Annual Report 2014

Photography exhibition

EDUCATION OUTSIDE OF THE BOX The pupils at School No. 29 in Portones de Haedo in Río Negro carried out an experiment to understand the process of osmosis that they learned about during the Exploration Zone programme. This is part of the Integrated Programme for Strengthening Rural Schools implemented by the organisation E.dúcate in 40 rural schools in Río Negro. It is backed by the Río Negro Administration Office, the Río Negro Pre-School and Primary Education Inspection Office and the UPM Foundation. The initiative seeks to motivate the 800 children and 76 rural teachers involved to continue learning and to aspire towards more creativity in teaching. “A change has been made in me. I have been working for 35 years and I realised that I had got stuck in a rut. E.dúcate gave me the opportunity to

come out of my shell and routine and to be more creative”. Susana Pereira, head of School No. 29 in Portones de Haedo.

SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT Susana Techera is a health pioneer and an inhabitant of Cerro del Arbolito, a very small community 60 kilometres from Tacuarembó. Its remoteness, the shortages in supply and high prices have led to eating habits based on meat and fried food in both adults and children. Today, Susana proudly shows off the vegetable produce on the school orchard. BIO Uruguay International, together with the UPM Foundation, implemented a project to promote a better quality of life for these families. As a result, 15 families set up the production of fruits and vegetables for home consumption as well as for a venture that already provides new hope for the future of its people. “The idea was to rescue farm crops for home consumption and for sale. We set out trying to work to promote the social organisation of the community because the community ties had been lost”. Alda Rodríguez, founder of BIO Uruguay International.

82 2014 ANNUAL REPORT