We love to host students for educational experiences. The widened perspectives, the new study or career directions, self discoveries, and the impact students continue to make in the world inspires us every day. Yet another reason we do this work is for the local community impact. That’s why during every program we make sure to build a meaningful bamboo project for a community. In May, we were able to complete a project very dear to our hearts.
UC Berkeley students stand with members of the San Vicente Senior Citizen Community group next to the newly constructed bamboo sitting area built in May 2023 by the students and RFI staff.
The San Vicente Senior Citizen Center, called the Golden Years, is a place where 50-80 community members meet daily. There are organized games, educational programs, healthcare provisions and delicious daily lunch. Due to the nature of Ecuador weather (sunny or rainy) having a comfortable place for benches outside was a desire of the center members. In addition to completing this bamboo shade structure, students worked on constructing benches for sitting, an additional shaded area in the grass, working in the center’s nursery where they house seedlings and saplings to be planted around the community, and repainting the center’s gateway. It was a lot of work and took us 3 full days with the 20+ students and staff, yet the hard work felt worth it when we were handed “thank you” bracelets and cards from each member of the club.
Students from the UC Berkeley program sit with Architect Jorge Loor on their constructed wood bench for putting under the shade structure.
Program Director, Beth Huggins, stands with a member from the elderly center with the gifted “thank you” bracelets.
Working in the center’s nursery to repot tree saplings which were distributed to various community reforestation projects in San Vicente.
The completed site after bamboo project installation. What a beautiful sitting space!
Golden Years Center’s newly painted sign at the road entrance of their property.
The timeline of this project also made it special. RFI founder and director, Lucas Oshun, lost his mother late last year in November 2022. Lucas’s mom, Nancy Unger, was a big believer and supporter for our work in Ecuador. She also spent much of her life dedicated to the care of elderly citizens. She felt it was an important duty to spend time with the older generations and to understand their lives. We dedicated this project to her and her care for the elders of our world. We know her legacy continues through Lucas’s life and work. Thank you to Nancy and Lucas for teaching us all important lessons and ultimately to the San Vicente Golden Years Community group for inspiring us with their gusto for life and endless smiles.
We are grateful to the amazing group of University of California Berkeley students for making this project possible. Without their enrollment in the program, we would not have the funding to pursue these projects, but also their passion for the project and honoring the community of San Vicente made it even more meaningful.