This project will help BPP continue to provide high-quality virtual learning to our students in Latin America as this global pandemic continues. We want to increase the amount of time that each child spends with their teacher because of the challenges that arise with online learning, as well as provide better transportation for teachers who must visit rural students. BPP only hires local staff who are integral parts of the communities they work in.
San Juan del Sur is a fishing town on the coast of Nicaragua, and Escamequita is a rural village nearby, where un- and underemployment are common. BPP wants to be a positive force in this community by not only providing education to the children, but by employing qualified, passionate teachers from the local area. We want to offer better contracts to the teachers that provide them with job security and financial stability so that they can continue to inspire our students and the community.
$5,000 in funding will allow us to create semester-long contracts for all of our teachers in Nicaragua this fall, as well as provide better career development opportunities, and offer teachers transportation and internet to cope with the changes caused by COVID and the transition to virtual learning.
BPP's success depends on its committed and well-trained teachers. If we are able to offer more secure, long-term contracts to our 6 core teachers in Nicaragua, we will be a source of reliable employment for 6 families in the area. Continuity among teachers also encourages long-lasting relationships between teachers and students, which has been proven to improve retention and graduation rates.