When our new fiscal year began in July of this year, we hit the ground running. Here’s a quick review of what we’ve done since then:

We’ve provided materials for 34 latrines for rural families in two communities of San Ramón. Since we started our sanitation project with the rural women’s group UMOYS in 2017, that makes 126 latrines built in six communities. Proper sanitation is an urgent need for most rural families, and by providing materials for new latrines, we help these women leaders ensure the health of their families and communities. We also contribute to the empowerment of women as agents of change. Before the fiscal year is out, we plan to build 39 more latrines.

 

We’ve built nine improved wood stoves. These clean-burning wood stoves are totally insulated, eliminating smoke and heat from rural homes, while also using 50% less firewood than a traditional wood stove. Unlike other wood stove projects, the stove we install was designed locally, and has enjoyed wide acceptance over time.  We plan to install eleven more stoves by December, for a total of 20 this year.

 

 

We’ve support 27 schools through our Rural School Partnership (RSP) program. That means 27 donors have provided funding for school improvements like new doors, desks, shelves, teaching supplies, and books for children in rural San Ramón. The RSP program is also an opportunity for parents to get involved with their children’s education by giving them agency in deciding how to best invest the donation.

 

 

We’ve helped Los Pipitos keep the doors open. Los Pipitos is a center for children with disabilities that provides free physical therapy and early intervention education. Without the support of our donors, Los Pipitos would not be able to continue their work with over 90 children with disabilities, mostly from rural communities.

What’s next?

As we continue the projects mentioned above, we are also looking for ways to continue supporting the people of San Ramón, particularly in the area of water and sanitation. Over and over again, community leaders have made it clear to us that water and sanitation are the highest priorities in most rural communities. We are working with local engineers to develop water projects in San Ramón’s most remote mountain communities, and we are also looking for funding to make these projects a reality.

Want to support our work? Contact us!