MotoNomadas
Welcome!
To MotoNomadas Explorando el Sur, a motorcycle charity adventure trip project created to help kids in Latin America. Since 2009, MotoNomadas has been working raising awareness about the street kid situation and raising funds to help with the feeding, clothing and education of these children, through the association with several non-governmental organizations (NGO) like the Pulsera Project, Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots, EDELAC and the Muskoka Foundation, among others.
MotoNomadas Explorando el Sur project was created by two "Latinos" (Efrain and Ileana) to contribute their part to the less fortunate, while traveling the Americas by motorcycle. "The idea is to document every aspect of the journey to keep people inform about our progress and of the good things that can be make through small actions. We will be blogging and posting pictures here as we traverse different countries."
"We truly hope that our project serves as a source of inspiration for those that want to make a difference but are too scared of the unknown. We want to show that it is possible to achieve those dreams by putting devotion and dedication to them."
MotoNomadas Explorando el Sur project was created by two "Latinos" (Efrain and Ileana) to contribute their part to the less fortunate, while traveling the Americas by motorcycle. "The idea is to document every aspect of the journey to keep people inform about our progress and of the good things that can be make through small actions. We will be blogging and posting pictures here as we traverse different countries."
"We truly hope that our project serves as a source of inspiration for those that want to make a difference but are too scared of the unknown. We want to show that it is possible to achieve those dreams by putting devotion and dedication to them."
MotoNomadas Vision
We are strong believers of "la revolución de las cosas pequeñas" (the small things revolution). Every little action taken in this world is capable of making an impact on the lives of those in need. Every step that we take towards helping others is a step closer to a better and more just world. It just takes determination to make that difference, and this is what we are doing with MotoNomadas Explorando el Sur.
Riding for a Cause
Image provided by The Pulsera Project 2010
Our Mission-To contribute help to those kids in need of food, education and clothing in Latin American countries.
Because MotoNomadas would like to make a difference while traveling, we will be raising funds to help enriching the lives of the poorest and most abused children in Latin America. The goal is to contribute aid, commitment and mentorship to those children in need.
Donations received through our website will be used to provide with basic school or construction supplies needed by different children' centers located throughout Central and South America. The main purpose of this charitable trip will be: assisting the needs of these children, distributing the donations collected, and providing personal assistance by volunteer work.
In addition to raise funds, MotoNomadas also intents to contribute spreading the message of different organizations working for the same cause, by telling our story, and inviting people to visit our and their websites. Also, we would like to provide information on donation opportunities, document every aspect of the journey, and create media exposure to promote the charitable cause and spark awareness on the situation of street kids.
The total cost of this trans continental motorcycle trip will be encumbered by our own personal funding. Since July 2008, we have being following a rigorous savings plan to collect the majority of the funds needed to accomplish this trip. We have reduced our expenditures on everyday items such as entertainment, and have tried to increase our income through part time jobs, selling our personal belongings, and lowering our daily expenses to the minimum. Efrain has been able to perform at different shows and private parties around Charleston as a fire spinner and Ileana has been able to work cleaning houses. Through these strategies, we have been able to collect enough money to make this trip possible.
We are seeking contributions from friends, family, and colleagues in order to lend aid to these deserving children. No amount donated is too little and will certainly put forth towards a commendable and worthy cause. Over 90% of the donations will go directly to NGO's programs to help the children and the remaining 10% will go towards indirect expenses of the project. We believe that our trip is a powerful form of education that will lead to further activism towards a more just world.
For more information on how we are contributing to the street kids situation and other ways to help please visit our Cause link.
Because MotoNomadas would like to make a difference while traveling, we will be raising funds to help enriching the lives of the poorest and most abused children in Latin America. The goal is to contribute aid, commitment and mentorship to those children in need.
Donations received through our website will be used to provide with basic school or construction supplies needed by different children' centers located throughout Central and South America. The main purpose of this charitable trip will be: assisting the needs of these children, distributing the donations collected, and providing personal assistance by volunteer work.
In addition to raise funds, MotoNomadas also intents to contribute spreading the message of different organizations working for the same cause, by telling our story, and inviting people to visit our and their websites. Also, we would like to provide information on donation opportunities, document every aspect of the journey, and create media exposure to promote the charitable cause and spark awareness on the situation of street kids.
The total cost of this trans continental motorcycle trip will be encumbered by our own personal funding. Since July 2008, we have being following a rigorous savings plan to collect the majority of the funds needed to accomplish this trip. We have reduced our expenditures on everyday items such as entertainment, and have tried to increase our income through part time jobs, selling our personal belongings, and lowering our daily expenses to the minimum. Efrain has been able to perform at different shows and private parties around Charleston as a fire spinner and Ileana has been able to work cleaning houses. Through these strategies, we have been able to collect enough money to make this trip possible.
We are seeking contributions from friends, family, and colleagues in order to lend aid to these deserving children. No amount donated is too little and will certainly put forth towards a commendable and worthy cause. Over 90% of the donations will go directly to NGO's programs to help the children and the remaining 10% will go towards indirect expenses of the project. We believe that our trip is a powerful form of education that will lead to further activism towards a more just world.
For more information on how we are contributing to the street kids situation and other ways to help please visit our Cause link.
Street kids problematic
Image from Children at Risk Foundation (CARF) 2010
One of the greatest challenges confronting Latin American countries is the growing number of children and adolescents seeking their survival on city streets. It is estimated that over 25 million children are found on the streets of Latin America as a consequence of poverty. In addition to poverty there are other factors contributing to the presence of children living on the streets which include high birth rates, rural-to-urban migration, inadequate housing, economic stagnation, unequal distribution of income and the absence of government assistance programs. These poor children lack the benefits of adequate family attention, nutrition, medical care, education and play.
The economic situation imposes a major stress on families which turn to abuse their children. This pushes children to depend on income from informal activities, such as street trading, petty retail, garbage collecting, recycling, stealing, begging, and prostitution.
Their life on the streets can be characterized by violence, hunger, marginal employment, and exploitation. The absence of privacy, education and security becomes prevalent in the lives of these kids. In reality, few children manage to finish the elementary level of school mainly because the cost of education is too high, which is a factor that determines their early work in the streets.
Levels of poverty continue to grow at high rates in most Latin America, despite new economic policies that have improved growth and inflation while neglecting adequate social investments. The problem of the unequal distribution of resources contributes to social depression. The provision of services has not been sufficiently geared to the needs of the poor children, and sometimes tends to be seen as the job of private charities or non-governmental organizations (NGO).
Policies and social programs are necessary to eliminate poverty and therefore the situation of street kids. The picture of suffering and violence related to their current status needs to disappear through the collaborative effort of governmental assistance program, NGO's, and other organizations working for the same goal of making justice by improving the quality of life of the kids in Latin America.
Hence, MotoNomadas would like to make a contribution by raising awareness of the street kids situation, and by collaborating with different NGO's to help improve the quality of life of children and youth. MotoNomadas will be stopping at different centers in each country in Central and South America to provide hands-on help, and document the reality of these kids with true needs, as well as the work progress made by the NGO's. We encourage you to follow alone with our story and participate in this great effort of making the live of at least one children better. Your collaboration will make a significant difference and impact on the lives of street kids, and will be greatly appreciate it.
Sources: Rafaelli, Marcela (1997); Trussell, Robert (1999); Salazar, Maria and Knaul, Felicia (2000), UNICEF (2009).
The economic situation imposes a major stress on families which turn to abuse their children. This pushes children to depend on income from informal activities, such as street trading, petty retail, garbage collecting, recycling, stealing, begging, and prostitution.
Their life on the streets can be characterized by violence, hunger, marginal employment, and exploitation. The absence of privacy, education and security becomes prevalent in the lives of these kids. In reality, few children manage to finish the elementary level of school mainly because the cost of education is too high, which is a factor that determines their early work in the streets.
Levels of poverty continue to grow at high rates in most Latin America, despite new economic policies that have improved growth and inflation while neglecting adequate social investments. The problem of the unequal distribution of resources contributes to social depression. The provision of services has not been sufficiently geared to the needs of the poor children, and sometimes tends to be seen as the job of private charities or non-governmental organizations (NGO).
Policies and social programs are necessary to eliminate poverty and therefore the situation of street kids. The picture of suffering and violence related to their current status needs to disappear through the collaborative effort of governmental assistance program, NGO's, and other organizations working for the same goal of making justice by improving the quality of life of the kids in Latin America.
Hence, MotoNomadas would like to make a contribution by raising awareness of the street kids situation, and by collaborating with different NGO's to help improve the quality of life of children and youth. MotoNomadas will be stopping at different centers in each country in Central and South America to provide hands-on help, and document the reality of these kids with true needs, as well as the work progress made by the NGO's. We encourage you to follow alone with our story and participate in this great effort of making the live of at least one children better. Your collaboration will make a significant difference and impact on the lives of street kids, and will be greatly appreciate it.
Sources: Rafaelli, Marcela (1997); Trussell, Robert (1999); Salazar, Maria and Knaul, Felicia (2000), UNICEF (2009).
Please send us your comments
Contact Us
Please use the comments box below or drop us an email at motonomadas@gmail.com if you have any questions, comments, message of support, etc. We will get back to you as soon as we can. You can also follow us through our facebook group: www.facebook.com/MotoNomadas
Please be aware we are going to have limited internet access during our moto-adventrure, but we'll do our best to reply as soon as possible to your messages.
Please be aware we are going to have limited internet access during our moto-adventrure, but we'll do our best to reply as soon as possible to your messages.
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