Hi all,
I've communicating with Iveth regularly for the last few weeks, and she has written a letter to introduce herself to you, her padrinos (god parents). Here it is, with my feeble translation:
Hola queridos donantes mi nombre es IVETH tengo 16 años estoy en 5to año como ustedes sabran este año me bachiero este es uno de mis grandes sueños y con su ayuda se me puede llegar a realizar ya que mi situasion es muy difisil para mi por que mi familia se compone de 5 hermanos 2 estudiamos fuera de la comunidad y tenemos muchos gastos y a mis padres se les hace muy difisil por que somos escasos de recursos economicos
este año quiero estudiar un curso de computasion es algo que me gusta mucho pero no puedo hacerlo por falta de plata este año tengo mas gastos que nunca por que me tengo que alistar para mipromosion y por eso estoy recurriendo a ustedes para que me ayuden por fa vor ayudenme de verdad lo necesito grasias adios Iveth
Hello dear donors. My name is Iveth. I am 16 years and in my fifth year [of secondary schooling]. As you know, this year I complete my degree. It is one of my biggest dreams, and with your help I can finish at last. But my situation is difficult because there are five kids in my family. Two of us leave the community for school. We have a great number of expenses, and it is [economically] difficult for my parents because we are so short on economic resources.
This year I want to take a computation course. It is something that I enjoy a lot, but I cannot do it for lack of money. This year we have more expenses than in the past in part because I have to enroll in my graduation course, and it is for this reason that I am recruiting you to help me. Please help.
Thank you,
Iveth
Background story
This is a fundraising blog for Iveth and Joselin Betancour, my former host sisters in the town of La Unión, Nicaragua. Iveth is 24 years old, and Joselin is 22. Over the course of the last nine years, our friends and family members have joined together to raise close to $10,000 to help send Iveth (and now Joselin) to school. Now a student at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua (UNAN), Iveth is working on a social work degree, and Joselin is pursuing a degree in nursing. This is a blog dedicated to helping them achieve their goals.
The background: In the summer of 2001, I spent a summer working with community-based health initiatives in a hurricane resettlement town in rural Nicaragua. During that time, I lived with the family of Marlene and Marvin Cortez-Ramos and their three children, and grew close to all members of the family.
In 2003, I returned twice to visit the ever-expanding Cortez-Ramos family and see the progression of the town. La Unión (so-named because it's a union of politically and geographically disparate hurricane victims) is a town of between 500 and 600 people. In recent years (which were economically bad ones for the country as a whole), many of the men of the town have taken to spending seasons as undocumented agricultural workers in Costa Rica to make ends meet.
Iveth and Joselin are special in a town where few people—and fewer women— attend school past fifth or sixth grade. Their family has emotionally supported their ambitious educational plans but has been unable to provide the financial means to do so.
Over the last few years, our family and friends have contributed to an education fund that enabled Iveth to continue her education. This year we are hoping to raise enough money to help Iveth and Joselin continue their journey.
The background: In the summer of 2001, I spent a summer working with community-based health initiatives in a hurricane resettlement town in rural Nicaragua. During that time, I lived with the family of Marlene and Marvin Cortez-Ramos and their three children, and grew close to all members of the family.
In 2003, I returned twice to visit the ever-expanding Cortez-Ramos family and see the progression of the town. La Unión (so-named because it's a union of politically and geographically disparate hurricane victims) is a town of between 500 and 600 people. In recent years (which were economically bad ones for the country as a whole), many of the men of the town have taken to spending seasons as undocumented agricultural workers in Costa Rica to make ends meet.
Iveth and Joselin are special in a town where few people—and fewer women— attend school past fifth or sixth grade. Their family has emotionally supported their ambitious educational plans but has been unable to provide the financial means to do so.
Over the last few years, our family and friends have contributed to an education fund that enabled Iveth to continue her education. This year we are hoping to raise enough money to help Iveth and Joselin continue their journey.
Public schooling in Nicaragua is actually free of charge, but the daily transportation needs and costs associated with attending school in the city have become too great a burden for their family.
Below you can read her breakdown of costs. Annually, it costs around $1500 to send them to school. Please consider donating to this cause by clicking on the Dwolla donation button.
Below you can read her breakdown of costs. Annually, it costs around $1500 to send them to school. Please consider donating to this cause by clicking on the Dwolla donation button.
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