Project Report
| Nov 13, 2012
Experts Agree on Early Learning
By Joan Fuetsch | Project Leader
![Story hour for the little ones]()
Story hour for the little ones
We are making a year-end push for this project to be able to expand it in 2013. It is a very successful pilot project that we hope, very soon, will get picked up by institutional donors so that we might offer it to many more Central American families. If you have any doubts about the importance of early childhood stimulation I hope that you will take the time to watch this TED talk video on YouTube. http://youtu.be/ozNo1tSARh8. At this writing Alba is conducting two completely full sessions each week. Due to the small size of her library she has to lock the doors to other would be library users for the duration of the early childhood sessions. People in Alba's community write and tell us that she is the "soul" of their little library and that the library is the soul of the community, that it is giving a community that suffered mightily during the 36-year civil war some hope for the future. Children are the future and the hope of this and every other community. We are very grateful for your donations to date and are very hopeful as 2012 comes to a close that you might give just a little bit more to ensure that this program continues and expands too. Muchas gracias.
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Aug 27, 2012
Meet the Project Director, Alba Estrada
By Joan Fuetsch | Joan Fuetsch
![Alba Estrada (L) with Rotarians from Reno NV]()
Alba Estrada (L) with Rotarians from Reno NV
Alba Estrada is the director of the program which takes place in the village library. Alba was born and raised in the indigenous community of Quiche which is not far from the famed Chichicastenango market for those of you who have been to Guatemala. Alba's family is not indigenous and she reports that she was only accepted by the indigenous population when she started working in the Riecken library. Quiche is an area where there was a lot of violence during Guatemala's 36-year civil war and the wounds are healing very slowly. If you haven't seen Alba talk about the early childhood program I would encourage you to click on the link below to watch our video. The mothers in the community were initially reluctant to participate in the early childhood program most likely because most of them are illiterate and lacking in self-esteem. Now the program is so over subscribed (and by demand including a lot of information on nutrition) that Alba is searching for funding for a second floor for her library. Currently, when the early childhood program is in session the little library has to be closed and all the furniture moved around. We also invite you to click on the interview link and listen to a 2007 interview with the founder of the Riecken network, Allen Andersson. Please help us to report to Alba that we have full funding for her project. Muchas gracias.
![In front of Alba's little library]()
In front of Alba's little library
![Alba reading to all her children.]()
Alba reading to all her children.
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May 29, 2012
Reno Rotary Club Visits Pilot Project
By Joan Fuetsch | Project Leader
![Reno (NV) Rotarians with Alba Estrada]()
Reno (NV) Rotarians with Alba Estrada
During the month of April several Rotarians from the Reno Rotary Club visited our pilot early childhood development project in Quiche, Guatemala. They also delivered a number of supplies for the program. The small library was crammed with mothers and children. Personnel from the local health center came to do a presentation on vegetables to the mothers while Alba Estrada, the director, read a story to the children involving vegetables. Several children dressed as vegetables did a presentation for all present. Alba asked the mothers to discuss what the program meant to them and one mother spoke very passionately about the difference in her daughter since they have been attending the early childhood development program. She indicated that her daughter talked more and asked more questions and that she felt that she was a much better mother because of the things she had learned.
While we have recently received a grant (see link below) from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to strengthen our network of libraries we need your help to continue and expand this program to our other libraries. No donation is too small to be appreciated. A few dollars is very useful in Central America. Muchas gracias.
![Learning about vegetables from a story book]()
Learning about vegetables from a story book
![Presenting vegetable benefits to the moms]()
Presenting vegetable benefits to the moms
![Practicing new skills]()
Practicing new skills
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