July ‘o9

Here’s the latest from Project School Supplies in Copan, Honduras ~ July 2009

Ellen and friends saddling up to make deliveries to outlying aldeas, or remote villages.

Ellen Deliveries
Gringos Deliveries
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The Ramirez Orphans Now Have a New Home!

Ramirez Children's HouseIsaias and EllenIsaias on Horse

Thanks to Ellen’s amazing spirit, determination and generosity, and donations from many people, the Ramirez children, who were orphaned earlier this year and lost their mud hut to severe rains in April, now have a lovely new home and comfortable mattresses to sleep on for the first time in their lives. Please read their thank you letters, learn more about these amazing children and see more photos here.
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Accomplishments

Thanks to your donations, Project School Supplies has evolved into much more than supplying schools with educational materials and making building improvements. Here’s what has been achieved to date:

    – Built a house and started a garden for 3 orphaned children whose mud house recently collapsed.

    – Set up a dental hygiene program including workshops and donations of over 750 toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste

    — Set up a building block program where we get scraps of wood are donated from local carpenters, youth from financially challenged families are paid to sand them and the blocks are then donated to the village kindergartens.

    – Repaired and restored more than 17 village schools with such aid as putting on roofs than had blown apart in storms, building pilas (water storage units) , installing bathrooms, painting walls, putting in electricity and repairing window screens

    – Supplied more than 20 schools with didactic materials, games, paper and general supplies

    – Started a 4 month vitamin pilot project in a distressed village school.

    – Started a scholarship fund for children with good grades who need school supplies

    – Started a visiting doctor program in El Chilar village, who will come in once a week to examine the children in the school and give out necessary donated medicines.

    – Bought school uniforms for more than 25 children to enable them to attend school

    – Coordinated a nutrition and vegetable garden program in various impoverished communities

    – Started an emergency grocery delivery program for families in urgent need

    – Adopted 2 street dogs named Betty and Freddy

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New Project:

El Malcote village is extremely poor and growing fast. There are 80 students in this school, 40 of whom have a classroom. The others are taught sitting under rusty pieces of tin, which villagers have added to combat the torrential rains. The heavy rainy season will start in a few months which is why this is imperative to start building this village a new school as soon as possible. Please see all Projects here. El Macote BuildingEl Macote EntranceEl Macote Kids

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Ongoing Project:

Ellen’s Block Building Enterprise is going strong! Scrap wood is donated by local carpenters and then children from very low income families are paid to sand them before being given to various kindergartens. Please see all projects here.

Blocks

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How to Help

Donations of cash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, school supplies and vitamins are always welcome. If you can, please consider an ongoing monthly contribution of $20 or more. Learn more here.

Buy Music! Musicians Ellen Finn and Tamara Lewis are generously donating proceeds from the sales of their CDs to support the work of Project School Supplies. Purchase CDs at: www.EllenFinnMusic.com and TLewisMusic.comCDCoverWeb

Tamara Lewis LaughingAlso, please help publicize all the amazing work Project School Supplies is doing in Honduras by forwarding this e-mail and newsletter to as many friends and family as possible.

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July 1st, 2009 ~ The Revolution

Things are now somewhat stable in Honduras but this is an e-mail from Ellen from the beginning of July:

    Okay, guys. The climate is shifting…. Less humor and more concern.

    The confrontation day is tomorrow with Zelaya and the UN trying to re enter Honduras. The protests and demonstrations, especially in the cities. are heating up. Although there is polarization there seems to be a tremendous support for Zelaya and against the military and Michelletti. Micheletti has long history of power abuse and corruption, but many people, especially the poorest of villagers have forgotten this in the face of his promises.

    Here in Copan, there are demonstrations now as well. The border is closed (except for those of us who want to get outta here) and without foreign trade because of the embargoes, or tourists entering, this already poor nation is suffering badly. Without gas, the farmers can’t transport their goods, without tourists folks can’t sell their goods or fill their hotels… well, you all know…

    I am staying here for now, but have started to think what I would pack if necessary…

    I love these sweet people here and hope for the best and a quick end to this craziness. Folks are scared, angry, betrayed and worry about continuing their paltry incomes. I continue to support the schools and do my work here and try to learn and understand the best I can.

    Hope you are all well and appreciate the relative peace that you have. I love you.