Thank You for Supporting Student like Antonio

Dear Donors,

Thank you for supporting our fundraising efforts on this past July Bonus Day! We shared with you Antonio’s incredible quest to return to school and keep studying in our bilingual high school track, which included him selling his cell-phone to buy school supplies.

We are ecstatic to report that with your help we raised $4,625 and GlobalGiving matched $1,859 – summing our campaign total to $6,484! We, like you, are astounded by Antonio’s perseverance and maturity as we have seen him grow through the years in our bilingual education program (see photo). All of your efforts will continue to support students, like Antontio, who are benefitted by our education and bilingual track program.

Many thanks for your support in our campaign! We could not have done it without you.

Antonio’s Trade for School

Meet Antonio, a colegio bilingual track student. When the pandemic hit in 2020 he dropped out. Yet, I often saw him walking back his classmates from school – he stood out without a uniform. I did not think much of this, but on our director’s most recent trip she reported Antonio had returned to school! Nervous, but confident he sought our director to talk and she was surprised at how much his English had progressed. Antonio shared that he returned to study even after doing remedial classes and being put a year behind his peers. A school administrator also chimed in how Antonio had SOLD his phone to pay for his uniform and supplies. 

We could not believe how a teenager had persevered through so many setbacks and was still able to choose over and over again to keep studying. Antonio realized the value in continuing his bilingual education every time that he walked home with his peers.

That is why we need your help to raise funds for our education program to support students, who like Antonio may face many adverstities in our region, yet choose to keep going.

More than ever your donation means so much to us.

In solidarity,

Mariela Rodriguez

Comunications Coordinator

Igniting the Reading “Spark”

By Minsis Ramos – Assistant Director

We are pleased to tell you about a NEW CHAPTER in our book of continued commitment to foster reading! As our education team continues trekking towards providing a wholesome education for our students, we created a partnership with Proyecto Chispa or “Project Spark.” This non-profit in Honduras focuses on providing books to schoolchildren and preparing teachers to engage creatively with their students.

Chispa training; trainers in 2 corners

Together with the Department of Education in Intibuca, we provided training sessions for 120 teachers. Our Chispa partners covered topics like how to motivate students to keep reading a book they’ve already started and how to foster imagination by asking children to think of alternative book endings. Many teachers not only received the benefit of passing this knowledge on to their students, but also to their own children as many of them are parents too. One teacher mentioned how this initiative complements the digital books already available in Kolibri. Adding how her students come from low-income backgrounds who “couldn’t allow themselves to buy a book, yet in Kolibri we have a great diversity of books. [I am] very happy to utilize this teaching method in my classes.”

With the conclusion of this training we have begun preparing our schools for this year’s reading contest as we create excitement amongst the professors who can then ignite the “spark” onto their students.

Until the next chapter!

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