MCS' LIBRARY PROJECT

As you (hopefully) know by now, my secondary project is to create a library for my school.  Remember how 90+% of kids at my school DO NOT have ANY children's books at home?  Plus, children's books are just as elusive in the classrooms!  Can you imagine a school where kids are supposed to learn to read--in 3 languages--that has no books?!  Absurd.  By providing a real library space filled with lots of--mostly donated--books, we'll be able to provide MCS and its 1,300 underprivileged kids with an amazing resource that will inspire curiosity and a love of reading and learning!

My library project has been approved by World Connect and is listed on their projects webpage.  The way World Connect works is like this: Once a project is approved (like mine) the amount of the grant is transferred to the PCV in about two weeks, without the need to wait for funds to be raised.  The project is listed online to solicit donations in order to 'replace what was given', so that donors can see real projects being accomplished.  My project is already guaranteed so it's not necessary that you donate, although donations will help perpetuate World Connect's ability to fund PCVs' projects right away.  If people in the past wouldn't have donated, my project wouldn't be funded so quickly...

To donate to World Connect, go to this website and click "DONATE" on the right side.  It will give you a little reminder to "find out if your company will match your donations"... not a bad idea! :)

------------------------------------------

On a separate note, if you had your heart set on donating to a worthy cause, my counterpart, Dinah, is trying to raise funds for medical attention.  Without going into too much detail, she's been struggling with a 'mystery diagnosis' since March.  She's seen numerous doctors, which is not cheap for her, who have not been able to identify or treat her problem.  She's been advised to check into the hospital for a weekend in order to undergo more specific, more expensive, testing.  This will cost 60,000 pesos--about $1,500--and is something she simply cannot afford to do right now.  She's now starting the long, slow process of saving up that much money.  That amount would be a challenge for an American earning dollars, think of how long it'll take in pesos.  If you'd like to help her out, please let me know in an email (meliclo34@gmail.com).