A new deal I, a barrio in Ecuador working for prosperity (Un nuevo trato I)
Community work headed by Mercedes Cachago Lokrheim and Tor Lokrheim to improve facilities and create possibilities for children, young people and people in general. Include education, sports, and recreation. Beautifying the neigborhood. Creating equal opportunities for struggling families and disadvantaged children.
A subgoal is enabling teams from the neigborhood to participate in the football (soccer) tournament NORWAY CUP in the near future.
Donations accepted:
In Ecuador:
Banco Pichincha (cuenta Mercedes Cachago): 5636225700
In Norway:
Vipps: +47 41454222 (Lokrheim)
Internationally Paypal:
Please look at the comment section for information about how to give a contribution
My ZAN JALOMA
I am Mercedes Cachago, Visual artist (painter), Norwegian and Ecuadorian. I was born in Barrio San Francisco (Zanjaloma), Parroquia La Merced, Quito. I have been living in Norway for 19 years, and every year that I have returned to my neighborhood, I have been sad to see that this great and beautiful place has lost all the spaces that children and adults had for recreation.
When I as a girl played in this lot, the place available to us was huge. I remember vividly the families that lived in this sector that surrounded the Church of Zanjaloma. They were the families Andrango, Morochos, Morales, Angos, Quinchiguango, Chungandros, Vega y Yanchapaxi y Cachago. And maybe some more that I have forgotten about at this moment.
Zanjaloma, we all called our neighborhood back then. How could I forget this place? I cannot, not only because I was born here! My father even died at the door of the Church (Zanjaloma), died, struck by lightning during a thunderstorm, unbelievable, but nevertheless true. When I was a young child and a teen, I often had problems, and I would come to the church door to cry my protests because my father could not be there for me. I never received an answer, but I felt some relief. Then I would seek refuge in the deep river ditches with a lot of space to shout without being heard, and I would calm down while admiring the penco flowers (chaguarqueros), the pencos having very large leaves and long spines. Those pencos marked the boundaries of the communal lands with the property of Mrs. Mariana Morocho de Morales.
Today I am the elected President of this neighborhood, with mandate to make improvements for the benefit of neighborhood. We are a directive of 7 chosen to represent this community of more than 2000 inhabitants. This is a non-paying job that only can function if we feel love of the neighborhood, and we do. We are indeed elected, but a better word would be volunteers.
Living in Norway, my husband I have visited this neighborhood, often, almost every year. Every time we have visited this place, we have been sad to see that the communal land has shrunk to almost nothing and that it has become increasingly more neglected. However, now that I am the president, I want to do something good for this neighborhood, and my husband is with me helping me with ideas. My directive of 7 are also with me, and together we want to move this neighborhood forward, in spite of the economical challenges we will met, because acquiring funds from the state or local government is a slow and difficult process, perhaps that never will result in money at our level.
The situation explained above is why I dare to ask for help from friends and other people who might watch our YouTube videos and decide that our cause is worthy a donation, however small. We seek to recover these communal spaces that as of now have been largely invaded by people who only seek their own personal gain.
The fight will be challenging and is also judicial, and we must have the assistance of a good lawyer. This fight is in process. We are in the right, and we will win this battle, as the Courts do recognize that the borders of the communal property are quite clear in the original deed. I have dreams, even though I have reached 59 years of age. I want to see children, young people, and adults have a decent place to play, laugh, and even cry, and yes, to learn, as well.
At this time, we have almost finished restoring the two communal buildings on the communal property, thanks to the collaboration of friends and family. My husband, who observes the difference in culture and respect for others property between Norway and Ecuador, cannot imagine that in such a beautiful country, there may be neglected and forgotten places like this neighborhood.
Soon I plan to make a YouTube video documenting my whole work plan, and drawings of the planned improvements in the area made by an architect. This includes bathrooms, an indoor soccer field, a retaining wall, safe play areas for small children, perhaps park benches, a grilling area, and of course planting of trees and shrubbery, and a good selection of trash bins for recycling.