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El Paraiso Guatemala Project update for 2009
The amount of students almost doubled this year. It went from 22 to 38. We had two outstanding cases this year: the student who rides his horse to school every day. And the lady who is a mother. She has 3 kids, and still makes time to go to learn how to use a computer. The El Paraiso Project is a success because of the wonderful support of our donors. We hope to expand this project with a library, and vacation program. The goal is to create a full service environment where learning takes place all year round.

Las Cuchillas Primary School
On July 19th, 2009 construction will begin on a new primary school in Las Cuchillas. This community is a member of the cooperative Soppexcca in Jinotega, Nicaragua. The students currently attend class in the houses of different members of the community, by different individual teachers. However, these conditions are not adequate for the children to receive the appropriate, quality education they need to improve their lives. The members of the community, and Soppexcca believe strongly in education, and that it is extremely important to their success in the future and to bring about change. Read more...

Nicolás Chacón Vargas Elementary School
The Nicolás Chacón Vargas Elementary School project was successfully accomplished. With funds provided by Cup for Education, a new roof and bathroom were added onto the current structure, providing a safer and cleaner environment for the children. (Please click the link so see/read their words of thanks.)

Murojaga School - Peru
There is a great need for the funds in this school. They have borrowed some desks, but there are no chairs, the walls are unfinished, there is only a temporary roof, no books, no shelves... And the list goes on. Additionally they hope to add a second room to the school. This is a secondary school for kids beyond the 6th grade. This will make a huge difference for this community since if the kids wanted to go to school past the 6th grade, and it was even possible, they had to leave the community, tearing families apart.

El Paraiso Guatemala
Located 8 miles up the mountain from the main road to Mexico, very close to the border, El Paraíso Development Center provides locals with a clinic, pharmacy, and a computer laboratory. Patients pay a symbolic fee for the doctor’s appointment in this clinic, and medicines are sold at almost their cost price.

Escuela La Hilda
A computer lab on a coffee farm in Costa Rica where Cup for Education has donated several computers, a printer and a computer desk.

Soppexcca
The communities of the cooperative Soppexcca in Jinotega, Nicaragua were the inspiration for Cup for Education. In the small community of Los Alpes, the half-finished Solidarity School in 2003 inspired founder Karen Gordon to go back home and form this organization. From rallying fellow travelers to raise money to finish building the structure, to sponsoring an additional teacher to allow more students to attend the local school, Cup has continued to support the cooperative in various ways. Each year we have sponsored the salary of a teacher who travels among the communities teaching arts and agriculture. In addition, we have sent books and other school supplies over the past several years. On one visit we met and bought desks from a local carpenter for one of the schools in the communities. Last year we also included enough funds for 700 backpacks to outfit the students among the cooperative

Beans for Books
In conjunction with an existing project, Cup for Education donated funds to purchase library and text books for devastated communities of Hurricane Stan in Guatemala. Please read the story of how your money can help bring much needed materials to the children of coffee growers in Central America, and make a difference in their futures.

Medico Projects 2007
Cup for Education was proud to sponsor the cost of shipping, along with additional supplies, crates of educational materials, and school supplies to the MEDICO organization on their recent field trip to Honduras. M.E.D.I.C.O. is an independent nonprofit foundation that sends volunteer medical teams into developing countries to provide free services for people with little or no access to basic medical care. In addition when available, educational needs of these communities are addressed. Click Here to read the news from Naranjito, Banaderos, Honduras

September 3rd – 4th 2004: Annual Farmer’s Market Fundraiser
Once again, Cup For Education had a successful fundraiser at the Ashlawn Farm Market in Lyme, Connecticut. Over a period of two days we raised over $500 selling Organic Fair Trade Nicaragua “Wiwili” and Guatemala “La Voz”, freshly roasted by Carol Dahlke. Dahlke is the owner and roastmaster of Ashlawn Farm Coffee, and an avid and generous supporter of “Cup” since its beginnings. The market’s promotion of the fundraiser brought people from all over the state to support the cause. I believe our pictures and stories of the communities we are assisting encouraged and enlightened people to the needs of the children. Cup For Education is planning to use the monies for the purchase of books to create libraries for the schools we are working with in Nicaragua and Guatemala.

January 2004: Guatemala Trip
On a trip to Guatemala in January 2004, Cup For Education discovered new stories, and new communities for whom the organization could make a difference. Visiting with a fair trade cooperative, and Rainforest Alliance Finca, we saw the fruits of their hard work and sustainable practices; successful schools, with happy children, loving and caring teachers. However, one thing remained painfully clear, supplies were lacking. I saw no books, maps, or other educational tools for the teachers to use. They must rely on their training, and love of teaching to educate the students. Whether it be simple personal hygiene, or reading and arithmetic, these teachers were clear that they loved to teach, and they loved the children. One such teacher, at Finca Aurora, Narumarta, was furthering her training and education on the weekends, hours away from the community. Coop La Voz uses some of their funds to send their kids on to higher education. In doing so, they ensure their return to the community to share their newfound knowledge.

Knowledge is power, and books are an invaluable source of knowledge. This visit has engrained Cup’s mission even more. We are going to put a library in each of these communities, as well as two more at schools at fair trade coops in Nicaragua.

May 2004: Project Safe Passage
Safe Passage is a non-profit organization in Guatemala. They are a school that is just outside the city and serves children of families who have been displaced from coffee in this time of crisis. Cup for Education donated a library table and chairs for the school.