Los Horcones School Now Has Its Own School Library and Playground
A 2022 visit found a rural school with two classrooms, one teacher, and nowhere to play. By May 2023 it had a 400-book library, a playground, and a basketball court.
During a visit to the school in the Los Horcones settlement in 2022, we saw firsthand the hardships facing both the community and the school itself.
Like the vast majority of schools in the country's rural areas, the Los Horcones school seemed to have been left out of public education policy. The school serves students from kindergarten through sixth grade, yet lacks even a basic structure suited for learning. It has only one teacher, who single-handedly manages administration, leadership, and teaching. The facilities amount to two classrooms connected by a single door and a pit latrine, with no proper space for the kind of play that builds physical and social skills.
In response, I set out to build a school library, install playground equipment, and construct a basketball court — all projects completed by May 2023.
Building the school library
The library now holds more than 400 books. Most were purchased from book distributors, with priority given to national authors, and many more arrived as donations from generous individuals.
Installing the playground equipment
We installed a seesaw and swings. The improved play area has already become an added incentive for kids to show up to school.
Building the basketball court
Construction followed the area guidelines approved by the Ministry of Education. The court doubles as a space for soccer as well. We're deeply grateful to Mr. Moisés Mancía for his invaluable help on this project.
Nothing is more satisfying than seeing the smile on a child's face.
If you'd like to get involved in projects like these, reach out — together, we can keep making a difference for these children.
"Let's teach them to dream, and they will learn to fly." — Ana Avilés