September 2012 – A meeting with the Red Cross

September 9th, 2012

Several of the NGO’s in the area are working together to eventually have a clinic in Nueva Allianza. They are looking for funding for the albaniel wage in order to start the first phase of the clinic. They plan on building it in stages so the first stage would not provide anything functional but be the impetus to demonstrate intent to all the NGO’s involved to provide further funding.

The people in the area have limited and sometimes no possible access to medical care. The child fatality rate is high.

September 2012 – El Chilar

September 9th, 2012

We arrived to the kids being lined up outside to raise the flag, sing the national anthem in Chorti and put on a short program for us. It seems strange that in a country where the people appear so patriotic, the government doesn’t provide them with education past Grade 6. Not only does the Ministry of Education not provide post Grade 6 schooling, they even seemed to put obstacles in our way when we tried to present a more accessible opportunity for the students.

The computer based program has been a partial success with half of the students studying on computer and half with print text books.
Adin (the teacher in El Chilar) has asked about adding two more computers to the classroom to accommodate use of the program from Bryans “computer based learning program” out of Santa Cruz.

One of the items that we will raffle on Friday at our fiesta.

One of the items that we will raffle on Friday at our fiesta.

September 2012 – San Jose, Guatemala

September 9th, 2012

We delivered greetings from Maria and A Better World to the community of San Jose today. They were thrilled to receive the photo album that we gave them that tracked the journey of the building of the school from our first meetings to the inauguration of the school.

They have set aside one of the parcels of land for the partners in the building of the school: Ellen of Project School Supplies, Maria and I from A Better World and Marel our “man on the ground”. Leonardo, one of the community leaders told me that we would always have a
home with them.

Cookies for everyone

Cookies for everyone

 

May 2012 – El Chilar Jr. Hi Project (Computer Based Learning)

June 4th, 2012

Enrolment has increased from 5 students starting the program in the last school year to 12 this year. One student withdrew, and another student has just started since the school year began in February. The first reports of student progress have been sent to Bryan Butler, who runs the Computer Based Learning program.

May 2012 – Chicken project in El Chilar

June 4th, 2012

The chicken project in El Chilar has changed considerably since it’s beginning 15 months ago. It is now a combination of egg supply, raising baby chicks to grow and sell, and provide meat for the kids snack program at the school.

The food source for the chickens has gone from totally purchased chicken feed to corn donated by the families and green “stuff” that grows all over.

The last count is…..32 live chickens, and 11 eggs waiting to hatch