Soroptimists Strike Again plus Garage Sale News

Linda accepts the suitcase from Soroptimists Kathryn Haapanen and Colleen Blazier

Soroptimist International of Sequim just presented us with a suitcase full of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and hard glasses cases. Thanks to all Soroptimist members and special thanks to Kathryn Haapanen who proposed and organized the project. Every time we go to Chiapas our goal is to take 100 toothbrushes and we are ready for our July trip with this great donation.

Our 3rd annual Mujeres Quality Garage Sale took place May 22. Thanks to all your donations and the good weather, it was the busiest and most successful sale to date. We raised $1100.00!
Thank you, Rose Bridge, for volunteering 15 hours to help us organize, price and sell. Our supporters are the best!

NEW PROJECT AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2010-2011

The community of Crucero has just submitted a comprehensive full year project for fifteen primary school students. The project was designed by current scholarship girls who are fulfilling their one-hundred hour per year community service obligation. It's a terrific project that will strengthen math and Spanish skills, teach literacy in their Maya language, develop creativity, and includes workshops on self-esteem, garbage recycling, Al-anon and sexuality.
We are delighted to fund this project.

The two current full year projects, one for the children of Zinacantan and the other for women's literacy in Altamirano, are progressing well. At the end of July, Linda and I are looking forward to attending some of these sessions, as well as meeting with the coordinators of the projects to assess progress and review the evaluations that will have been done by that date.

As of August first, we will have nineteen girls and women on scholarships. Yoli, our first recipient, is now in her fifth year of study. Martha and Tere (below right), who started with us three years ago, are just finishing secondary study (age 16) and will be entering in preparatory school this summer.We assured their mother (and them!) three years ago that we would be there for them for the duration of their academic career.

We are planning to provide backpacks and school supplies to primary school children related to the women in the cooperative. We could use help with this...send an email if you'd like to be involved. Soroptimst International of Sequim is putting together a suitcase of toothbrushes and toothpaste. The last two visits to Chiapas we've carried down about 100 of each and we plan to do this every visit.


Please remember, that everything we've been able to accomplish is due to you, our supporters. You can take pride in the change you've made in the lives of these young women. They are growing and learning and becoming role models for others in their communities.