A School with a Difference

We recently had the pleasure of staying at Hacienda Merida on Ometepe Island, as enjoyable as the Hacienda was the school that is a bi product of it was an very pleasant eye opener.

So often travellers are  shocked and offended by the amount of plastic that litters this and so many other developing countries “somebody should do something”!

Alvaro Molina the founder of this school has come up with a very creative way to deal with so much plastic which other wise would end up being burnt in the landfill.

 

WIN,WIN,WIN:

WIN The school is being built with  ecobricks which are  recycled plastic water bottles stuffed with dry plastic litter. The construction uses 50% less concrete and so far Alvaro has 2 classrooms and a third is near completion.The area around Merida is much cleaner than most and you have to look hard to find plastic garbage.

The school pays local people 60 cents for one eco brick ready to go, and the final  constructional costs are still lower that traditional materials.

WIN The community is coming together around the school and they see a opportunity for their children to have a brighter future.

WIN Volunteer groups from the US are able to offer their service to the school in the construction of the walls and the teaching of the children.  It is a very enlightening experience for everyone.

 

Somebody IS doing something!