Children in 1st grade class from one of the many indigenous colonias in
Ciudad Juarez Mexico prepare for fall exams.
1st Sgt. Jens Gerdes, Headquarters German Air Defense School, helps pass
out crayons to the children of Centro Santa Catalina in Ciudad Juarez,
Mexico.
This embroidered emblem was made by the Tarahumara people of Ciudad Juarez
for the German community Helping Hands organization.
Juarez
children
The German community reaches out
Story and Photos by Capt. Enrique T. Vasquez, Public Affairs Office
The brass section of the Mixtec Children’s Academy of Music from
the Colonia Ampliacion Plutarco Elias Calles located in Ciudad Juarez
Mexico perform a music demonstration. The German community Helping Hands
and Raramuri Foundation help fund music programs like this.
Aiding those in need can be a difficult task, but for the local German military and civilian community here at Fort Bliss, helping those who need it the most is second nature.
On Tuesday members of the local German community and representatives of two aid organizations went to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to coordinate ongoing aid projects, which help indigenous children attend school and receive better educational opportunities.
Helping Hands and Aid for The Needy are two organizations sponsored by the local German community to help assist needy children in the border region to attend school, receive medical aid, free school meals, and additional or supplemental educational training.
“The German community raises and helps secure monetary funds through various fund raising sources both locally and internationally to finance their local aid efforts,” said 1st Sgt. Jens Gerdes, first sergeant, Headquarters German Air Defense School. “It is estimated that the German community helps raise about $20,000 annually to support the Aid for the Needy program.”
“The German community has been aiding the needy in the community for over 20 years,” said Ursula Morawietz, Helping Hands aid coordinator. “Aid for the Needy was founded as a charity organization in 1984 and the German community has been involved with that organization ever since.”
“Leaders among the German community are the key coordinators that plan and coordinate Aid for the Needy aid efforts. We have the German military minister, instructors, chief chaplain and unit first sergeants who help conduct meetings and community coordination,” said Gerdes.
“Coordination efforts for the Helping Hands program are accomplished by German military spouses, who assist the German community with the planning and resourcing of aid programs,” added Gerdes. “Helping Hands and Aid for the Needy relies on volunteers from the local German community for support and implementation of aid efforts.”
A small Tarahumara child calmly waits for his mother at the 20th of
November School in the Tarahumara Colonia located in Ciudad Juarez,
Mexico.
“Not only do we have German community members assisting but we also have several Americans coordinating our efforts across the border,” said Morawietz.
“We have a retired United States postal worker for example who oversees and coordinates our aid efforts with one of our many projects in Ciudad Juarez,” said Gerdes.
“The German community has been providing aid to the indigenous community I work with for over 8 years,” said Father Jesus Vargas, Franciscan priest, Ciudad Juarez.
“The German community has been aiding the people with only things that are needed. Unlike other aid organizations, the German community provides the indigenous communities of Juarez with specific needs, like educational materials, medical aid and specific funding for educational programs,” said Vargas.
“The German community understands that is more important to listen before giving. By listening to the needs of the people in particular the Tarahumara people, the German Community is better able to provide only those specific needs that have been asked for,” said Vargas. “The German community is always inquiring about what aid is needed and where it is needed, and by doing so the Germans have built houses, classrooms, lunch rooms and other aid.”
“They also provide items for the schools, such as materials for the library, books, notebooks, pencils, and other school supplies. In addition, the Germans helped us build a church for the community,” said Vargas.
“Teaching music is also another program where the German community assists the indigenous children. We have a program that teaches music to the Mixtec Colonia of Ampliacion Plutarco Elias Calles,” said Morawietz.
“The Mixtec play music by ear in the streets, but we would like to develop a Mixtec Music Academy, where the children can learn music by note and hopefully this will keep them off the streets and further their studies in music,” said Vargas.
“The Germans have benefited the community because before their help came there was no school and no lunchroom program, and most of all we did not have the positive conditions we have now,” said Vargas.
“The Germans are very humble when providing aid because they don’t show off or act flamboyant, they simply prefer to act quietly behind the scenes and that is why they have earned the respect of the Tarahumara people, said Vargas.”