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Some school help.

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Jacqueline is a member of the Fuente de Pino co-op with whom the Friends Project has worked. (We provided a $600 grant in 2009 so the women of the cooperative could complete a five-week training course to create more complex baskets.)

During my last visit to El Sauce, in August 2009, I interviewed Jacqueline for the newsletter that was launched for community tourism and economic development efforts. During this interview, I learned that she walks 4.5 hours down the mountain on Fridays ,usually stays over at a relative’s house in town, and then attends high school on Saturday. Then, she walks 4.5 hours back up the mountain.

She uses the money she makes selling the pine-needle baskets for school.

After funding a self vacuum-sealer and bags for the coffee cooperative so they could purchase them at a discounted price and earn more per bag, and providing bricks for so the Ocotal tourism cooperative can complete their well, we had some money left.

I’m happy to announce we used the $245 to provide 7 teens with a one-year scholarship for high school.

Typically, the Friends Project funds projects that implement sweat equity or makes ideas and goals possible by allowing the El Sauce residents to purchase items or services at a discounted price and put money back in…

I think if you walk more than 4 hours one way to school, you really want to be there.