Fundación Ayuda Niños La Paz seeks support for their scholarship program
By Judy Peterson - Guest Contributor
President, Fundacion Ayuda Niños La Paz (FANLAP)
Here in Mexico, although the law is that students attend school through the 9th grade, many families are not able to send their children past sixth grade because of the cost associated with education. Those with more than one or two children often send only the boys, as “girls will get married and won’t need an education.”
Since 2000, FANLAP has been helping students from low income families that live on the outskirts of the city of La Paz in the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico. The program, which started with only five students, enables us to purchased backpacks filled with basic school supplies, and provide vouchers for the students to obtain their uniforms, gym clothes, tennis shoes and school shoes. We also pay public transportation costs to and from school as there are no school buses. Those who attend grades 10 through 12 have the added expense of tuition, which can be anywhere from 150 USD to 300 USD per year.
For the upcoming school year, 2007/2008, we have 179 scholarship applications, in addition to 83 students who are part of a project we are working on in collaboration with “Club Rotario Todos Santos/Bahia La Paz”. Each student’s scholarship will cost anywhere from 250 to 550 USD per year.
Included in the number are four of FANLAP’s over-achieving students who wish to further their education past high school:
Sheila Yahaira, with a grade point average (G.P.A.) of 9.83 out of a possible 10, wishes to be a Marine Biologist and is enrolled in the “Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur”. Sheila has been receiving scholarship funds from FANLAP since the 2004/2005 school year, and has maintained her excellent G.P.A. throughout. Her father, a carpenter’s helper, makes very low wages and her mother does not work outside the home.
Juan Raúl, with a G.P.A. of 9.5, wishes to study architecture at the “Instituto de Tecnología”. He has been receiving scholarship funds from our foundation since the 2005/2006 school year. His father works in a commercial business, and his mother does not work outside the home. His mother instills the value of education in her five children, all of whom are excellent students.
Francisco Javier, who enrolled at the “Instituto de Tecnología” where he wishes to study Business Administration, has received a scholarship from FANLAP since the 2005/2006 school year. He has maintained a G.P.A. of 9.3 throughout. His father, who drives a water truck for the government, no longer lives in the home. His mother works as an administrative assistant.
Claudia Evangelina has an 8.63 G.P.A. and would like to study accounting at the “Instituto de Tecnología.” Claudia has been receiving scholarship funds from FANLAP since school year 2004/2005.
All four of these students live in very “humble” homes. Although the houses do have electricity, they do not have plumbing or a proper drainage system.
The cost of helping each of these students will be approximately $550 per year. We are confident that if these students are given the chance to prove themselves with our help they will arrive at their goal.
We have been affiliated with ICF since 2001, and have received grants from the Reinhart Family Foundation through ICF for the last four years. Since this is a matching grant, we depend on donations from people like you to garner enough money to fulfill our part of the grant.
Please visit our website at www.lapazninos.org.
You may make an online donation through ICF at the following site:
http://www.icf-xchange.org/graphics/donate.php/losninosdelapaz
Thank you for whatever help you are able to give. As little as 20 dollars a month can pay a student’s transportation costs for one month. If you wish to sponsor a student we would be happy to send you a progress report and pictures by email.
