In each of the countries we visit we share time and resources with small grass roots groups/schools/organizations and specific individuals. Many of them are not supported widely by other projects. Some of our projects are highlighted below.
Student Sponsorship in Guatemala
Our sponsorship project began in 2014 where we realized that no girl had ever graduated from High School in the small Highland community of Chwitiziribal, Guatemala. That first year we had 6 students. In 2022 there will be 24 Students in the project, 4 in University and 20 in various levels of High School. Education after elementary school is a challenge for these students, their families lack resources and many of their parents are illiterate and didn’t have the chance to go. For boys the historical expectation is that they would get married and start to work on the land, for girls it is not uncommon to be married by age 16. We are very proud of our students and look forward to continuing the sponsorship for years to come. The cost for 2022 is $446 CAD per student. We are always in need of new sponsors as new students leave elementary school each year and some sponsors are unable to continue. Let us know if you are interested in becoming a sponsor.
New Elementary School in Chwitziribal, Guatemala
In March 2018 we celebrated the completion of our HUGE project to build a new elementary school in the village of Chwitiziribal, Guatemala. This was an 18 month effort of fundraising in partnership with Lynn Valley United Church, Highlands United Church, and St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church and many wonderful friends and donors. The website below outlines the project with many photos and details. We always visit this school with each group that goes to Guatemala sharing a day of joy with the children usually including a piñata, snacks and lunch, crafts and games. The walls of the school are almost shaking with the voices and excitement of the children when we arrive in our bus! Our groups also provide all the school supplies that the 3 teachers use in their classrooms.
https://newschoolguatemala.weebly.com/
Projects in Thailand
When we travel with groups to Thailand, we have had the privilege of partnering with the Branch Foundation and visiting for two days the Koung Jor Refugee Camp at the Burmese Border. We have learned a great deal about the Shan People who have been in refuge in Thailand for the past 17 years. We meet the leaders of the camp, shared time with them, visited and supported the weaving project, and shared a morning in English Class for monks and made a donation for help with the running of the English programme in the village.
We have had the huge honor of staying overnight in Mae Sa Mae, a Village of Mung People an hour outside of Chiang Mai. We were hosted by our incredible friend Win Leard and their homestay project to see what life for the hilltribe people in thailand is like. We lived a simple life for a day and a half, enjoying the peace of the village. When we leave, the community just asks us to leave funds by donation in a box they have in their community hall. Once a year the box is opened and the funds used for projects throughout the year. Their trust and partnership is of deep value to us.
