Student's bicycle odyssey to aid Guatemala

Oct 27, 2005

University of Wollongong masters student Daniel Gilfillan is determined to help a small community in Guatemala, Central America, build a community hall for which they have neither the funding nor labour.

But for his plan to become a reality he has to overcome one obstacle in Australia first which will test all his powers of endurance and, at the same time, the generosity of his fellow Australians.

On Monday 7 November the Master of Arts (Social Change and Development) student will set off on his bicycle for a 1,000 kilometre odyssey from the campus grounds to the University of Melbourne.

His 12-day trip will see him pedal his way down the South Coast including stop overs at the University of Wollongong's Shoalhaven Campus at Nowra and UOW's education centres at Batemans Bay and Bega..He hopes to provide media updates along the way in a bid to encourage people to donate to the project through their local media outlets. Daniel said the project was being funded on a three-way basis - community sponsorship, the Australian Volunteers International and $6,000 of his own savings, $3,600 of which will include his return air fare costs to Central America.

In January, Daniel will be travelling to Guatemala to take part in a five-week community development project. This project will primarily involve the construction of a community hall in Municipio de Santa Lucìa - Aldea El Novllero, in Quetzaltenango Province. The community does not have the funding or labour to carry out the construction work themselves.

Daniel said the community recognised that preservation of their dwindling natural resources would be a key factor in continuing development in the area.

“In order to achieve this they will also be looking for our assistance in developing a garden of natural medicine plants, and to teach English in the village.

“It comprises mostly of women (unusual for Guatemala). They produce chickens and rabbits for their own consumption, and for sale to the wider community. They also produce hand crafts and confectionery (marmalade, jelly), traditional women's clothing woven on backstrap looms and tailored clothes for men,” Daniel said.

The project site is known as 'El Corazon del Bosque' - 'The Heart of the Forest'.

The project team will consist of about 10 people (all volunteers like Daniel), and they will live in a lodge on the site of the 'Heart of the Forest' project.

Media interviews: Daniel is happy to be interviewed in the lead up to his departure for Melbourne or when he leaves at 10am on Monday 7 November from the McKinnon Building front steps at the University of Wollongong.

Daniel can be contacted before and during his bicycle trip via his mobile 0432 034 283.

Note: Any donations larger than $2 will be tax deductible. Cheques/money orders should be made out to “Daniel Gilfillan - AVI” and the following code should be quoted “PGUATO6A” and sent to the Accounts Officer at the Australian Volunteers International, PO Box 350, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128