Spirit offers scholarships to impoverished young women in Guatemala, in the spirit of friendship and opportunity. We are not religious based. Become a girl's angel, be her godparent.

Spirit, working with Rotary, is also providing dental care for the community and scholarship girls.  SEE DENTAL PAGE or www.dentalcare-vols.org

CONTACT: info@spiriteduc.org

SPIRIT is a 501(c)(3) tax deductible public charity whose purposes are:

• to educate impoverished young women in Guatemala.
• to provide textbooks, reading books & computers in village libraries
• to make available English language CD and computer programs in the village libraries
• provide dental care for scholarship girls and villagers
• help in obtaining jobs when finished with education 
• Provide for other needs

SPIRIT'S Motto is "PASS IT ON"

Even the poorest American has incredible opportunities;  education, clean water, good hospitals and job opportunities.

In Guatemala, only 12% go beyond primary school and 2.5% go beyond middle school. Give a girl a chance by;

• Sponsoring a girl through school, your "godchild" (a group can sponsor one girl)
• Donations for special needs such as health care, equipment, special events costs

Each scholarship student (becada) promises to "pass it on" to another in the future, as they will have better lives and incomes. Therefore your gift will live on in the future for more than your godchild.

WHY JOIN SPIRIT?

• BE AN ANGEL (GODPARENT) TO A BRIGHT YOUNG WOMAN
• SHARE HER DREAMS & SUCCESSES THROUGH EMAILS
• "PASS IT ON"   YOUR GOOD FORTUNE SHARED WITH ANOTHER 
• YOUR DOLLARS GO TO YOUR GIRL, NOT A "CORPORATE STRUCTURE *

   * 100% of your dollars go to your "godchild"; tuition, ESL teacher & learning aids, bus fare.

COATEPEQUE REGION, GUATEMALA. . . .

Coatepeque is located at the green dot in the western part of Guatemala, 4 hours from Guatemala City (the yellow dot). Coatepeque is the region's major city, surrounded by many satellite villages. It is also the location of the diversificada schools (post middle school career schools and the university that our scholarship students (becadas) attend.

This is an economically devastated region due to;

• the elimination of the low land coffee industry: employment for thousands
• replacement industries are rubber, cattle and bananas, employing few workers
• a high birth rate and impoverished families
• education is not free; tuition, uniforms and supplies prevent attendance
• An uneducated population, results in few job opportunities and high unemployment.
• Inflation is extremely high: bus fares and tuition were up 35+% over the last year.

Education is the only way out of deepening poverty, but it is too costly for most.

 A poster in the Coatepeque hospital shows only 12% of the population has some education beyond primary school.                We are targeting the 10% of students in the small blue section, that have managed to afford a middle school education, want more, but can't afford the much higher fees..      

GROWING SPIRIT

In the last 7 years, we have visited many villages and been on TV to explain the Spirit dream of “pass it on” education and the opportunity for a Spirit Education scholarship (beca).

I have visited the major middle and technica (high schools) in the area. The Directors of  Coatepeque region's schools are now familiar with our program and heartily endorse it. These directors and faculty are our best recruiters, as they know who needs help and are excellent students.  

Beginning 2006, Rotary wife Edna de Pena took on the job as administrator and the changes have been little short of miraculous. In mid 2005, we realized we had to change management, as the former manager was using Spirit as a political patronage opportunity.

• 80% of the becadas have substantially increase their grade point averages
• we now have an English teacher every Wednesday morning
• the girls are visibly more excited about English and learning in general
• the girls have come together as a "club" of future professional women
• with Edna's help and that of the educational community, we have better applicants

An energy within the group:.  I have been working hard to create a support group mentality. The becadas will naturally lose their childhood friends as their paths diverge. For personal and professional reasons, they need other future professionals as friends, supporters and future referrals.

One of our more amazing bacadas has already researched out the opportunities and limitations of starting an accounting business. Yes, there are only two competitors.  She fully intends to partner with other becadas, current and future.

SCHOLARSHIP / BECADA CRITERIA . . . .

Our goal is to broaden our girls’ dreams of education to careers other than those of the very low paying basic elementary teacher or nurse assistant.

Girls wanting an education have had to provide their own funding. Large families with many sons, meager salaries and insecure work make this impossible for all but the most fortunate and dedicated 2 1/2% of the population. 

Scholarships are a solution to an education made inaccessible by family unemployment and poverty. 

EL REFUGIO: We  have been working in this tiny village for only a year now. Our computer volunteer, Joel, asked that we present the program to his village in June 2005. One of our best becadas started January 2006. In November 2006, the villagers completed a computer center in the village. Joel reports that the families' attitude toward education has changed considerably. Children are now encouraged to study. HOORAY FOR CHANGE!!

Economic need is a primary factor in selection. Our family incomes range from $1000 to $2500 per year. Therefore, most girls never go beyond 6th grade, if that far. The lucky ones may dream of a local 2-3 year teaching or nursing certificate. College is simply too expensive. University degrees require an additional 4-6 years and tuition would take half a year's income. Keep in mind that gas costs $5 per gallon, a hamburger $3.25 and bus fare form some school girls $2 per day.

Scholarships are not all inclusive. If possible, the students still have to pay for high school uniforms, supplies and transportation, etc. Due to daily trips for the high school students, we have been subsidizing their bus fares and with new increases will do more for them, while trying to keep the cost of a scholarship affordable for their padrinos and madrinas (godparents).

Academic excellence is of equal importance. We want role models for future young women, so we carefully select applicants who have the best chance to succeed. Learning to fail is not what Spirit is about. Working with school administrators and faculty has been a great help in raising the quality of the applicants. We sometimes have disappointments, because we don't have crystal balls and teens are teens and families are suffering due to increasing economic problems in the country. 

QUOTES FROM HOPEFUL APPLICANTS:

  “This is a grand opportunity and don’t think I am going to let this go”

  ”They say women don’t deserve to go to school. Now I know we women have some value, thanks to Spirit. I want to demonstrate to guys in the future that we can also make it, thanks to the foundation.”

   “Hope is a small light on a dark street of poverty”

2007- "I now have a title" Cristina graduated from technica (high school). Unfortunately, her family is suffering greatly, so she chose to find a job rather than continue. She needs to help her siblings.

IN THE SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP,  BE A GIRL'S SPIRIT ANGEL