June 9, 2009

Rains in Nicaragua – washing away people’s homes and lives

Posted by kathyei under Street kids, barrio, education | Tags: , , |
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1408785662_87deb1c16eMay marks the beginning of the rainy season in Nicaragua, bringing heavy rains that rarely let up until the season ends in October. Rain can fall every day for weeks or months at a time, causing flooding that destroys homes and crops, washes out roads and bridges, cuts off villages, and compromises fragile food security in some areas.

Along with torrential rainfall, the situation can get even worse during hurricane season. In the last ten years this country that straddles the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean has been hit by three hurricanes and 25 tropical storms. The most recent hurricane, Felix, left 220,000 people homeless in 2007.

As in most natural disasters, the poor are the hardest hit. Along with losing their homes they can also easily lose their means of making a living, especially if they are self-employed, selling food they grow or products they make. U.N. resident representative Alfredo Missair warns that the vulnerability of people in the areas hit hardest by the natural disasters would increase the already wide gap between rich and poor, according to Inter Press Service. (more…)

 

May 22, 2009

Volunteer now and increase your happiness!

Posted by kathyei under Volunteer, education, empowerment
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When put simply, volunteers are individuals or groups who give their time, talent and abilities to a cause they believe in, without expecting anything in return. An American anthropologist Margret Mead had once said, “Never doubt that 3536031945_a13991a318a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Volunteers have always been the backbone of the American society and not much would have been possible without them – be it church activities, community events or non-profit work.

More and more people are discovering the joys of volunteering today. A recent report by the the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor has indicated that about 61.8 million people, or 26.4 percent of the population volunteered at least once between between September 2007 and September 2008 and the average volunteer spent about 52 hours working for their cause during that time. (more…)

 

May 4, 2009

Increasing poverty in Nicaragua and its effect on education

Posted by kathyei under Street kids, education, empowerment, ngo
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Although universal primary education is free and compulsory in Nicaragua, it has never been enforced properly. 3080236381_6162dc64e2Preliminary reports indicate that some 700,000 school-age children in Nicaragua did not start their education this year.* Even before the recent global economic crisis began and the country’s aid was cut down by the U.S and the Europe due to a suspected misuse of funds by the authorities, the primary school enrollment here was about eighty percent. And, only 40% of the children who started first grade completed 6th grade.

Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the Americas and 47% of its population is below the poverty level. These families earn less than $1 per day and often, children have to work and contribute to the family income. Based on the data collected between 2000-2006, UNICEF estimates  that 10 percent of children under five were moderately or severely underweight, and 20 percent were stunted. The current economic crisis along with inflation is only making things worse and experts believe that unemployment and poverty will make it even more difficult for children to attend school. (more…)

 

April 23, 2009

Donor Spotlight: The third grade students of Sanchez Elementary School, Colorado

Posted by kathyei under 2009 program, donate, education, empowerment | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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img_9648EI’s newest group of donors are not from the most privileged of backgrounds (82% live below the poverty level by US standards), nor are they the most experienced in years (the median age is 8 years old), but this has not stopped them from being full of heart and generosity. The third-grade students of Sanchez Elementary School in Lafayette, Colorado, recently raised enough money to sponsor two students through EI – far exceeding their fundraising goals and a huge achievement for the class!

This is their story …

To start, we first rewind to six years ago and the students’ teacher, Tom McSheehy. Tom had recently undergone the trauma of losing three close family members in a very short space of time, and had felt this as a catalyst for making some positive and meaningful changes in his life. One result was that he decided to take a trip to Costa Rica – his first trip outside the USA and therefore one which he embarked upon with some trepidation.

On the plane he happened to meet Kathy Adams (Founder and Executive Director of EI), who invited Tom to tour the barrio where EI was working at the time and then, later, the barrio in Nicaragua. It was an experience that spoke deeply to Tom, and for many reasons he felt like his visit had been predestined, that somehow it was connected to healing his grief. Tom described his visit as

“A powerful, magical and spiritual experience.” (more…)

 

April 7, 2009

Is the economic downturn hurting nonprofits?

Posted by kathyei under Volunteer, barrio, education
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On March 26 results from a new survey conducted by the Nonprofit Finance Fund raised concerns that the economic health of nonprofit organizations is rapidly deteriorating (according to the New York Times).

img_6833The survey of over 900 nonprofits found that only 12 percent of the organizations expect to operate above break-even, compared with 40 percent reported last year. Just 16 percent anticipate being able to cover their operating expenses in both 2009 and 2010. Obviously, nonprofits are experiencing huge challenges due to the economic crisis.

With corporations and foundations facing losses from the stock market plunge, many are cutting back or halting their usual charitable giving. And with considerable job losses around the nation, individual giving forecasts are unclear. In an end of the year survey covered in The NonProfit Times, more than 40 percent of organizations said that they’re seeing smaller gifts and fewer individual donors. At a time when needs are greater and resources are less, the economic downturn has affected nonprofits in a range of ways. (more…)

 

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