Dear friends of the Guatemalan Project:

On behalf of the people of El Triunfo, especially of the children of El Triunfo, I thank you again and again for your generosity that allows us to reach small but tangible goals that benefit many people in El Triunfo.  I also thank you for your best wishes for our continued success.  It is truly because of your support that we get the strength and will to continue to provide more opportunities so that people can better their lives.

We have started the year 2011 on the right foot.  We had donations that provided the two youth soccer teams with training equipment, including uniforms.  The teams have already participated in outside tournaments and are enjoying themselves. Most important, they are learning to work as a group, respect each other, be disciplined, and have pride in their community.

Another major donation continues to provide educational opportunities for young people who are going to Middle School.  A total of 31 youngsters are benefiting from this scholarship fund.

Another donation is enabling, for the first time, a young man to attend vocational training.  This young man is traveling to Zacapa where he has been admitted to the INTECAP school, one of the, or perhaps the best school in Guatemala.  Another young man is preparing, under the same scholarship fund to enter the San Carlos University.  A third person, a young lady is attending High School.

The Doctoritas program is doing well.  Ten young girls benefited from a full scholarship in exchanged for working in the community for three years.  The girls were given basic training on how to maintain good health and, in turn, they are visiting families in El Triunfo with whom they share their knowledge.

A group of friends from New York visited El Triunfo in February, 2011 and built two houses for two families in need.  One of the houses was built on top of a rather steep mountain which kept the friends sweating and in shape.  The house is absolutely beautiful and the view is even greater.  I will send you the link to a website where you will be able to see the process of building the house.

We are preparing to receive a group of students from Indiana State University who will be working with families and children in El Triunfo.  They will not only work in the school but will also engage some children to fix all desks which, after eight years of use are already coming apart.

Finally, as I have already reported, this year we had two new kindergarten classes.  Now we have a total of three classes.  Our day care house now serves the three classes.  With a generous donation from you, we built small chairs and tables and purchased a computer for the children.  We will also purchase some educational software.

Our next effort will attempt to build a vocational training center for this region.  It is a shame that there are no place our children can go to learn a trade such as mechanics, plumbing, carpentry, electricity, computing, etc.  We already have a lot of land, approximately 75 meters square.  It is sufficient to build a building with large training rooms.  We need your thoughts as to how to go about obtaining donors, technical advice, materials, training materials, etc.  INTECAP will provide the trainers, and the Municipality of Gualán will provide the engineering capacity for the building.  We need to contact large business enterprises which may be willing to contribute materials and money to build the school.  Your ideas on this matter are very much needed and are very important.  Remember that you have participated in all our projects and that without you, we can not do anything.

Here is the Financial Report for the year 2010 until February 28, 2011.  Your comments are appreciated. Financial report 2010 – February 28, 2011.

NOTE:  Please note changes of addresses;

Guatemalan Project
6613 Greg Way
Lake Worth,  FL 33467
US phone: 561-655-3670 (contribution of Merchant’s Choice Card Services)
Fax: 561-642-4472 (contribution of Merchant’s Choice Card Services)

Please send your check donations to the above address, or
If you wish to wire your donations, send them to:
PNC Bank routing number 043000096
Account number 1201636421

Remember that all our contributions are tax deductible.  The Guatemalan Project is a 501©(3) cooporation established in the State of Florida with corporation number N00000005701 and with federal EIN number 31-1725673.  You can always check the status of our corporation by visiting www.sunflo.gov and entering our EIN number and our name, GUATEMALAN PROJECT INC.

Respectfully Submitted,
Cecilia Campoverde, Director