Project fully funded. Thanks for your support!
The Dream.
Four years ago a Kindergarten classroom started in a borrowed house in the rural community of Los Laureles. With no school nearby, many school-aged children were not able to access education. Two years ago a local woman named Gema Picado graduated from teachers college against the odds and returned to Las Noventas to found a school with a small salary from the Ministry of Education.
Families gathered supplies and built a rancho classroom on a piece of borrowed land. Enrollment quickly grew as parents recognized the opportunity to empower their children with
education.
Los Laureles now has three teachers who teach a total of 71 children from Kindergarten to grade 4. They would like to offer classes up to grade 6.
They share what little resources they have, alternating lessons at one whiteboard and sharing the chairs amongst students. When asked about her dream for the little school Gema said:
“I would build a pretty new school. It would have a sports area where the children could play at recess because children learn while playing, and it would have washrooms because we don’t have those here.”
The parents are very dedicated. This year they replaced the original plastic roof with a metal one, and they are so proud.
The Community.
The community consists primarily of subsistence farmers and farm hands living in the foothills of the Cosignuina volcano. They dream of brighter futures for their children.
The Ministry of Education is committed to supporting the teachers with salaries and training but they do not have the budget to build a new school. The parents are committed to helping build a safe new school and one family has donated a large piece of their own land so the school can be built close to where children live. The land is legalized in the name of the Ministry of Education and with your support, we’re now building a new Los Laureles School.
Community Statistics
- 137 Families
- 4 Childeren per Family (on average)
- Average Family Salary: $120 USD/month
Project Breakdown.
We have now funded one of the three classrooms and covering the cost of classroom materials and a third of construction costs for the school washroom facilities. The remaining two classrooms have now been funded through our charity partner SchoolBox.
- 1 Classroom: $18,000
- Washroom facilities: $700
- Classroom furniture/whiteboards: $1,100
All funds in $ USD
