Amos Trust older Visit

Please find below an article about a past visit to the school.

Amos Trust

A few years ago three people from Shoreham Methodist Church used their holidays to travel 6,000 miles to visit a school in Nicaragua, which is supported by the Church. Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the World. A million children in Nicaragua do not attend school, but in the rural hill town of La Concepcion, the independently run Avocado Tree School provides an education for some 415 students.

The school, which employs 15 teachers, has a total annual budget of around £22,000. They receive no money from the state and survive mainly on donations from supporters in the UK. Since January 2005 Shoreham Methodist Church has been able to contribute some £1,600.

The school buildings are set in the lush vegetation of this tropical country. The school garden produces a range of tropical fruit, including of course avocados. The fruit is given to the children and teachers to eat, and the little that is left over sold to raise funds for the school.

The three people from Shoreham who visited the School were Suzy Phillpot, Margaret Bedwell and Peter Bedwell. They took part in a holiday organised by a small London Charity called Amos Trust, which supports the Avocado Tree School and other projects in Nicaragua. As well as the visit to Avocado Tree School and some tourism opportunities in what is one of the most beautiful countries in Latin America, Suzy, Margaret and Peter also visited projects amongst the rural poor and on a coffee plantation.

The trip was paid for in full by the participants, who were happy that they were contributing to the economy of Nicaragua, as well as making donations to each of the projects visited.

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the visit to the School where they were warmly welcomed by children and teachers. The School may be lacking in resources, but it is clean and tidy and has pervading by a sense of enthusiasm. The children were smartly dressed, well-behaved and above all happy.

Peter Bedwell commented: we were really taken aback by what a happy, welcoming place this was, despite the grinding poverty that afflicts the country. We were all made to feel so welcome.

Peter Bedwell