Los Niños del Capitán – Cabo San Lucas, December 2012

A Return to the Children 

Prior to my most recent trip to Los Niños del Capitán in December 2012, I had contacted the new director to learn what their most needed resources were.  Her immediate response was "We need food."  As noted in my first post in April 2012, this facility is a nonprofit daycare for children of the barrio, whose extremely impoverished single parents (mostly mothers) are working.  Their typical work week is six days a week, 12 hours a day.  The parent pays an average of $60 US per mont or whatever they can afford and the daycare attempts to find other ways of raising funds to cover their costs.  Once the child goes to public school, the parent will repay what is owed to the daycare.  The operating costs are about $250 US a month per child, so there is a wide gap in what they receive and what is needed.  

Two Costco carts of food for the children.

Before my visit, I was able to put the word out about the need for food at the daycare and money was generously donated.  It was the best Christmas shopping trip I've ever experienced. I just wish the people who provided donations could have been there.  At Costco and a local produce market I was able to purchase beans, rice, sugar, cooking oil, milk, soap, bleach and a few other basics.  Both Costco and Walmart donate some food to the daycare once a week, but upon arriving, the daycare's shelves were strikingly bare.  

Our helpers at Costco, loading our van.

Our delivery, waiting to be put away.

Having arrived in the morning at the daycare this time, the very small classrooms were full.  As  I made my way to visit to each room, once the children discovered we were there to give hugs and spend time with them, we were mobbed.  There were 86 children, one small room for each age.  

My new friends.

It was an incredibly overwhelming experience of feeling so many little bodies rushing to me to be held, hugged, talked to, and to receive whatever affection they could get.  There were tears of joy running down my cheeks to see their little smiling faces and also tears of sadness at how desperately these kids just need love and attention. 

The staff at Los Niños del Capitán are wonderful people, doing a fantastic job to make sure these kids have two meals a day and a snack just before leaving for home.  It amazes me what they can do, operating on such a shoestring.  Clothing and sometimes medical care are also provided when possible, as professional services are often donated by physicians and dentists.   But there just aren’t enough resources available to take care of the daycare's needs.  As a nonprofit, the daycare has been funded through donations and fundraisers.  Due to the decline in tourism, the resorts have not been able to contribute as they have in the past. 

I would deeply encourage anybody who reads this and who is interested in having an unforgettable vacation in Cabo San Lucas to take a little time to volunteer at this daycare.  The love and affection you give will be returned one hundred times over.  And if you are able to raise some money for donations or can contribute to the cause yourself, just send an email to them and ask what their most pressing needs are.  Between Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, or whatever store you happen to be closest to in Cabo, it’s an easy trip to pick up supplies and drop them off at the daycare.

The experience you will receive from knowing that they will have food in their tummies is something that you will never forget.  But the joy you see in their faces when you wrap your arms around them is priceless.

People Coming Together

When I arrived at Cabo San Lucas, I mentioned to the employee checking me in that I was going to be helping out at Casa Hogar Cabo and Los Niños del Capitán.  The next morning the concierge, Laura, came up to me and asked if I was the person who was going to volunteer at Los Niños del Capitán.  She explained that she had been gathering toys and teaching her daughter that there are children less fortunate.  She asked if she could go with me and it worked out perfectly.  She was able to translate communications, helped with shopping at Costco and directed me to where I could buy pinto beans at a local produce stand.  The toys she donated were used for Christmas gifts for the children. 

I was so happy to see all the new little riding toys that had been provided by a family who connected with me through this blog.  It was an incredible joy to watch their happy little faces as they played.

On my previous trip to Cabo, I had met a man who asked if he could accompany me to the daycare on a later visit.  It worked out that he was in Cabo San Lucas that week.   He provided the van to shuttle the food to the daycare, helped with unloading, and generously donated money for food as well.  A big thanks to Laura Argomedo, from the Wyndham at the Marina in Cabo San Lucas, and Kenneth Williams, from Reno, Nevada, for your assistance and support. 

The youngest child at Los Niños del Capitán

I also want to thank Felix Negron and Emalee Hill who helped with translating instructional material, letters and emails.

Contact information for Los Niños del Capitán

Director:  Adriana Ciamarena
Phone:  624-173-3807
Email:  Los Niños del Capitan
Address:  Mañana 89, Lote 05
                Cole Mesa Colorada, 2da Etapa
                Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Facebook:  Los Ninos del Capitan Facebook

Resources needed at this time are:  

Rice, beans, flour, sugar, cooking oil, canned and boxed milk

Pancake mix, yogurt, tortillas, Maria Galletas

Toilet paper, baby wipes, dish detergent, tissues

cleaning supplies such as bleach, dish detergent, all purpose cleaner

art supplies, children's books, small shoes (age 1-5), flip flops

Paint of any color, but especially a chocolate brown color

small children's backpacks

Repairs that need to be made:  Playground equipment is falling apart and either the wood needs to be replaced and repaired or new playground equipment installed, new screens on windows, painting, sorting and disposing of old donated material from hotels.