Thanks to the kind invitation of Jarris Margalli (ex Jaguares) and his band, two of your Directors, Alan Downie and Dave Jones can now be heard on a contemporary Mexican rock album. If you’d like to hear the small contribution that the pair made you can pick up a copy of the album at either of the School ‘cajas’ for the price of $130 with all profits from the sale of these discs going directly to the School’s adopted community project - The Children’s University. Rock on Lancaster!
Thanks to the initiative of Katherine and John Evans in sending a financial donation present/gift on behalf of their friends Amanda and Vladimir Ramirez, The Children’s University - Mexico have been able to buy 3 beginners violins to support our developing music programme. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts in helping us to offer musical opportunities to children who would not normally be given such a chance.
The photos below are of the violin teacher, Ms. Norma, working with a couple of her CU Mexico students using our new violins.
On the 19th of July 2008 Oliver Westgarth and I, Christoph Courth, handed in our notices at work, buttoned down the rusting hatches of our 1971 Renault 4 and left Hyde Park in London to head, somewhat optimistically, in the direction of Mongolia. The reason not just to satiate the travelers itch beneath our feet but to raise as much cash as possible for three, charities specifically the Children’s University of Mexico.Our ‘sat nav’ was a compass, our itinerary up for discussion and our Ipod a 1954 gramophone, we succeeded in making it through France and Italy towards the primeval forests of Slovenia, the rocky Adriatic coastline of Croatia, one of the worlds newest countries Montenegro, the mountains of Albania, the rugged valleys of Macedonia, into Greece to dip our toes off the beaches of Thessalonica before heading to the wonders of Turkey, war torn Georgia, the vodka breakfasts of Azerbaijan, the deserts of Kazakhstan, into the friendly world of eastern Russia before descending into the road less steppes of Mongolia before finally throwing in the towel after two days stranded with little water and food in the Gobi desert.
We are proud to have supported the Children’s University where we know 100% of the funds raised will go towards those that really need the assistance.
The full articles of our adventure from the road can be found on the following link:
After a highly successful first year operating the Children’s University model in Mexico, we are now in our first month of activities for this academic year.
Last year we gradually increased the number of students to over 200 from various local schools. We have been running the programme on a shoe string budget, but we are having a noticeable impact on the lives of many of the disadvantaged local community children. In our small way we are contributing towards narrowing the opportunities divide for Mexican children.
As last year, we are offering around 30 different modules. Some of the innovative additions this year have included Touch American Football, guitar classes and cookery. One important new development is the introduction of cricket module sponsored by the Mexican Cricket Association. This has enabled the Children’s University Mexico to form the first truely Mexican youth side in the sport.
In only 3 days of inscriptions at the start of term we have enrolled 170 children from the surrounding area. All of them are looking forward to taking advantage of the unique opportunities on offer.
Some friends of the project have come up with a very unique way to raise funds for The Children’s University. Chris and Ollie will be driving a car from London UK all the way to Mongolia in a race called the Mongol rally. They will be covering the 10,000 mile journey in a car that was built in 1965!
This amazing adventure race is completed by people like Chris and Ollie each year in order to raise money for charity. We at The Children’s University Mexico are lucky enough to have chosen by Chris and Ollie as one of the charities they are riding for. Please check out their reports and websites and, if you can, give generously towards helping them complete this remarkable journey.
The links to their website and a travel blog they use to keep people updated on how preparations are going are listed here.
