HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

Posted October 30th, 2022 by mjaeger.

Beto carefully checks a student’s file and grade reports.

La Grande Rotary is pledged to support 10 young women from the community of El Congo in the department of Santa Ana in the country of El Salvador. The program is administered by Project Salvador and tracked by their personnel. Two times per year Rotarians from the Wallowa and La Grande Rotary clubs visit the project and students to oversee the progress of teach of the young women. As students graduate from the program, new candidates are selected to take their place. The aim of the program is to support 10 young women per year so that they can make a difference in their lives, in their family, and in their community. The Project Salvador works with two Salvadoran NGOs, the Carmelite Missionary Sisters, the Sisters of Charity, and two community leaders to help carry out the program in El Salvador. These organizations help select the students, monitor their progress, and purchase school supplies, uniform materials, and shoes. In some cases they disburse cash to cover transportation costs and university fees.

Scholarship recipients give presentations about their school work.

Each month, the young women attend a seminar in a local community center. They learn about effective strategies for being successful in school and life from mentors. Their grades are checked and if all averages above a good rating, they receive money for the next month’s expenses. In this way their is both accountability for the grant money and safety for the family in not having too many dollars to care for over the long term. The $35 dollars they receive pays for the daily $1+ bus fare, books, and some materials.