Most Dangerous Ways To School | NICARAGUA | Free Documentary

Narrator: We all know it. I walked it every day. But none of them were like these. (dramatic music) The

most

dangerous

roads in the world to go to

school

. Freezing, rising for hours, bailing non-stop. All for the opportunity of a better life. Spectacular and sometimes simply beautiful, the

most

dangerous

roads to

school

in the world. The jungle of eastern Nicaragua and its lifeline, the mighty Escondido River. It is a wild and isolated region, with no roads or trains connecting it to the rest of the country. Far from the cities, the jungle is full of a multitude of animal species.

It is also one of the wettest places in the world, with 10 months of rainy season each year. Whoever wants to go to school here must travel a long road, a daily adventure. It is one of the most dangerous

ways

to go to school in the world, but children have only one goal: to learn for a better life. (children murmuring) Nothing can stop these students, to realize their dream they are willing to take on all kinds of dangers. At five in the morning, shortly after dawn in San Nicolás, on the banks of the Escondido River, there is a small settlement in a clearing in the jungle.

Life is simple here, there is no running water or electricity. Only two families live in San Nicolás. One of them is the González-Florez family. With the first rays of sun life begins in the small wooden hut. (rooster crowing) (light, lively music) Under the mosquito net something moves. Child: Come on, it's time to get up. Narrator: The children have a long, exhausting, and dangerous day ahead, but the anticipation of school makes the three Florez sisters jump out of bed happily. Child: I'm very hungry. Narrator: But the girls still can't think about breakfast. The family is poor, like 70% of Nicaragua's rural population.

First, a quick sponge bath, since a lot of work awaits the children every morning. Before they can eat anything themselves, they must feed the family's most valuable asset: the animals. And like previous generations, her mother, Doña Julia, really needs her daughter's help. Julia Junior is seven years old. The baby, Julissa, named Julie, is five years old. Kenya, the older sister, is nine years old. Before the three can embark on their perilous journey to school across the Escondido River, they must first do housework for an hour and a half. Despite the work, they do not forget to be children.

Kenya: We have to draw more water. Aaah, how cold! (laughs) (speaks Spanish) (laughs) Narrator: Her mother is preparing breakfast. The children will need it. As usual, there is possoya, a mixture of water, corn and sugar and a piece of bread. Not much, considering the difficulties ahead. -: It is very important that girls learn to read so that they can have a better future. When they grow up I want them to be doctors or teachers. They should be able to become whatever they want. Narrator: The three sisters are not the only children in the jungle who must do so much every day in the hope of a better life.

His classmate Craven López lives a kilometer further inland. His family is not that poor. Since 11-year-old Craven doesn't have to work before school, he just got up. His mother, Doña Jaime, has already prepared breakfast for him. (singing) Since the family lives too far from the river, his way to school takes him through the countryside. The biggest threat Craven faces on his journey is sliding across the ground and through the trees. -: I am very afraid of snakes on the way to school. But I know I need to learn to read so I can do something for myself.

Narrator: Three kilometers of jungle lie before him. It is not a very long path, but his constant fear of snakes and other dangerous animals accompanies the boy at all times. (soft music) -: Goodbye mom. -: Bye take care! Narrator: Regardless of the risks, being able to go to school is a privilege in this part of Nicaragua. Very few children have the opportunity. Craven's classmates are almost ready to leave. While her mother is still combing Julissa's hair, the two older sisters open coconuts, food for the pigs. They use every

free

minute to work. Around half past six they get going.

The girls don't know the time because the family doesn't have a clock. -: Farewell. Children: Goodbye. Narrator: It's one hour until lessons officially begin for Julissa, Julia, and Kenya. Enough time as long as there are no delays. They must row almost two miles along the river to get to school. But the best days of his profession have passed. The old canoe is falling apart and water is leaking through dozens of holes. To keep their canoe seaworthy, girls must remove water from the dugout before each trip. This takes at least 15 minutes. It is almost al

ways

Kenya who performs this task.

She is used to taking responsibility for her younger sisters. Meanwhile, his classmate Craven has completed the first part of her walk. In the clearings of the clear forest he advances at a good pace. The next phase of it, the dense jungle, is already in sight. Suddenly, like so many times before on his way to school, an unexpected obstacle. A herd of buffalo blocks the entrance to the jungle. Although the animals are not aggressive if you get too close, they may feel threatened and attack. Craven: If I bother them, they might run me over. Narrator: Craven decides not to risk it and surrounds the herd.

He very rarely meets other people on his way. The east of the country is sparsely populated. Only a tenth of Nicaragua's 5.7 million people live here on half of the country's land area. After a quarter-hour detour, Craven reaches the edge of the jungle. From now on he has to concentrate a lot, a wrong step can have serious consequences. Giant tropical ants, poisonous frogs, curly-haired tarantulas. The jungle is home to countless poisonous animals. -: I have always been a little afraid of going into the jungle. Narrator: And rightly so. The poisonous inhabitants of the jungle are masters of camouflage.

By the time you discover them, it is often too late. Craven rushes through this part of the forest as quickly as possible. On the riverbank, the sisters' shelter is finally ready to go. Julie: Man, this is hard. Kenya, move, get on. -: Okay, first I have to take the oar. Narrator: The five-meter-long cave weighs 200 kilograms, much more than the three girls combined. Getting it started is a feat. Only three quarters of an hour before classes start. It's time to get going. The first part of their river journey takes them through a dense mangrove swamp. A seemingly endless labyrinth of roots and branches.

There is no nearby shore to swim in if your canoe capsizes. And Julissa, five years old, doesn't know how to swim. Although they have just set sail, the water is already flooding the ship. In case of expansion of the canal, the sisters must turn the uncomfortable shelter. Kenya, the eldest, now sits in the back. From there she can steer the canoe while she keeps an eye on her two younger sisters. The three girls are careful not to touch any fallen plants. Poisonous animals also represent a constant danger for them. Snakes or spiders could always fall from the branches onto your boat.

But seven-year-old Julia is more concerned about the river's brown water flowing into the canoe. -: Many times I am afraid that we will drown. Narrator: Little Julissa has to help too. Her job, if too much water enters the canoe, is to bail it out along the way. Only as a trio is it possible for the sisters to travel in the dilapidated shelter. If one of the girls is sick, all three should stay home. And school is canceled for that day. -: It won't be less. Narrator: After about 20 minutes in the shade they reach the end of the mangrove.

The children direct their canoe towards the main branch of the Escondido River. The girls have completed almost half of their journey to school. But now they have to deal with the current of the river. Seven o'clock, thirty minutes until the first lesson. Craven has almost made it out of the thicket. Little by little the forest clears up. The 11-year-old is in fourth grade. He has come a long way. Children in rural Nicaragua go to school for up to four years, if they ever go to school. Craven is two-thirds of the way through his perilous journey to school. -: I finally got out of there and I still haven't seen any snakes.

Narrator: But Craven can only take a brief respite. Before him lies the part of his daily route that he fears most: the snake field. Here he has encountered dangerous reptiles on many occasions. -: Snakes live under coconuts. Narrator: This is where just a few days ago a boa constrictor almost three meters long crossed his path. -: It was right here when I saw it and it was that thick. Narrator: But there's no way around it. Classes start in less than half an hour. If Craven wants to go to school, he must cross the snake field. A few miles away, Craven's mother cooks with her relatives.

She coconut oil, the family's sustenance. Jamie Lopez, 25, is as always worried about her first-born on her way to school. -: I really don't want him to go to school, because we don't have a boat. I'm afraid she'll get bitten by a snake while she's alone. He is still very small. And the journey by land is much longer than by water. Narrator: Although crossing the river is the shortest way to school, it is no less dangerous. (howler monkeys howling) But the river is kind to the girls today. The three Flórez sisters move well with the current.

Only one mile left. After three-quarters of an hour in the water, the main arm of the Escondido River is almost behind them. And fortunately, the girls have not yet encountered any of the dangerous inhabitants of the river. -: What scares me the most are the alligators that live here. They want to eat me. Narrator: But now that the road to school is almost behind us, anticipation slowly gains the upper hand. Each sister is excited for a different reason. -: I like going to school because I can see my friends there. -: Our teacher Mrs. Miller is very kind and she pays attention to me. -: I really want to go to school because it is fun to learn.

Narrator: The children's destination is located on a hill above the river in the town of San Mariano. About 100 people live here, almost all of them belonging to a large family. (light, upbeat music) A year's worth of school supplies cost about $41, which is too much for most families. Only a dozen children attend school. All the students except Kenya, Julia, Julissa and Craven live in the village. Their teacher, Mrs. Miller, knows well the difficulties of the four jungle students. -: One day they come to class and the next day they don't. But I know they always try, so I'm satisfied.

At least they learn something. That girls arrive here with wet books, notebooks and clothes is normal. The boy, however, goes through the field where there are many snakes, some poisonous. Narrator: The coral snake is one of the most venomous of all snakes. A snake with red and black stripes that is very common in eastern Nicaragua. Craven hopes to get to school today without running into any of them. It is very common for reptiles to go out after it rains. The coconuts that snakes live in are filled with water. -: Then they come out and crawl everywhere, along the road and the bunches of coconuts.

They also hang from tree trunks. They coil up to the top and remain coiled around the trunk. Narrator: So Craven always looks at the sky anxiously. He doesn't want to stay longer than necessary. The weather seems to have gotten worse. The same applies to his companions in the water. It's almost half past seven. Little by little the early rise, the morning chores and the strenuous rowing are taking their toll. The girls are tired, but their goal is in sight. Now they only have a small lake to cross. But, in the middle of the lake, like so many times before, they get caught in one of the daily downpours.

The extra water from above now mixes with the water entering your canoe from below. Because the region is so close to the equator, daily rainfall can be very heavy. Standard rainfall is 6,000 liters per square meter per year. At her house, three kilometers away, the girl's mother, Doña Julia, goes to work in the field. She wants to plant new banana plants. Every day at work, the 35-year-old woman often thinks about her three young daughters. Doña Julia doesn't know where the children are now on her perilous journey to school or how they are doing. This constant uncertainty is her biggest problem. -: Sometimes they come home very late.

And I'm always afraid that something has happened to them in the river. If they travel by boat, I'm always afraid that Julissa will fall into the water. She still doesn't know how to swim. In the river, something could easily happen to the little guy. Narrator: Although he worries about her daughters every day, he knows how important school is to them. Doña Julia herself does not know how to read or write. Let's go back to the girls. Fortunately the weather has improved. After paddling three kilometers for more than an hour, they finally reach the shore of San Mariano.

Tying down the huge shelter requires the two older girls to muster all their strength. Julia and Kenya must drag the canoe as far as they can along the muddy shore, so that if the water rises during class it doesn't move away. Julie: Go ahead, you're almost there. Narrator: The three girls share a school backpack. Carrying it is aprivilege reserved for the elderly. Kenya: But look at your pants. Narrator: Julissa, Julia and Kenya are really dirty, but they have arrived safely, despite all the dangers. His classmate Craven also arrived at San Mariano unharmed. Classes officially start at 7:30, but without a clock, the four children simply leave the house when they are ready.

They are often late for school. Sometimes they come too soon. -: Hello Craven. Narrator: Most days, Mrs. Miller waits to start class until the jungle children have arrived at school. Today they start a good quarter of an hour late and as always, with the Lord's Prayer. Nicaragua is strictly Catholic. (children praying in Spanish) (singing)Narrator: In the class there are students between four and 14 years old. It is a challenge to offer each one the appropriate learning material at their level. But the teacher has a system. -: Let us begin. First grade, board. First grade, board. Second degree, prevention, prevention.

Third, fourth and fifth grade, to serve. Attend. Narrator: Despite the exhausting trip to school, the elders work hard to follow the lessons. For little Julissa, having to suddenly sit still is very difficult. -: When they arrive at school, due to fatigue, they cannot concentrate well. This gradually gets better and better because they like to learn. But I have to constantly remind them to focus on the board so they can retain the lesson. Narrator: With her simple reading lessons, the teacher at this small town school fights a big national problem. A quarter of adults in Nicaragua do not know how to read.

The country has one of the highest illiteracy rates in Latin America. Then comes the time for what probably all schoolchildren in the world love most. (bell rings) Recess. (Children screaming) The children have lunch in a small cabin in the village. Since their meager breakfast, the students have not eaten or drank anything. They can't wait for hot food. (the children laugh excitedly) Every day a different mother from the village prepares the food. There is almost always gallo pinto, fried rice with black beans, tortillas and lemonade. A party for the children. -: Are you hungry? Kenya, take this from me. -: But I want to bring the tortillas. (light, upbeat music) Narrator: The government pays for the ingredients for lunch.

The Zero Hunger program guarantees that all schoolchildren in the country eat at least one meal a day. Although Nicaragua is considered a developing country, malnutrition has almost ceased to be a problem. A few hours at school is a welcome change from poor life in the forest. Here the children have time to play and for once everything revolves around them. (bell rings) After the break, math is on the program. Six mangoes minus two mangoes equals four mangoes. The students are excited and everyone wants to come to the board. Meanwhile it's one o'clock. After five hours, classes end for the day. -: Bye, see you tomorrow.

Narrator: The end of the school day is always a sad time for Kenya. -: At school I have many friends, but when I return home they are far away. That makes me feel sad. Narrator: The Florez sisters are returning to their shelter. The best part of the day is over for them. Because the way home not only takes longer, but will also consume a lot of energy. But before returning to the river, the girls have to rescue the dugout because it has filled up again during class. The drive to Craven's house is also delayed a bit.

As he is the only member of the family who comes here regularly he must take care of his mother's shopping at the store in the town of San Mariano. The small store is the only one within a 20 kilometer radius. -: Good afternoon. -: Good day. What do you want? -: White detergent please. Narrator: Most of what they need to live, they produce themselves. In the village store there are important things such as medicines, toiletries and some luxury items such as flashlights, batteries or candy. Merchant: What else? -: One litre of oil. -: You're lucky I still have some.

It's 170. Narrator: 170 córdobas oro, or about six dollars. A lot of money for the child's family. A normal worker earns around $60 a day. Now Craven can return home. He must go to his grandmother's house where his mother is waiting for him with the rest of the family. This is the time of day when the afternoon heat begins. While the workers flee the sun to seek refuge in the town, the student must begin his hour and a half walk. (slow, sinister music) Craven would also like to hide in the sun. -: I'm very hot, but I have to go to my grandmother's house.

Narrator: Now the student must be even more careful around snakes. With the heat of the afternoon, cold-blooded reptiles become more active. The girls of Río Escondido have to face new dangers and difficulties. The way home takes them upriver. Now, in their 200-kilogram dugout, the sisters must row against the current. Added to that, the weather seems to conspire against them. -: Today it is very windy and that is why the current is very strong, the boat seems to be going nowhere. Narrator: While the older sister really does the best she can, Julia takes more and more breaks.

Kenya is getting angry. -: Hey, now row a little faster! Narrator: They have barely reached the halfway point and the day's trials have already sapped their strength. On land, his classmate Craven struggles with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius and extremely high humidity. A typical afternoon in eastern Nicaragua where it is hot all year round with an average humidity of 80%. Like the girls, he's only halfway home. Craven must hurry, the job awaits him at his destination. As soon as he arrives, he must help his family cook coconut oil. But Craven is thirsty and needs a rest. Drinking water is a rarity outside of big cities.

Around 30% of the population in rural areas of Nicaragua does not have access to drinking water. Luckily, Craven does. He won't be alone for long under the shade of the tree. A worker who arrives late also seeks shelter from the sun. It is Don Pedro, whom Craven knows from the town. -: Have you seen a snake? -: Sure, I've seen one. Narrator: Although fortunately Craven has never been bitten. His fear of poisonous snakes runs deep. Since no one here has an antivenom and the nearest doctor is two hours away by boat, a snake bite could be fatal.

He quickly continues on his way. A few kilometers away, Kenya, Julissa and Julia have finally reached the mangroves after paddling for more than an hour. Despite the fatigue and effort, Kenya takes good care of her little sisters. She especially keeps an eye on Julissa, who doesn't know how to swim. -: Take your foot out. Narrator: Due to the strong current in the main channel of the river they arrive late. Her mother will already be worried. The girls gather their last strength again. The three of them help carry the heavy canoe through the last few meters to reach home.

Then the well-known pier finally comes into view. Other children who don't go to school play in the water. Unlike the Flórez sisters, they have already done their housework and that is why they have time to play. But the three students are too tired to join in the fun. It's after three when the girls tie the canoe to the dock. For more than 10 hours they have been working hard. Julissa, Julia and Kenya just want to go home to their mother. The children are lucky not to get caught in a downpour. During the rainy season, especially in the afternoon, showers are always expected.

A kilometer further inland, his classmate Craven crawls on the last leg of her journey home. The oppressive and humid heat of the afternoon and the fatigue of the day have been hard on the child. The last meters, finally today the end is in sight. Craven knows it's just this hill and then he's done. -: We almost arrive. Narrator: At his grandmother's house, Craven's mother and the rest of the family are waiting for him. -: Hello, how was school? -: Good. -: Did you see any snakes? -: No. -: Then go and change so you can help us with the coconuts.

Narrator: They make a living with coconut oil that the whole family cooks together. They receive seven and a half dollars for each five-liter can of oil, which means three hours of work for the five of them. For today, Craven has survived his dangerous journey to and from school and now he can be with his family. So that work does not bother you. As for the girls, their small town of San Nicolás is finally within his reach. So close to home, little Julie is elated. Her older sisters are also eager to see her mother. Julissa, Julia and Kenya are finally home.

Once again, the children have made it through to school. His mother Doña Julia is already preparing dinner in the kitchen. Tonight there will be smoked meat. Girls need to get stronger after all that physical effort. Each of the sisters wants to be the first to hug her mother. The relief is evident for the entire family. A long and dangerous day remains behind the children. But nine-year-old Kenya knows exactly why she puts herself through this every day. -: When I grow up I want to study and be a teacher. Narrator: Today she has taken one step closer to her dream.

Night quickly falls on the family cabin. So close to the equator, the sun sets shortly after five in the afternoon. At nightfall, the exhausted girls go to bed. Now it's time for the three sisters to rest. Tomorrow is a new day. One that will bring them new adventures and demand a lot of energy. In the Escondido River, in eastern Nicaragua, on one of the most dangerous roads to school in the world. (soft music)