www.hugitforward.org ~ 3 Months of filming compressed into a 3 minute video: An overview of the hard work, dedication, win-wins, and excitement surrounding Bottle Schools. Hug It Forward has facilitated the construction of 39 Bottle Schools in Guatemala and El Salvador since October 2009.
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Bags of collected bottles |
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Carrying bags of empty bottles up the hill before, during and after school. |
Over 1,800 kids from the region stuffed 2.5 tons of trash into 10,186 bottles to realize the dream of a new school.
Working together with kids are community leaders like Marco Xe who inspire and empower community members to put aside factions and solve their problems as one.
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Filling empty plastic bottles with trash. |
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Small bags being filled with sand to carry up hill to building site. |
Ownership is earned.
Skilled labor is taught to community members.
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Putting bottles in place... |
The power of community
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Covering outside walls with cement... |
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Covering inside walls with cement... |
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Bringing dirt for floor... |
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Tamping down the dirt just brought in.... |
Bottle schools change the world...
communities...
the environment...
and volunteers...
FOREVER!!
Click on the video at the beginning of this post to watch the step-by-step progress of this school being built.
The song being played in the background of the video is One Day by Matisyahu.
Here are the lyrics...
"One Day"
Sometimes I lay
Under the moon
And thank God I'm breathing
Then I pray
Don't take me soon
'Cause I am here for a reason
Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let it get me down
So when negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [x6]
It's not about
Win or lose
Because we all lose
When they feed on the souls of the innocent
Blood-drenched pavement
Keep on moving though the waters stay raging
In this maze you can lose your way (your way)
It might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you no way (no way)
Sometimes in my tears I drown (I drown)
But I never let it get me down (get me down)
So when negativity surrounds (surrounds)
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [x6]
One day this all will change
Treat people the same
Stop with the violence
Down with the hate
One day we'll all be free
And proud to be
Under the same sun
Singing songs of freedom like
One day [x2]
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [x6]
Under the moon
And thank God I'm breathing
Then I pray
Don't take me soon
'Cause I am here for a reason
Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let it get me down
So when negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [x6]
It's not about
Win or lose
Because we all lose
When they feed on the souls of the innocent
Blood-drenched pavement
Keep on moving though the waters stay raging
In this maze you can lose your way (your way)
It might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you no way (no way)
Sometimes in my tears I drown (I drown)
But I never let it get me down (get me down)
So when negativity surrounds (surrounds)
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [x6]
One day this all will change
Treat people the same
Stop with the violence
Down with the hate
One day we'll all be free
And proud to be
Under the same sun
Singing songs of freedom like
One day [x2]
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [x6]