GlobalGiving.org: Help 455 At-Risk Children in Mexico Stay in School

We are benefiting one more group of kids!

Maite — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:15 GMT

Dear friends and donors,

As you know, we have had great results in Sedac with the Ethic’s program that we started on September. Both, children and teachers are very happy with the new paths and opportunities they are discovering together through this program.

According to this, we are going to extend the program in this school, so one more group can also have the benefit of developing new skills that will help them their entire lives. This increase will also include the training of one more teacher and the coaching that follows.

We hope to continue having your support!

Thank you for trusting us until now! Due to this, these children will have a better future!

We take this opportunity to wish you the best for this new year!

EDUCA Team

new results!

Maite — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:26:47 GMT

Dear friends and donors! Hope you’re fine!

The new ethical development program we began on September in Sedac, is giving results. Children are listening more to each other and developing new solutions for their daily problems. We know that moral is developed day by day, and with these new attitudes we know that we and the children are going in the correct path.

We hope that you continue to be as enthusiastic towards this new phase as we are! We greatly appreciate all your support!

We wish you the best for this new year!!

Kind regards,

EDUCA Team

Final Bonus Day of the year!!

Maite Esteinou — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:51:18 GMT

Dear friends and donors! Hope you’re fine!

We are very happy to share with you that thanks to your wonderful support we are still having great results in SEDAC’s new program! Soon you will receive the report of these results.

This time we would like to invite you to help us winning GlobalGiving’s challenge.

On October 19th, GlobalGiving has made the final Bonus Day of the year, where $100,000 in matching funds will be up for grabs! This consists on matching at 30% all online donations up to $1,000 per donor per project! There is $100,000 available in matching funds starting at 12:01 am EDT.

In addition to the 30% match, GlobalGiving is offering a $1,000 bonus to the project that raises the most funds that day and a $1,000 bonus to the project that receives donations from the most individual donors!

We are asking you to help us this day, so we can fundraise more money to invest in the school’s needs and benefit more children. We greatly appreciate all your support during this day!!

Kind regards,

EDUCA team

We are going to begin a new program in Sedac!!

Maite Esteinou — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:43:46 GMT

We are very happy to share with you that thanks to your wonderful support we have achieved great results in SEDAC!

Because of your help we have decided to increase our goal to address a further concern in the school. As many know, there are growing numbers of bullying in younger children, egocentric behaviors, lack of team work and concern for social wellbeing. These topics need to be attended urgently . We are going to begin a new program which develops the capacity of discernment in children ages 4 to 7 and through which they gain life skills such as empathy, compassion and wisdom. As children understand and use these life skills they will become more aware of their relationship with others, make better assesments and create a solid platform for moral and social values.

We hope that you continue to be as enthusiastic towards this new phase as we are! We greatly appreciate all your support and look forward to sharing great results from this program soon!

Kind regards,

EDUCA Team

We´ve reached our Goal! You´re Amazing!

Juan Pablo Vignon — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:01:17 GMT

Party organized by EDUCA

Dear Friends and Donors:

First and foremost, We would like to deeply thank all of you for supporting our project. With your kind donations we have been able to help SEDAC’s Preschool, benefiting 455 children directly, who come from low income families.

SEDAC provides not only education, but breakfast, child care and psychological services to disadvantaged boys and girls. Moreover, this project has benefited indirectly more than 734 parents in precarious conditions, who wouldn’t be able to provide these services to their children otherwise.

As reported earlier, with the money raised we´ve been able to support the school with pro-active workshops that develop a healthy and strong self-esteem in these children as well as their parents. Additionally, activities regarding identifying, assimilating, and emotion management are fundamental to enhance emotional intelligence. We were able to help with the maintenance of their computer lab and the purchase of school supplies necessary for next school year´s activities. Your donations have also helped with resources used to provide a nutritious breakfast and lunch, which children could not have at home. Moreover, the school now has a professional psychologist who attends children with learning disabilities and behavioral problems caused mainly by a harsh living environment.

With your donations, our goal has been exceeded. We sincerely appreciate your contributions to this project, which have made it possible to keep providing these services to SEDAC during the school year.

As a final follow up, we will be sending you some pictures of the kids coming back for the next school year in early September.

Thank you very much for your support!

Warm regards,

The EDUCA Team

Thanks to you, we are only 488 usd away from our goal!!

Juan Pablo Vignon — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:26:46 GMT

Dearest friends and donors,

We are very glad to announce that our 16,000 usd goal is about to be reached. The SEDAC preschoolers have been benefiting from the privilege of attending school, as well as enjoying healthy meals, schools supplies, day care, psychological therapy among other services. It has also has allowed SEDAC not to raise school fees thus preventing drop out. All of this has been possible thanks to your generous support.

We are now on the last stretch of funding the project, and hope to reach our goal very soon. On behalf of SEDAC´s staff, parents, and kids, we reiterate our profound gratitude and it is because of people like you that children believe and hope for a better future in their harsh reality.

The EDUCA team thanks you for your generosity!

Have a great day!

GlobalGiving Site Visit With EDUCA

Clinton Misamore — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:19:44 GMT

Children At Lunch

In early February I had the privilege of visiting with Fundacion EDUCA and Catherine de la Torre. Catherine took me to visit the SEDAC pre-school. It was certainly a memorable afternoon and a true joy to see the amazing work that was being conducted by EDUCA.

Those of you that have contributed to this amazing project are investing your finances towards a meaningful cause. In addition, the staff at EDUCA are highly dedicated and strive to ensure that quality measures are adhered to and donor dollars are put to best use.

It is without reservation that I recommend the work of EDUCA and the SEDAC school project. I would highly encourage everyone to consider making a small contribution to support the children of this school and to help EDUCA reach it's fundraising goal of $16,000. It is MOST CERTAINLY money well spent.

We Are Back!!!

Catherine de la Torre — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:14:10 GMT

Dear friend donors,

Due to your kind support to our project "Help 455 At-Risk Children in Mexico Stay in School" we have reactivated our project with a new goal of 16,000 USD. SEDAC's students and teachers feel very grateful and would like to know more about you. Moreover, Fundación EDUCA still needs to provide them with monetary resources since they do not have the necessary economic means to fully cover their costs per child.

I would like to remind you that thanks to our help, children have not deserted school; this is because their tuition has not been raised since 2009. Otherwise, parents would reconsider the cost of taking their child to school! We cannot afford losing these potentially developed children from attending. Moreover, the quality of their meals has been improved, since they now count with specialized nutritionist that guides the staff with more healthy food.

Thanks again for your support and we look forward to hearing from you soon!!

Best regards,

The EDUCA Team

Thank you ALL for the support... we now invite you to join our new project!!!

Catherine de la Torre — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:13:08 GMT

First and foremost, I would like to deeply thank all of you for supporting our project. With your kind donations we have been able to help SEDAC’s Preschool, benefiting directly 455 children who come from low income families.

SEDAC provides not only education, but breakfast, child care and psychological services to disadvantaged boys and girls. Moreover, this project has benefited indirectly more than 734 parents in poor conditions, who wouldn’t be able to provide these services to their children otherwise.

As reported earlier, with the money raised we were able to support the school with pro-active workshops of self-esteem encouragement in children, as well as in their parents. Additionally, activities regarding identifying, assimilating, and handling of feelings were contributed to enhance emotional intelligence. We could also help with the maintenance of their computer lab and the purchase of school supplies such as different types of paper, coloring pencils, paint, scissors, wooden sticks, straws, seeds, magazines, balls and balloons. Your donations also helped with resources appointed to provide a healthy breakfast and meal, which children could not have at home. Moreover, the school now has a professional psychological attention for children with learning disabilities and behavioral problems caused by living in a harsh environment at home.

With your recurring and unique donations, the goal has been achieved almost completely. We have only 47 USD remaining, which will give closure to this program. As a result, we will soon post a new project called “Support Community’s Toy Library Conservation”, which will contribute with the necessary resources for the maintenance of a communitarian toy library, located in Zumpango, a marginalized area in the State of Mexico. This project will benefit more than 2,300 abused and disadvantaged children, who do not have access to toys or games. They attend almost daily because of the emotional and physical escape it provides. We need your help, so please join this new mission!!

Thank you very much for your support.

Sincerely,

The EDUCA Team

Thanks to YOU we only have $1,244 USD more to go!!

Catherine de la Torre — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:16:15 GMT

On behalf of the EDUCA Team, I would like to deeply thank the anonymous donators who have followed and supported our project. We really appreciate and recognize the effort! Thanks to all of you we are almost reaching our goal of $12,794 USD.

Children, as well as their parents in SEDAC Pre-School, feel profoundly touched by this action. Lots of kids will be able to keep attending this following school year, not to mention the food and additional services included. The tuition fees will not be raised in order to prevent drop out! With this donated amount, the school will be able to cover administrative and operational costs without affecting the family’s economy.

I reiterate my profound gratitude and it is because of people like you that children believe and hope for a better future in their harsh reality.

Sincerely,

The EDUCA Team

We are getting closer!!!

Catherine de la Torre — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:43:46 GMT

The Fundación EDUCA Team would like to let you know that we are getting closer to our initial monetary goal, which is $12,794 USD. At the moment we have raised up to $ 8,455 USD; therefore, we have only $4,339 USD more to go!!

I would like to remind you the positive impact this donations cause. With your valuable contribution you are helping us provide early education, breakfast, child care and psychological services for 455 disadvantaged preschoolers in the Mexico City Metro Area whose working parents cannot afford these services otherwise. A new school year is coming up soon and we would feel very dissapointed if some of these preschoolers abandon their studies because of economic disadvantages.

We encourage you to keep donating, since our project has helped numerous children and families and we are looking forward to start supporting a new program.

Thank you very much!!

Sincerely,

The EDUCA Team

Great News!

Catherine de la Torre — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:43:29 GMT

Thank you for the support you give to our project! It is very important for us to continue with the efforts that will allow us to give these children an opportunity to access a better education and improve their living conditions. As you may know, the children that we support through this campaign have great deficiencies that impose a barrier for their learning skills and to lead a healthy up growing.

Thanks to your active participation we are reaching our monetary goal of fundraising for these 455 students at risk! With your recent donations, we have already gathered $8,050 US from our $12,000 US primary goal, which will help provide a permanent nutrition program, in addition to phsicological services, and parenting classes for low-income family members.

Specifically, your donations have supported pro-active workshops of self-esteem encouragement in children, as well as in their parents. This has helped reinforce individual qualities overall and improve behavior in children with learning disabilities. Additionally, activities regarding identifying, assimilating, and handling of feelings were provided to enhance emotional intelligence. Moreover, a dentist explained the importance of oral hygiene to foster dental care and instructed key techniques to do so.

We encourage you to keep fulfilling the dreams of these children by helping us keep them in a school that provides a learning and loving environment!!

Let us know what you think, thanks to you we are able to make this project a reality. We are more than happy to post more information that you find appealing, so don't forget to comment in the box below.

Kindly,

The EDUCA Team

In the words of our staff

The Fundación EDUCA México Team — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:50:57 GMT

Exercising to increase psychomotor coordination

We greatly appreciate your support to our project. In this report, we quote members of our staff so that you can “hear” from them about the great work they do to benefit 455 preschoolers who have demonstrated financial need.

Nancy Alejandra Ocampo, Preeschool Teacher

“The students from my group have made great advances in their language skills, especially in verbal expression and in writing their names. They have developed greater independence and willingness to participate in games like Twister, Hand Painting and Bingo. They respect turns, follow game rules, use their imagination and pay special attention to their gross motor skills. As a teacher, on a daily basis, I research creative activities that will be useful for teaching and that will interest them. I have learned a great deal as every child poses a different challenge due to their various learning processes and particular personalities. Every student has taught me something new or reminded me of something I had forgotten.” Angélica Sarmiento Barrios, School Psychologist

“During the last bimester, I provided psychological services to 91 students and their parents or guardians, the main issues that we addressed included toilet training, speech, learning to adapt, socialization, behavioral conduct, and physical abuse. During one of our group sessions, I spoke about the importance of oral language and speech disorders in children between 2 and 3 years of age. After the lecture, both the children and their parents participated in a guided exercise to increase the toddlers’ coordination of the tongue, lips and jaw. The nursery teachers were present to help direct the participants. We used traditional Mexican sweets such as Cajeta, Lechera, Duvalín, lollipops, cups, water and straws. The goal of this activity was for parents to learn and get involved in motor and speech exercises that help develop the natural skills of their children.”

“Parents have requested that during the parenting classes we address issues that have been affecting them such as communication with family members and spouses, domestic violence, sexual abuse, single parenting, self-esteem, emotional control and establishing boundaries. Thrity-two parents attended our “Values and Family” and “Emotions and Learning” sessions. Some of them have even asked for individual therapy to find solutions to the problems that have been affecting their family life and which impact their children’s emotional development and behavior.”

Irma Morales Martínez, School Principal

“For our school it is very important to implement innovative teaching-learning activities that are favorable for the integral development of our students. It has been of great interest for us to have our project showcased by Fundación Educa México, A.C. on GlobalGiving as it has challenged and allowed us to be creative. Our students have made presentations before their classmates and even children from other grades about natural phenomena. We have noticed the involvement and commitment of parents in helping their children learn the information and build their expositions. Teachers and their students also researched and performed experiments, an activity that we had never done before. The children were thrilled. Furthermore, we have continued our teaching activities in our computer room, physical education in the play yard and creative workshops making cookies, painting, and performing children’s stories. Nancy Pamela Pérez Villegas, Educa Institutional Outreach Coordinator

“During the months of November and December 2009, Fundación EDUCA México, A.C. collected 5,000 toys from donors in Mexico which we distributed in 39 Educa Network Schools. On January 20th, we delivered 455 toys at Sedac’s Preschool, benefiting 195 girls and 260 boys. This was a very important experience for me because each toy caused joy and illusion, especially for the children who live in La Ladrillera (Brick Builders) Community that did not receive gifts on Three Kings Day due to the economic hardship that their families constantly face. Moreover, the toy delivery allowed us to show the children that during their time in school they can learn many new things and also share moments of happiness with their peers and teachers. I would like our donors to know that their effort to donate to our projects has no price, we could only repay it with our enormous gratitude.”

Please let us know your comments and suggestions by filling out the feedback box below.

Best regards,

The Fundación EDUCA México Team

Identifying shapes & colors during Computer Class

Educa delivered new toys in January

Essential Services for Preschoolers to Stay in School!

The Fundación EDUCA México Team — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:29:05 GMT

Teacher Aurelia Guerrero reads a story to her class.

Thank you very much for your generous support! Your donations have allowed us to continue supporting at-risk children with services that encourage them to stay and succeed in school. 65.9% of them come from families with monthly incomes between 77 USD and 230 USD. Therefore, these services make a significant impact in their daily lives.

“I really like to come to school because I make many friends and I like to study and eat” – Fernando Tafolla Ponce, Five-Year- Old Benefited Preschooler

Meals SEDAC’s Pre-School provides balanced breakfast and lunch for its 455 students. Each month, the School serves an average of 3,285 breakfasts and 5,645 lunches. The nutrition program has now been complemented with medical monitoring of each child’s height and weight. As a result, school staff make sure that children who are underweight or who suffer malnutrition consume the necessary intake of food. In addition, their parents are being informed of their child’s growth and the school has invited a nutritionist to offer them advice to follow at home.

School Supplies This Pre-School has a teaching staff of 18. They use teaching material to stimulate the Pre-Schoolers’ five senses focusing on personal and social development, language and oral communication, artistic expression, and exploration and knowledge of their surroundings. Your donations have supported the maintenance of their computer lab, and the purchase of school supplies such as different types of paper, coloring pencils, paint, scissors, wooden sticks, straws, seeds, magazines, balls and balloons. These supplies, along with those available in the school, aid in the development of their fine motor skills, communication and memory.

Psychological Services Psychological attention is mainly provided for students whose disorders affect their integrity and cause poor academic performance. Many of their problems stem from their family’s problems at home; therefore, their families also receive guidance. During October 2009, 37 children and their parents received therapy to address learning disabilities, adjustment and behavioral problems, and speech therapy. Each child continues to receive therapy and guidance as long as necessary.

Parenting classes 52.83% of their parents list elementary or middle school as their highest level of schooling. As a result, they lack the skills to support their children with school related matters and personal development. With the donations that have been received, the school has been able to provide Parenting Classes. The school psychologist gives speeches about family values, parenting skills, and habits that their children are being encouraged to adopt, for instance, using a fork and knife to eat. As a result, parents become co-educators at home who reinforce the teachers’ work and their children’s accomplishments.

This is our first report on GlobalGiving and we would love to hear back from you. Your feedback will help us inform you better. Please write your comments in the box below.

Best regards,

The Fundación EDUCA México Team

Cardboard & clay volcanoes “erupt” with vinegar and baking soda.

Preschoolers enjoy their balanced lunch.