Fund a teacher and teach a class in Latin America

The school year in Guatemala came to an end in October with very encouraging results from all the grades. We are preparing to use our experience we have gained over the last two decades to expand our operations in other communities in Guatemala to bring more graduate teachers into the classrooms whilst paying for their University costs. This is so important not just for the children in the primary schools who often have to share their teacher with two other grades, though will also show them what is possible, as these graduate teachers live in the same community can come from the same background.

We will also be setting up small businesses for teenage single mothers who can learn new skills and receive income so they can pay for their further studies which they had to leave behind once they became pregnant and, due to being single, are the only earners in the household.

The graduations from our Phoenix College in Honduras next month will be a “first” for a very important reason: all the graduates are girls! All our recent graduations over the years have been mixed though this year, after six years since this group started with us, they are all now graduating, which is a brilliant example of giving girls the same rights and opportunities as boys!

This will also be the end of our first year in our satellite Phoenix secondary school high up in the hills which has allowed students very rural communities to receive further education when before they couldn’t due to the long distances to travel each day. It has been a huge success and we will be adding another grade in 2020.

The college band once again wowed the crowds in Independence Day with more instruments that we purchased this year and we celebrated Day of the Child in La Pintada with food, games and of course piñatas!

In Ecuador the new school year got underway with the traditional ceremony of flowers and gifts with the parents and the students. The head of education of the area was in attendance. Work continued installing piping into the school for fresh water and the community got together for a minga to prepare a new playground for the children.

Due to the potential increased transport costs following the Government’s decision to cancel fuel subsidies we have set up a monthly fund for all the teachers so they will be able to travel each day up into the mountains where we work. At time of writing this still hasn’t come into action so this fund will go towards a food program for the children. 

We celebrated our 13^th Anniversary in Perú recently with lots of traditional dance, food and games. Edyluz, our longest serving teacher since 2006, once again was the start of the show. Our aims for 2020 are to increase the numbers of local teachers in the school as the current ratio is just one teacher per three grades. Thanks to your donations we can achieve this.

As part of the the curriculum the importance of personal hygiene and prevention of illnesses was taught at the school. Most families don’t have running water and the school itself gets water twice a week. The lack of water means the families have to make the most of what they have.

On 3^rd December Global Giving will be adding bonuses to all donations whilst funds last as part of their #GivingTuesday campaign so if you can donate, please donate early and thank you very much in advance! All donations made will go towards our Christmas Appeal which aims to raise $15,000 towards our local teachers’ salaries and University scholarships, sustainable income plans for local families, fruit and food, school materials and celebrations during 2020.

We will also be planting one tree for every $15 donated in our effort to help offset the problems of deforestation and the effects of climate change as trees help reduce carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Thank you so much for any donation you can make to the Appeal and 2020 and all the best for the upcoming festive season!