Having free and easy access to vaccines to fight COVID in Canada is not something all developing countries have and a local charity is trying to bridge the gap.
A small group of local Guelph retired teachers, principals and school administrators formed One By One: The Latin American Project.
The group is comprised of Peter Ingram, One By One president, Ted Laxton, vice-president, Kathy Ingram, treasurer and Theresa Jefferson, chair.
Peter Ingram first travelled to Guatemala in the year 2000 when he was principal at St. James Catholic High School. He took a group of 12 students with him. From 2000 to 2010 he took a number of student groups to Guatemala. He retired in 2010, along with the other members of what would eventually One By One.
Ingram said throughout the number of years they had gone to Latin America they found their legs and made some contacts, it was time to make the group official.
The group started out as a non-profit organization in 2016 and in 2021 became a registered charity.
“The pandemic had major repercussions throughout the world,” said Ingram.
In usual circumstances One By One brings students from Guelph to Guatemala to volunteer in local villages but the pandemic got in the way of making it happen.
“We still had people that were interested in helping. We still were able to raise some funds,” said Ingram.
Administering COVID vaccinations in developing countries are far behind vaccinations being administered in countries like Canada, explained Ingram.
They used the fundraising money to get COVID vaccines administered in the Guatemalan villages they serve. St. Joseph Catholic School in Fergus raised $2,800 for the initiative. One of the ways they fundraised was selling crafted bracelets from villagers in Guatemala.
“You and me are worried about getting our fourth. I hear down the road our fifth shot. Most of them don’t have their first shot,” said Ingram.
“They’re helping these people get COVID vaccinations. I just think that’s so powerful for these kids.”
The local government provided the vaccines, the only caveat was One By One had to set up clinics with doctors and nurses so they could be administered. The clinics were brought right into the villages so people didn’t have to travel far to get a vaccine.
“They have shots for the people but they’re in a very inconvenient place that would cost them money to get there,” said Ingram.
One By One works in three different areas to provide for people in Guatemala: basic necessities, school supplies, health and wellness.
There are issues with clean water so they made a water tower to help provide clean running water in one of the schools.
Ingram described seeing commercials of underserved communities around the world and how easy it is to become immune to the message they are trying to convey.
“I always say to people, you don’t really get it until you go and see it,” he said.
Ingram said he believes by staying in one place like the village of Aníbal Archila in Guatemala, they can better serve the village by getting to know what they need and benefit the community long term.
As retired teachers and school staff Ingram said education is key to success for children in Guatemala so they will have opportunities they normally wouldn’t have otherwise without education.
Ingram said he isn’t sure when groups of students will be able to travel to Guatemala again. He is pleased with the work they have been able to do abroad during the pandemic.
