As other organizations, Paso Por Paso postponed our Annual General Meeting, normally held in June, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the interest of safety and in keeping with government guidelines, we have decided to hold our AGM virtually. We will be meeting by “Zoom” on November 12, 2020 at 6:00 pm. Any members who indicate their intention to attend will receive an invitation shortly before the meeting. Please sign up for attendance by email to treasurer@pasoporpaso.ca.
We are in contact with our Guatemalan partner (Mayan Families) frequently to make arrangements for some of our programs. We are told that the situation in the Panajachel region has deteriorated in the recent months. More cases are reported and most of the villages are in lock-down, making it very difficult for delivery of aid in any form. Paso Por Paso provided funds for emergency food relief for the families of our sponsored students in the spring.
One of our programs is a micro-credit project to assist the women of Tierra Linda in entrepreneurial enterprises. This year, for several reasons, the loans were not offered. However, our board felt that we had a certain responsibility to the women enrolled in the program and approved a grant to each of the participants in the amount of Q500 (approx. $90 CAD). This may not seem like a lot to us, but it is a significant amount in rural Guatemala and will have a measurable impact on a family’s wellbeing.
You may know that for many years we have been funding improvements at the community school in the village of Tierra Linda. Many of you generously donated funds to assist with the project 2 years ago of erecting a roof over the courtyard. This was the single most costly project we have carried out, with a final cost of approximately $50,000.
Each year, during our visit to the school, we ask the staff if there are any pressing needs at the school. This year, among the requests was student desks. Two of the teachers ran down the stairs and carried up examples of desks in deplorable condition. A tour of the classrooms confirmed that there is certainly a pressing need for new desks. The writing surfaces are almost unusable, the seats are broken, many have bent or broken legs and are unsafe to use.
We have committed to replacing these desks and are in the process, with input from the school director, of choosing a supplier. We anticipate purchasing about 200 desks at a cost of less than $50 per desk.
It is unclear at this time if school will be resuming in January (the start of the school year in Guatemala) due to the pandemic, but our goal is to have the new desks in place in case students return. Purchase of a couple of desks would make a great Christmas gift for the hard to buy for on your list.
Remember to let us know of your participation in the AGM so we can send an invitation to the “Zoom” meeting. Please respond before November 9 to register for your invitation.
Paso Por Paso Orillia 