Salvavision’s Casa de La Esperanza (House of Hope) in Sásabe

Let’s Breach Trump’s Wall and
Build a Playground for Border Kids!
Buzz Davis / Vets for Peace

TUCSON (August 26, 2022) — When you were a kid, did you every play on a playground? I think most of us did.

Former Pres. Trump began having the US Border Patrol pick up migrants illegally crossing the border, south of where I live in Tucson, and “dumping” them in little and big Mexican towns south of the border.

The US government presently is still doing this under Pres. Biden and our government does not provide funds to communities to care for those migrant families. Most of these people are from other nations south of Mexico who are many times fleeing poverty, murderous gangs, and vengeful local governments and military units.

I ask you to please consider donating what you can to a little project that will provide little kids a place to play and temporarily escape the bad times they are living in.

YOU MAY DONATE TO THE PLAYGROUND AT THIS LINK: Let’s Build A Playground in the Bordertown of Sasabe (salsalabs.org) 

Here is a 3-minute video on a group that made fun of the border wall by building a teeter-totter in the wall with kids on both sides playing on the device! Note:  The Border Patrols from both sides came, questioned, took some pictures, watched and left

Let’s Build A Playground in Sásabe
Infrastructure For the Youth,
For the Future. No More Walls.
2022 COLLABORATIVE PROJECT

Volunteers at the House of Hope.

Sasabe is a small rural border town in Sonora, Mexico only a short distance from the border. Since the implementation of Title 42 in March 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has been dropping hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers at the doorsteps of the citizens of Sasabe every week. Even though the town had nothing in place to help support these vulnerable people, they helped as much as they could with very limited resources. The town reached out to Dora Rodriguez (Salvavision) and Gail Kocourek (Tucson Samaritans) and asked for their help. Dora was already involved with providing aid to Nogales, Sonora.

In response to the request, in 2021 Dora and Gail opened a Resource Center (Casa de la Esperanza) in Sasabe. Only walking distance from the port of entry, it is a space for migrants who need aid and refuge. “Our mission is to restore some of their dignity with a hot meal and a little hope” says Dora.

Dora and the Mayor of Sasabe asked Mike Tork, a Veterans For Peace (VFP) national board member, who also works with the School of Americas Watch (SOAW), if it would be possible to build a playground for the children, those living in Sasabe and those dropped off by CBP.

Mike has assembled a team to build the playground. “This is about reclaiming space and filling it with kindness and compassion. It’s a way to resist hatred, racism and to be in solidarity with vulnerable people and communities” he said.

We will follow the guidance of Dora, Gail and the community. Construction is planned to begin in the fall (Sept/Oct) once the weather is cooler.

Please donate generously. Funds will go towards the playground and to help support Casa de la Esperanza.

To make a tax-deductible donation via check or money order, please include “Playground” in the memo line, make payable to “SOA Watch,” and mail to our address:  SOA Watch, 225 E 26th St, Suite 7, Tucson, AZ 85713

 

Help Build a Playground in Sasabe
Mike Tork / Veterans for Peace

TUCSON (August 16, 2022) — I’m happy to say that the fundraiser for the Sasabe playground is ready to go and in fact has been ready for a while thanks to Lulu (SOA Watch). SOA Watch will be the fiscal sponsor. Please post and share widely.

During a time when good news is scarce, we have the opportunity of creating something tangible that we can all feel good about, especially the children of Sasabe.

Attached is the link for the Sasabe Playground Project and donation page. If you haven’t already done it, please take a few minutes to watch “The Migrant Journey” video. Inspiring and does a much better job telling the story of Sasabe and Dora Rodriguez than I ever could.

Orgainzing meetings will start soon with the construction planned for mid-October when the weather is cooler.

Thank you all so very much. I am excited to kick this off and raise funds for this playground and to help support the good work Dora is doing in Sasabe.

ACTION: You can donate at this link:|
Let’s Build A Playground in the Bordertown of Sasabe (salsalabs.org)  

BUDGET NOTE:
Approximately 10K for the playground set. Prep and shade perhaps 2K. It is important to note that NONE of the money we raise will go towards food, gas, transportation or housing for the volunteers involved with the build. And we really want to raise more money than what we need for the actual build so that we can also help support the resource center (Casa de la Esperanza) Dora started in Sasabe.