Children’s Centre

The children’s library began in 2004 with funds from Friends of Ix-canaan, which were used to create the ‘bare bones’ of the library building. The building was used for two years as a meeting place for women’s groups and children’s activities, until 2006 when the funds arrived to complete construction on the library building, which included windows, doors, the inner ceiling, tiled floor and paint, and the library expanded to include afterschool activities, some computers, English and French lessons and a play area.

In 2018, the project acquired a new site for the children of the village. In an incredibly short space of time, and with the help of dedicated volunteers, the library was moved within two weeks to this new nearby premises and broadened to become the Child Development Centre, with a separate classroom where English and other subjects can be taught, as well as a new reading room. It has a computer area for the kids to conduct research for school, a library room, a classroom and an office for volunteers to work (such as psychologists and speech therapists). The building now has a large play area with games and toys, a computer station and a bigger outdoor area with a climbing frame; there is a fundraising drive for money for more books in Spanish, cushions to sit on to read and a ropes course in the garden. With the aims of enabling each project to be self-sustaining, and teaching business skills to the local community, the plan is to rent out the space for children’s birthday parties. Events will be catered by the women’s group, who receive fair pay with profits being used to pay a librarian’s wage.

The children’s center is always in need of volunteers, including:

• Psychologists
• Speech therapists
• Teachers of English, French or Math
• Volunteers to work with kids (reading, playing, arts and crafts, games, fun and/or learning activites – whatever you want to do!)

If you’d like to find out more about how you, too, could help to improve the quality of life for the people of El Remate, find out more about volunteering with us, making a donation or sponsorship – or just drop us an email to say hi (we always want to hear from you!).