Rural Argentine School Director Drives 50 Extra Kilometers Daily Due to Swampy Road

Alba Galilea Hereñu, director of School No. 26 in Vergara, faces a daily "odyssey" to educate her six students. The 70-kilometer round trip she undertakes is 50 kilometers longer than necessary because a three-kilometer stretch of dirt road, under the jurisdiction of the Punta Indio municipality, becomes an impassable swamp after rain.

To ensure classes continue, Hereñu took out a loan to buy a 4x4 vehicle, as her previous car could not handle the terrain. "I had a Gol and couldn't get in. I took out a loan to buy a truck to guarantee as many class days as possible for the children," she told La Nación.

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I had a Gol and couldn't get in. I took out a loan to buy a truck to guarantee as many class days as possible for the children.

When the road is passable, classes proceed normally. However, after rainfall, the director must take a much longer route. "Anyone with a low car can't get through all winter. All the neighbors who need to get in and out must have a truck," she explained.

In response to the deteriorating conditions, Hereñu and about 100 local residents and producers sent a letter to the mayor of Punta Indio, David Angueira, on April 24. They requested that the municipality use dry days to work on the road, citing "deep potholes, erosion, ruts, and a lack of gravel or limestone." The problem lies entirely within Punta Indio's jurisdiction, as the section maintained by the Magdalena municipality is in good condition. The Punta Indio municipality has not yet responded to inquiries.

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Anyone with a low car can't get through all winter. All the neighbors who need to get in and out must have a truck.