Proyecto Laguna and ANS Drama Club Unite

This week Proyecto Laguna recieved great news from the Drama Club at the American Nicaraguan School in Managua.  We have been chosen by the group of about 70 Middle and High School students as their Community Service project.   This is a great opportunity for both sides.  The students at ANS will be learning how they can make a difference in the lives of children less fortunate while the foundation benefits from all the extra assistance!  The Drama teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Gallegos, says that Proyecto Laguna was chosen because of our diverse projects including;  improving access to education, providing basic health care, distribution of potable water and working with the community providing sustainable jobs.  This week founder, Tracy Finch, spoke with the group about the foundation's mission and goals.  We have begun discussing ways that the Drama Club can raise money and exactly how those funds can provide aid.  

We would like to thank the school for this opportunity and we are looking forward to a long and successful relationship with the students at ANS!  

Proyecto Laguna Purchases Materials to Make 850 Backpacks

Last Friday, Proyecto Laguna, with two Diria seamstresses, purchased materials for 850 backpacks at the Oriental Market in Managua. The Oriental Market is the largest market in Managua and is always an adventure full of sights and sounds and the frantic market pace. All of the supplies were delivered to Diria and distributed among the 11 seamstresses and tailors who are now getting started on making the backpacks we will need to distribute to the students of Diria for the start of the new school year in February. By working with local seamstresses we are able to provide employment for local residents and the money we spend on backpacks stays within the community.
Proyecto Laguna is currently working on marketing the products of Diria's seamstresses and tailors to other organizations and businesses to assist in providing a steady source of employment for these residents. The seamstresses and tailors have made several sample bags and we have gotten some interest from businesses in Managua. We hope to complete contracts with these businesses soon and have more work for these seamstresses and tailors.

The Minister of Education Visits Diria

On September 23 the Minister of Education visited Diria. The local educational community was very excited to receive his visit and prepared a large meeting including folkloric dance performances and presentations on the state of the education system in Diria. Teachers were given an opportunity to bring up their concerns directly to the minister; lack of latrines in some schools, a need for more classrooms, and a lack of basic supplies. The minister spoke of the literacy program that is working to eradicate illiteracy in Nicaragua and about the steps he hopes to take to improve the education system.

Donating by Check is Now Easier!

Proyecto Laguna is happy to announce a new and easy way to make donations.  Our bank in the United States, PNC, is offering a convenient way to make your tax exempt donation.  You can simply mail a check to them directly with our account information in the memo line and the amount will be deposited into our account.  When we receive confirmation that the check has cleared, you will receive a tax exemption letter to use while filing your taxes.  

This time of year is critical for fundraising so please take this opportunity to make a donation today!  We have many children that still need to be sponsored (only $100 per child, per year) so that they can have new shoes and uniforms to attend school.  All donations to the general fund go to support the school nurse and basic medical supplies, school supplies at three schools and water delivered to two schools weekly.  

To use this easy method of donating, simply send a check written to Laguna Project with our account number in the memo line, #5528164743.

Mail your donation check to:

PNC Bank

attn: Bank by Mail

PO Box 8108

Philadelphia PA 19101-8108

Thank you so much for your support!  Without all of our generous donors, we wouldn't be able to continue our important work here in Nicaragua.  If you have any questions about this donation method, please contact us anytime.  

Nicaraguans Celebrate Their Country

The last week has been full of parties and parades as it was the week of celebrating Nicaraguan Independence. The culmination of the week was on both Sunday Sept 14th, which is the anniversary of the battle of San Jacinto and Monday Sept 15th which is Independence Day. The schools had been preparing their marching bands for weeks and had a wonderful parade through Diria on Sunday.
On Friday afternoon there was a party in Diria and all of the students gathered to watch a torch, that had been touring the country, go by. The parent's group prepared juice and snacks and sold them at this party to raise funds to help maintain the school. The tamales Carla made where a smash hit and sold out in 10 seconds flat!

Proyecto Laguna Receives Grant From Google!

It is with great pride that we formally announce that Google, the internet and information powerhouse, has enthusiastically provided Proyecto Laguna with a grant to help increase awareness of our work in Nicaragua. After many, many months of communication we received the approval and notification from their organization two weeks ago. This is incredible news for us and also a sign of the impact that we are having in this area of the world.

So what does this mean for Proyecto Laguna and what is the grant for?

The grant given to us by Google is a marketing and advertising grant valued at US $120,000.00 per year. The grant is a permament grant and will be made available to Proyecto Laguna for as long as we operate in good standing within the regulations of our US 501(c)(3) status. The grant will provide advertising and marketing services from Google for increasing awareness of our programs and will help spread the word to potentially millions of people around the world. The importance of this is immense because now we have permanent "like kind" funds for an internet marketing budget, which is our greatest marketing and awareness resource.

The impact this grant will have on our work is substantial and the fact that we received this support and recognition from one of the largest, most well known and influential companies in the world reenforces the value of our work and programs here in Nicaragua. It is our hope that other companies will recognize the importance of what we do and will follow suit. So, if you are a company, business, corporation or group trying to locate a reputable foundation to support take note - Google has found unsurpassed success in making wise decisions - and they have chosen Proyecto Laguna as a foundation to support, this says great things about the value and integrity of our programs.

Thank you for your continued support and thank you Google! If you have any questions about Proyecto Laguna or would like to know how you can help please contact us.

Local Seamstresses Employed by Proyecto Laguna

Proyecto Laguna recently met with local tailors and seamstresses to get started on making 850 backpacks for the start of the new school year in January. We work with local skilled workers in order to provide employment within the community of Diriá instead of spend our money on products shipped in from other countries. With this model we are able to empower locals, provide employment, and the money we are spending stays within the community of Diriá.

Attached is a photo of our parent’s group and the 10 seamstresses and tailors who will be making our backpacks this year. They are excited for this opportunity and we have hopes that we may be able to market their skills and have them make backpacks for other organizations in Nicaragua too.