MLR Forestal delivers toys to children in rural areas of Siuna for the fifth consecutive year

The scene is repeated in different scenarios, but with the same result. A boy or girl receives a toy, checks it curiously and smiles. Thus, 410 times, for the 410 children to whom MLR Forestal gives the “Christmas” for the fifth consecutive year. In this 2022 these moments of happiness were lived in six schools in the neighboring communities of the company: Bethel #2, San Miguel, Unión La Bú, Empalme La Bú, Bethel #1 and Danlí arriba. In addition, toys were given to 26 children from families whose properties adjoin farms in Mutiwás, Tadazna and Waylawás.

“She’s happy. Since yesterday he told me that today he was going to get up early to come and bring his toy,” said Mayra Julissa Palma Zamora, mother of four-year-old Julie Dayana Morales Palma, a first-level preschool graduate of the Flor de Pino School, located at Empalme La Bú.

“For us the greatest gift we can receive is the smile of children. It is very gratifying to see that genuine emotion when we bring them the toys,” said Mabel Lazo Quino, head of Social Management at MLR Forestal.

Toys in recognition of perseverance and focused on education

“The toys are delivered with the aim of encouraging children’s development and learning. We don’t give them anything that encourages violence, or activities that affect children,” Lazo said. In this 2022 the toys were puzzles, building blocks, educational card games and board games.

Donald Guido Medina, director of the Flor de Pino Educational Center, said that the delivery of toys is “an incentive that motivates and helps children a lot. The teacher often has the strategy of activating students by reminding them that at the end of the year they have this toy and it is a big impact on the education process. I have always said that the company is at the height of society and we are grateful for this gesture of love it has for the children of rural communities.”

Outside Guido’s office, eight-year-old Yader Amir Saenz checked his toy. A box of educational cards. “They are numbers! I like numbers and all classes, but when I grow up I want to be an English teacher.” At his side, his grandmother Yessenia Centeno saw him moved.

A process of more than two months of work in MLR Forestal

In order to deliver the toys in December of each year, two areas are activated in both Siuna and Managua, starting in October. In Siuna, the Social Management area contacts the schools in the area to obtain the data of the students enrolled and who are attending classes. Then, with these lists the purchasing area of the company is requested to acquire the toys, said purchase is made in Managua. When the toys are already in the possession of MLR, they are moved from Managua to Siuna and from there to each of the schools.

“This is a reward for the effort of children and their parents. One of our objectives is to help stop school dropouts and this gift at the end of the year is because these parents managed to keep their children in school, “said Lazo.

This year the expressions of affection and gratitude to MLR Forestal were diverse. In the school of the community of San Miguel, he gave recognition to the company for having provided support to the school during the year 2022. At Bethel #2, teachers crafted a colorful photo frame and provided refreshments to the Social Management team. At Bethel #1, the school placed a welcome blanket to MLR Forestal and a student sang a song. The next time MLR visits these children will be in early 2023 for the traditional delivery of school supplies.