Hi everyone,
The time of year for the 2012 School Sponsorship drive has arrived!
For Elementary school it will be $190
Junior High School will be $390
High School will be $490
University will be $1,250
We are sad to put the prices up and we have agonized about it but the reality is that we cut the sponsorship as close to the bone as possible...and with the costs rising we have to go up as well.
Our wish is to have as many kids have access to school as is possible but if we can't give them what they need to be able to stay in school then there is not much point in sending them. I have been checking around to see how other organizations cope with the costs of the school sponorship and another very well known org. here in Guatemala that charges $30 US a month is giving shoes that are donated...if they have the sizes...we give two pairs of brand new shoes....they do not give backpacks, they give a plastic basket with the school supplies...while plastic baskets come in very handy, I have never seen a kid carrying their school supplies in one....and they do not pay the subscription fees or the monthly fees for the children who are in jnr. high or high school. ..we pay those fees and we give everyone a backpack, plus when we can, we give them socks, underwear, gym clothes and as much as we can to help them ...often a ball for school, or a musical instrument....we cannot guarantee that we can do the ball and the instrument but if we can, we do. Also we do try, when we have medical and dental groups here to make sure that all our sponsored students have access to these facilities first. We advertise them at our office, we call students who we know have the problems that could be attended to. We really have tried to rack our brains how not to put the prices up...we have considered cutting out some things, but what to cut out that children will be able to go to school without that item?The shoes that we buy are really good quality...but even so with all the hard wearing on the roads here, they don't last a year, so the kids always receive extra shoes from the donations. I wish we didn't have to raise the prices ..I am really sorry. I know it is a really hard time for all of us right now.Sharon
The time of year for the 2012 School Sponsorship drive has arrived!
For Elementary school it will be $190
Junior High School will be $390
High School will be $490
University will be $1,250
We are sad to put the prices up and we have agonized about it but the reality is that we cut the sponsorship as close to the bone as possible...and with the costs rising we have to go up as well.
Our wish is to have as many kids have access to school as is possible but if we can't give them what they need to be able to stay in school then there is not much point in sending them. I have been checking around to see how other organizations cope with the costs of the school sponorship and another very well known org. here in Guatemala that charges $30 US a month is giving shoes that are donated...if they have the sizes...we give two pairs of brand new shoes....they do not give backpacks, they give a plastic basket with the school supplies...while plastic baskets come in very handy, I have never seen a kid carrying their school supplies in one....and they do not pay the subscription fees or the monthly fees for the children who are in jnr. high or high school. ..we pay those fees and we give everyone a backpack, plus when we can, we give them socks, underwear, gym clothes and as much as we can to help them ...often a ball for school, or a musical instrument....we cannot guarantee that we can do the ball and the instrument but if we can, we do. Also we do try, when we have medical and dental groups here to make sure that all our sponsored students have access to these facilities first. We advertise them at our office, we call students who we know have the problems that could be attended to. We really have tried to rack our brains how not to put the prices up...we have considered cutting out some things, but what to cut out that children will be able to go to school without that item?The shoes that we buy are really good quality...but even so with all the hard wearing on the roads here, they don't last a year, so the kids always receive extra shoes from the donations. I wish we didn't have to raise the prices ..I am really sorry. I know it is a really hard time for all of us right now.Sharon
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