)
*If we get the computers we will start a computer program to incorporate a technology learning program, coding, and more.
- Kids uniforms
- Kids backpacks
- School library bookshelves
- Bean bag chairs
On behalf of the caravan children at the Barretal camp we truly appreciate any donations you can make and even if you can’t donate please share this campaign with your friends ❤️
Estefania Rebellon (Founder) and the children of the caravan enjoying the holiday weekend. Thank you and Happy Holidays ❤️
Sincerely,
Estefania Rebellon
YES WE CAN
Founder & Executive Director
www.yeswecan.world
Fundraising team: YES WE CAN WORLD FOUNDATION (2)
Estefania Rebellon
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Jay Ponti
Team member