Our Projects

Another friend of Asociacion Maya, Ken McGuffin in Toronto, and I have been raising money for a new intermediate school (Basico) in El Triunfo, Solola, Guatemala, the rural community with the largest number of Asociacion Maya co-op members. Beginning in January 2008, the current elementary school began to be used in the afternoon for a new intermediate school.

 

Education opportunities for the children in the villages are limited. The publicly funded school in the village only covers grades one to six. Few children go beyond grade six since they must pay for further education, including transportation, books, supplies, uniform and some or all of the tuition. It’s a cost that few of the families can afford. Many children leave school because they see no hope for being able to continue past grade six. In 2007 Ken raised money to provide scholarships to six children to attend 7th and 8th grades at a school outside the village  -- a small fraction of the students who are eager to learn more.

 

In 2007 Ken and I began working with the development committee (part of the council in the village of El Triunfo) to look at plans for providing additional educational opportunities in the village.

 

The new seventh, eighth, and ninth grades began at the beginning of the school year in January to use classroom space in the existing elementary school. Primary school children continue to attend classes in the morning, leaving the space available for the intermediate school students in the afternoon. At some point, the school may need to be expanded to handle the extra student enrollment. Many children currently only attend long enough to learn Spanish and their numbers, but it is expected with the opportunity to study at low or no charge in the village, more kids will go to school, and for longer.

 

Below is part of Ken’s update from a trip to El Triunfo.

 

 

Please consider the school project in your  year-end charitable giving. Also consider making a contribution in lieu of or in addition to giving holiday presents this year.

 

For US residents:

Make a tax-deductible donation by sending a check with A Thread of Hope School in the memo line, made out to UCDF (UPAVIM Community Development Foundation) to Barb Lorraine, 808 E. 23rd St., Bryan, TX 77803.  

We will soon have a way to donate online and receive a tax receipt. Tax receipts will be mailed out each January. 

Thank you to UPAVIM Community Development Foundation for agreeing to pass on 100% of donations to the school project!

If you do not need a tax deduction, you can click on Support Our Projects and donate via credit card, or send a check made out to A Thread of Hope, with School in the memo line and mail it to A Thread of Hope, P.O. Box 1764, Brookline, MA 02446-0014. 

 

For Canadian residents who want to donate:

The school is an official project of the Social Justice Committee of Bloor Street United Church. Visit the church’s page at CanadaHelps.org at http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s1844. Click on “Donate Now” and select “Guatemalan Projects – McGuffin” under Funds.

 

You can also send a cheque payable to “Bloor Street United Church.” To Ken McGuffin, Manager, Media Relations, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, 105 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E6

 

Please e-mail or call with any questions. Thank you so much for your support.

 

Eliza