English class
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”
"I want to be a professional. I want to help my family. I want to be somebody".
The Reality
Education is the only way out
of poverty, but it is too costly for most.
We have applicants from a wide range of economic levels. Our screening process targets
those who do not have alternatives.
THEY NEED YOU TO MAKE THEIR HOPES A REALITY
Medallion recipients 2009 for excellence
Future Adminstrators, one systems engineer and a bank auditor
Arely and Claudia: two of the chosen high school speakers presenting their senior papers.
CURRENT GOALS:
Part of our goal is to broaden the girl's experience and knowledge.
1. SELF CONFIDENCE, SELF-WORTH AND A
SENSE OF VALUE
- The birth gender (female) devaluation and the girl's interest in having fewer babies, prompted discussions about conception,
fertility cycle and who determines child gender. The girls are now charting their cycles with basil thermometers, compliments of the
very generous donation from Mabis Company, and fertility cycle beads (Planned Parenthood). They will hopefully be the teachers in
their villages. None of our girls had ever been taught anything about the fertility cycle or baby gender. I also took the cycle
beads to some 150 villagers and will continue to do this, as invited.
- Cultural restraints: each girl was given a Spanish copy
of Chiquita's Cocoon by Betina Flores. It is written for latina women whose culture keeps them down. Each girl had to do a report
on what they got out of the book. The variety of responses was interesting, from the control of the church, male machismo, to their
value, dependent upon giving birth to male versus female babies.
- Domestic Violence: one of the becadas was from a very violent
home where family members were beaten regularly. Each girl was given information which I explain was to help them avoid
getting into abusive relationships in the future. The information was about the signs and symptoms of domestic abuse. I asked them to
write a book report on what they had learned. They were very interested in the subject ands everal mentioed they knew someone
who was abusing or abused. I did not ask who.
Subsequent trips will present more relevant
topics.
HILDA said when she joined SPIRIT, it was a scholarship. Now SPIRIT is a program