Urang

         Urang is named after a species of tree found in abundance at the locale. A single line of houses running parallel to the river occupy most of the available solid ground. Even so, a deep trench beside the raised main path is necessary to keep it walkable. The church, an impressive water tower, and school are located in a line perpendicular to the huts on little mound against the swamp at the broadest piece of land. A variety of lowland taro, called dasin (from dasheen) in Miskito, fills everyone’s yard, and is a staple of the local diet.

 

 

          Urang has the shortest school history of all our villages, and its 700+ inhabitants have more of a deep swamp look and feel about them than the others. When Seek the Lamb first began providing for elementary education, we established a combined school on the outskirts of Sih, the adjacent village, and called it Sihran. With stretches of deep mud along the path, attendance by small children from Urang was low. When a separate school building was finally built and staffed in Urang proper, the inexperienced local workers made a weak cement mixture for the slab, resulting in a deep swamp look and feel to the school as well. We now have Urang natives employed as teachers here, however, and change is slowly coming to the village.

 

  

 It is possible, with sacrifice, to walk from Urang to our secondary school in nearby Livinkrik, and more graduating sixth graders each year make a commitment to continue their studies.

  

Urang from the air. Church with red roof, school in the back, 2013, before the water tower was erected.