LITERACY FOR A MAYAN VILLAGE IN GUATEMALA

Let’s Leave No Girl Behind - our club’s signature project

Subcommittee update, Oct 2018

BACKGROUND: During Rotary year 2015-16 we conducted a survey of our club membership to determine members' preferences for Rotary's six areas of focus, resulting in an overwhelming preference to support an education and literacy service project. Consequently the club selected LLNGB as our signature project: it reflected members' interests and preferences and was represented by a Rotarian on location for accountability. The Maya Jaguar Education Center, built and operated by Adopt-A-Village Guatemala, a non-profit organization founded by club Rotarian Frances Dixon, promotes education and vocational life skills for disenfranchised Mayan girls in remote rural northwestern Guatemala. The center first teaches students Spanish to enable them to progress to basic Spanish-language education. It also provides vocational computer training, life skills that enable students to obtain computer-related employment in high demand after graduation. Our club's initial efforts involved a partial scholarship to one student, subsequent efforts have grown to one full scholarship last year, a private Rotarian's additional scholarship, and a supply of Maya-Spanish dictionaries. Funding of this project to date has been from individual member donations, a raffle, and now a matching district grant.

GOALS: For the upcoming school year (Jan-Oct 2019), still within our current Rotary year budget, we proposed a budget of $6,500 for students at the Maya Jaguar Education Center, as follows:

1. Renew the scholarship for Isabel Ramirez (Left) to complete her final year of high school studies: $2,500 (includes instructions, books & supplies, room & board); 
2. An additional scholarship for a second girl, Elena Perez Domingo (Right), to study at the Maya Jaguar Middle School: $2,500 (includes instructions, books & supplies, room & board);
3. An instructor stipend for Maria Velazquez, who attended six-month Spanish training program in 2017 sponsored by our club, and who was subsequently accepted for a scholarship at Maya Jaguar in 2018.  The stipend of $100 per month for 10 months and $500 for books and supplies will provide weekly Spanish instruction to an estimated 20 additional students with insufficient Spanish language skills to attend regular school. Total: $1,500.

FUNDING: A total of $4,500 was approved by the club during the October board meeting, requested from the club Foundation, which was approved and available for disbursement upon demand. This amount includes existing funds designated to the project by individual donors and from a special fundraiser during RY 2017-18. This will be added to a just-approved $2,000 District 5110 matching grant for a total of $6,500.

PROMOTION:

1. Finalize a 2017-18 final project report for club website and foundation board of directors;
2. Feature current fundraiser with classic book incentive on club FB page and D5110 eNews;
3. Launch a fundraiser in November with Guatemalan handicraft items for sale on club website, club social media, D5110 eNews;
4. Motivate additional club members and friends, families, to designate regular monthly or occasional donations  to this project;
5. Follow up with three other Rotary Clubs for potential project partnering:

• Albany: to be contacted by Gary Campbell
• Scott Valley: Frances Dixon presents on November 29^th
  • (Scott Valley provided several generous contributions in 2018)
• West Bradenton: Frances Dixon has presented a written request

6. Post regular project updates in weekly club meetings, on club website and social media, submit progress updates and fundraising activities to District 5110 eNews;
7. Create a LLNGB web page on the club website;
8. Submit comprehensive project "story" to Rotary Voices for more extensive outreach.

Project subcommittee: Emily Francona, Frances Dixon, Osman Castaneda, Selvin Rivas, Thomas Wolsey, Gary Campbell, Larry Holcomb (ex officio).