First of all, thanks to everyone who participated by donating to this project! As you all know, we met the Global Giving challenge last April and were able to set up a scholarship program for our town school in San Juan del Sur.
When we were there in August, we set up the program with the help of our agent, Veronica Castro. The program will be for students who show academic promise and a keen interest in learning, but whose families are unable to provide them with the materials/supplies needed to stay in school. The schools included in the project are San Francisco de Asis, Ojochal and Miravalle. The program will look like this:
For one student in each of grades 3, 4, and 5, a $50 scholarship for school supplies.
For one student in grade 6, a scholarship of $150 to enable them to continue on to high school.
This project has been fully funded and will begin at the end of this calendar year, which is also the end of the school year in Nicaragua. Thanks again, everyone!
Mona Donovan
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Hi to all of you!
We've just come back from a visit to Nicaragua. While we were there, we went to Los Pipitos to see how everything was going. We're happy to report that the school has made a lot of progress in the last six months. They have a classroom schedule containing large group activities as well as individual work for each student according to their needs. They are receiving regular visits from a physiotherapist as well. Some of the students painted a mural on the front of the school which really adds to the cheeriness of the place. Everyone there, both staff and students look happy and healthy! The older students are making really beautiful pinatas to see in the town as well, with proceeds going to the school. All in all, we're really proud of this place and all that everyone has accomplished here.
A few years ago, we met Oliver through Los Pipitos. Oliver is in a wheelchair due to a fall from a tree as a child. We helped Oliver finish his degree in accounting and business administration. He now works for our foundation as the volunteer coordinator for Los Pipitos. Last week, we found out that he may walk again! However, first he needs an MRI diagnostic exam, which costs about $750 in Nicaragua. We have started a fund for him as this does not fall within the parameters of our foundation. If you know of anyone who would be interested in helping a very nice guy walk again someday, please let us know!
Hi everyone,
Thanks to all our supporters, we now have just over $6,000 for scholarships and bursaries for the children in Nicaragua. We know that this will make a very big difference to the lives of these children and to their families. The money raised will be enough to sustain the scholarship program for the first five years. Although we originally began with a target of $4,000, we surpassed this very quickly and decided that the project could use more funding. The funds donated above our first target level will allow the scholarship program to go longer. Scholarships will be awarded to children based on financial need and academic performance. We think that they will also help to underline the value of education and will provide recognition of the hard work and achievement of the children.
