As the days of summer come to a close those across the world are preparing to head back to school. Here in Playa, a very special group of expat volunteers are proudly showing the results of a year round operation geared towards helping less fortunate children of the community get all the tools they need for a successful school year.
The KKIS project is an outstanding organization that dedicates time and money to collecting, packing and delivering school supplies for those who may have otherwise not had those proper essentials. The initiative has been ongoing for a few years and has grown greatly as new volunteers and increased donations proudly pour in.
Last year I had the pleasure to spend some time volunteering with the group who spends their summer afternoons stuffing backpacks one by one based on each applicant’s particular needs. Example of items are lined notebooks, pens, pencils, calculators, dictionaries, colored pencils, scissors, and much much more!
After several weeks of packing backpacks in a very organized fashion shipments are then made to various area schools where backpacks are handed out to each individual child. As I was happy to witness last year how genuinely happy these kids were to receive their backpacks -a true joy for them and also a real reward for all those who helped in creating that moment.
This year the news is pouring in of their continued success! The appreciation of the families and children goes far beyond what anyone could even expect! And it is all thanks to those who either volunteered, donated funds or have simply brought a backpack with them to drop off while headed out on vacation to Playa. One backpack is worth a huge smile! And that to me is priceless!
While this year’s efforts are coming to a close their goal never ends! The KKIS project will continuously be collecting donations from now until next summer where they will once again shed light to the hearts of the community.
Just a side note that I feel is important to mention: As I have lived here for over 2 years now, I have realized that those families who are truly in need are all hard working people. Unfortunately, some poverty is not caused by the lack of hard work, rather that the salaries are not always ideal especially if for those who were not brought up having the opportunity for a good education. The initiatives that are being done here by KKIS have a very good possibility of breaking the circle and giving children the opportunity to be educated property – ultimately resulting on better opportunities for the future.
If you are planning to travel to Playa del Carmen or nearby in the Riviera Maya, and you would like to help by bringing along a backpack or even some excess school supplies, all donations are always greatly appreciated!
You can contact a KKIS project representative by visiting their website at http://www.kkisproject.org. For more information, photos and blogs of their success you can also visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-KKIS-Project/230592130368921?sk=info
I should also mention that there are also several other expat run initiatives which gear themselves heavily towards making a difference by helping the Playa del Carmen community. This includes a number of charity collections, shoe drives and those who are geared towards getting schools better equipped with technology. Two other well-known organizations are The Amigos network or the Seaside Rotary Club.
Small gestures are powerful and have the fuel to travel far!
