STARTING A NEW SCHOOL YEAR FULLY EQUIPPED!!!!
I don’t need many words to describe the happiness of all the 70 sponsored children when they received a back pack filled with all the school supplies they need in their corresponding grades. Judge by the photos!!! Our goal… sponsor all the students from the Panabaj School!

Posted by Joel at 5:54 PM | Permalink | Comments

Fundación K’aslimaal

It has been an incredibly SLOOOWWW process… to become a FOUNDATION in Guatemala. But now the process is complete. Fundación Prosalud, Educación y Desarollo K’aslimaal (K’aslimaal Foundation for Health, Education and Development) is the first Foundation in Santiago Atitlán... there are many Asociacións.

With the new Foundation comes a new Board member. Juan Francisco Pira who lives in Guatemala City. Juan Francisco is the manager of Granos Especiales a coffee buying company in the capitol. It was Juan Francisco and his clients that built the school in Panabaj adjacent to the old hospital. In September 2005, he invited us to meet and discuss how they could help the Hospitalito. The next week… STAN. Juan Francisco was the first outsider to arrive after the disaster, on motorcycle. Within two months, they built a new school for the children.

He continued to visit the Hospitalito and bring other important visitors. On December 20th, 2008, he called to say he had a Christmas present, and brought a check for $50,000 from Starbucks!! (which was matched by the Kendeda Challenge)

In this foto, Juan Francisco is holding an appreciation gift prepared for him by K’aslimaal. He is in Santiago Atitlán every week to check on the coffee, and will attend the Board meetings during these trips. With him are two buyers of Atitlán coffee and K'aslimaal members. The three were very impressed with the construction process, and said that they believe that the new HA will be one of the very best in the country.

We are VERY pleased to have Juan Francisco accept a position on the Board of Directors of Hospitalito Atitlán and serve on the steering committee of the Capital Campaign to raise money for construction of the new hospital.

Posted by Joel at 5:57 AM | Permalink | Comments

SPONSORED STUDENTS HAD A VISIT

First Sponsors Visit of the Year!!!

Tuesday 20^th of January was a very special date. A group of 3 sponsors, members of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, TN, came to visit their sponsored students for the first time!

The first contact was at the Posada de Santiago where the children and their families enjoyed a wonderful lunch. It was an emotional, exciting and amazing day for everybody. The children happily greeted their sponsors and explained a little bit about their lives. Their eyes were wide open when they saw the special gifts their sponsors had brought them!!! It was a nice reunion.

Posted by Joel at 7:49 PM | Permalink | Comments

ALAS ---- Wings

Wings is a non-profit in Antigua that focuses on family reproductive health. Friday, they conducted a full day training session for the staff and volunteers at the Hospitalito.

WINGS provides information, financial resources and access to reproductive health services for low-income, rural, and indigenous Guatemalans, enabling them to plan their families, thereby improving their reproductive health and quality of life.

Posted by Joel at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments

Pueblo in the News!

The Synchronize Concert Series at this years Sundance Film Festival was organized by Oasis Entertainment to benefit the Hospitalito through Pueblo a Pueblo. Read the story here and here.

Meanwhile there's still time to get tickets to this years Festival Atitlan!

For information and tickets click here.

Posted by Joel at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments

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Posted by Joel at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments

PREPARING THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Barbara and Montse have been busy preparing the school supplies that all the sponsored children from the Child Education Sponsorship Program will receive next Saturday 24th before a New School Year starts on Monday! It takes some effort to fill a back pack with the supplies by grades!!!

Posted by Joel at 9:10 PM | Permalink | Comments

Hospitalito Futbol Camp

Ulysses Sherman (center), husband of Hospitalito medical volunteer Narda Sherman, is here for a month climbing volcanos, running, kayaking, learning Spanish and in his spare time, he decided to start a Soccer Camp for the children on their school break. There are many great soccer players in Santiago Atitlán (José Reanda) but no coaches in the community. Many of the sons of Hospitalito staff members are attending, as well as the sons and daughters of medical volunteers. Everyone is having a great time, and we all thank Ulysses for his time with the children.

Posted by Joel at 6:33 PM | Permalink | Comments

Some Photos from Christmas with the Child Education Sponsorship Program.

During 2008 Using both its own funds and a matching grant from the Daniele Agostino Derossi Foundation (of New York) Pueblo a Pueblo sponsored and coordinated a daily hot lunch program that fed between 350 – 400 students who attend the Panabaj public elementary school (Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta Cantón Panabaj).

Thorough Pueblo a Pueblo’s Child Education Sponsorship Program, in 2008 children received school supplies and articles of clothing necessary to allow them to attend the Panabaj public elementary school. Pueblo a Pueblo’s program coordinator Montse Deu purrchased and delivered these materials. Additionally, she arranged for, and coordinated, free medical care from the Hospitalito for these children.

With your help, this program can continue to serve the community--the children. They need your help.

Posted by Joel at 9:38 PM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by Joel at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments

Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance

Founders and representatives from the Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance returned to visit Hospitalito Atitlán and brought a donation to help with patient care. Faye Buttrick, Abbey Swasko, Connie Vanderhayden, Martha Pierce and Sidney Hollander present their donation to José Reanda. The group works to promote peace justice and human rights thru educational programs and public policy.

Posted by Joel at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments

MOTHER INFANT SPONSORSHIP CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION!!!

All the mothers and their babies enrolled in the Mother Infant Sponsorship celebrated Christmas together with a little ‘Convivio’ organized by the two social workers at the Hospitalito, Concepción and Vicenta. After the welcoming words of Francisco Sojuel (K’aslimaals President) and Montse Deu (Pueblo a Pueblo’s Sponsorship Coordinator) the fun began. It was and afternoon with games for the children and also the adults, presents and a good lunch. The mother’s received clothing and toys donated to the Hospitalito by generous donors for their sponsored children.

Looking at the photos there’s no doubts. Everybody had a very merry good time!

Posted by Joel at 2:45 PM | Permalink | Comments

Another family reunion at the Hospitalito

Posted by Joel at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments