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| | Options to Help:
Over the years many of Terra Experience's customers have
asked how they can help Mayan Artisans. One of the best ways is to "Buy
their beautiful hand-made fair trade products". The
other way is to support the many nonprofit and less formal groups working in various ways to try to
do something positive in Guatemala and Central America.
The table below lists some
of the nonprofit groups that Terra Experience has networked with and provided
some financial support to over the years. Those listed below have an
ongoing, on the ground presence in Guatemala (we are only able to visit for
several weeks each year). These groups help
with education and scholarships, healthcare, women's and community groups,
libraries, environmental and natural resources protection,
...etc. Things I look for when choosing groups and non-profits
to support financially in Guatemala:
- Give youth education high importance;
- Listen to and work with artisans to increase
individual and community capability and self reliance (not just provide
handouts);
- Provide services in the areas that Terra Experience
artisans live;
- Provide services without regard to religious beliefs;
- Follow Fair Trade Principles, as applicable;
- With artisans periodically evaluate results of
efforts and adjust programs accordingly.
Some organizations and groups have established, long-term programs that have documented track records
and accomplishments. Some have formally incorporated and have
options for making tax-deductible donations in the USA. Many do not.
Some are individuals, schools, classes, churches, communities, hospital groups,
and organizations that have "adopted" or developed a "sister-city" or
"sister-school" relationship with a similar group in Guatemala or
Nicaragua.
We hope you will will consider donating to some of these groups or using them
as model for what you or your group can do to help in Guatemala and
elsewhere. If you have questions, suggestions for additions or
comments please contact Lynn at Lynn@terraexperience.com
Some Non-Profit
Organizations that Terra Experience has networked with and supported in
some way.
Things we look for when choosing groups and non-profits to
support financially in Guatemala and Central America
- Youth education given high importance
- Listen, increase individual and community capability
and self reliance (not just provide handouts)
- When possible, provide services in the areas that
Terra Experience artisans live
- Provide services without regard to religious beliefs.
- Follow Fair Trade Principles, as applicable
- Periodically evaluate results of efforts
We strive to support sustainable development,
fair trade, local artisans, their communities and environment.
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Education and Scholarships
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Foundations
for Education
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Foundations for Education
(501c3) provides 155
scholarships for rural Maya students, from 9th grade-University, supports
community projects and provides school materials for rural schools and
teachers working with Bilingual Maya Education..
Students are required to do community projects to
stay in the program as the goal is to form leaders in their villages. They
have a 100% success rate with their graduates working in their
professions. All donations are tax-deductible. The web site is:
http://foundations4education.org/
and the email is: camay@conexion.com.gt
. They have a newsletter that provides great information about the
program.
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 Maya Traditions
|
Maya
Traditions is a fair-trade
wholesaler that works with 4 groups of women in different villages in
Guatemala. Terra
Experience
sells Maya
Traditions 16" Fair Trade Dolls and doll outfits to help support
their efforts. They have instituted a scholarship program to pay the cost
of room and board in the city and some expenses for all the children of
the women in their groups who qualify. Today, they are sending more
than fifty kids to school.
Maya Traditions has formed a nonprofit in Guatemala called
Fundaci�n Tradici�nes
Mayas for their scholarship and other nonprofit projects
You can donate to them via their US partners "Maya
Educational Foundation" to make a tax deductible donation in the US. Tax
deductible donations can be made out to
Maya
Educational Foundation/ FTM
Route 106,
P.O. Box 38
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| Colegio Maya -- Sandra's
Adopted Elementary School in Guatemala
| Sandra is a friend of mine who originally was
from Guatemala and has lived for many years in Madison, WI. She has
informally adopted an elementary school "Colegio Maya" in
a small aldea outside Cantel Quetzaltengo and a nursing home in
Mazatenango. Sandra works with her friends (including Terra
Experience) to get school supplies, books,
building materials to the 104 students in the school and basic clothes and
supplies to the nursing home. This coming year her major "project"
(in addition to school supplies) is to build a kitchen for the school.
Click
here to see some pictures of the school. This is one of those informal projects is not tax deductible -
but will go to a good purpose. If you are interested in helping, contact Lynn@terraexperience.com |
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