THE ATITLAN, GUATEMALA PROJECT |
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Raising funding for, and distributing... |
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VIEW PROJECT UPDATES 12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1 To read them in sequence start with link #1 in the menu bar and work your way forward The menu is repeated at the end of each section for ease of navigation. |
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12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo GalleryDec. 14, 2010 Dear Friends and Family, Even here in Guatemala it is feeling a bit wintery (tho as it is the dry season it is called summer here) with cold winds at night and (slightly) shorter days. On Monday I will have been here for 2 of my planned 3 months. Seem to be getting a lot done so have decided to take 2 days off and go to the Hotel Bamb in Santiago la Laguna for 2 days and take advantage of their swimming pool, beautiful gardens and level ground. There is another blog to look at (see below). I am sending you the web address of my photo albums so you can look at a lot of the pictures I have taken here. After the initial pictures come up you can click on my gallery and see the rest of the albums. A lot of the pictures have captions but they dont show up when you look at it as a slide show so if you want to know what is happening you have to click on individual pictures. You may have to copy and paste this into your url: http://gallery.me.com/kpcoster/100130 Thank you all for your interest, generosity and caring for the people of San Antonio and Santa Catarina. Have a wonderful holiday season. Light lots of candles and well do the same here. If there is anything you would like to know about the villages or work here please dont hesitate to ask. Warm regards, Kathy
12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1 Please Note: These letters and photos are displayed from the original letter at the bottom to the most recent update at the top
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 Full Of Rubble |
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 Refuge 1 - Mike's House |
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 Where Houses Were |
 Where The Inundation Went |
12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1
09) Mary Lynch ~ Oct. 27/10 8) Kathy Coster ~ Oct. 5, 2010 7) Mary Lynch ~ June 13/10
6) Devastation Follow-Up Photos June 7/10 5) Devastation In San Antonio May 29/10
4) Kathy Coster ~ Nov. 25/09 3) ICO Report 2) ICO Report 1) Photos June 15/08
Please Note: These letters and photos are displayed from the original letter at the bottom to the most recent update at the top
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5) Devastation in San Antonios May 29/10
Dear friends, I am lying in bed recuperating from back surgery and feeling so terribly helpless to help the little Mayan villages, in which we work and which so many of you have supported, which have been devastated this week by a tragedy, which most of us in Canada aren't even aware of. Right now as I recuperate, I am so conscious of all that I have to be grateful for - shelter, food, medical care, support of friends and family - as they dig out the bodies of their families and try to feed and shelter themselves and their children with rapidly dwindling food, water and medicines. Please read susan's letter below and I apologize in advance to anyof you who receive this in duplicate.
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Dear Friends, You may not be aware (because it’s gone almost unnoticed in our local media) that Guatemala has suffered a devastating blow. First, a volcano erupted, then last Saturday tropical storm Agatha hit. Our little communities of San Antonio and Santa Catarina didn’t suffer from the volcano, but Agatha hit them full-force, with disastrous results. Since Monday emails and phone calls have been going back and forth to and from friends in San Antonio and Santa Catarina. San Antonio is completely isolated except by boat. The water system has been destroyed, and food, water and wood are scarce. The two schools are closed; both have been declared unsafe to use as shelters. Nineteen bodies have been recovered, and they are still looking for a missing woman and child. In Santa Catarina, at least 25 homes have been destroyed. And there is a very real fear of more rain and more devastation. All of us here in our little Guatemala team are going around with aching hearts as we think of the people of these little pueblos – people we know. They will pick themselves up and continue; the Mayans are an amazingly resilient people. There are people in San Antonio and Santa Catarina who are hard at work trying to bring in water, distribute food, evaluate the situation and see how rebuilding can take place. However, I don’t think they can do it without outside help. So I’m writing to you once again, to see whether this tragedy is one that calls you to open up your wallet. Don’t feel pressure – I’m so aware that there are a myriad of worthy causes to give to, and many of you have already given generously to support the work in these communities. But if you would like to respond to this urgent need, you can rest assured that every penny will go straight into the |
communities. Our parent organization, ICO Foundation, consists entirely of volunteers, and there are no administration costs. We are able to give income tax receipts for all donations. You can find more information on the website, and do also feel free to email or call me for updates at 250-386-6398. |
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12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1
09) Mary Lynch ~ Oct. 27/10 8) Kathy Coster ~ Oct. 5, 2010 7) Mary Lynch ~ June 13/10
6) Devastation Follow-Up Photos June 7/10 5) Devastation In San Antonio May 29/10
4) Kathy Coster ~ Nov. 25/09 3) ICO Report 2) ICO Report 1) Photos June 15/08
Please Note: These letters and photos are displayed from the original letter at the bottom to the most recent update at the top
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4) Kathy Nov. 25/09
Dear Friends, Previous and Potential Donors and anyone with whom you would like to share this,
Once again I am excited to be returning to Guatemala, this time from January to April, to continue living and working in the Maya villages that I have been in for the last 3 winters. I so look forward to returning to see how everyone is doing, how the children have grown and how many have new front teeth! And I am so saddened by the news of starvation, poverty, pollution, crime and corruption in this beautiful country.
Now to tell you what has been happening with OUR (that includes you as friends and supporters) Guatemala project and some new objectives for this coming year.
We have had a successful year as part of Innovative Communities (ICO). Because of this we were able to issue charitable receipts to our generous donors. We also continue to sell beautiful hand woven Mayan scarves and shawls to raise money for stoves. ICO has proven to be wonderfully helpful when we put on events to publicize the work and sell scarves.
Working with teams of Maya people, to date we have placed over 800 fuel efficient, vented concrete ONIL stoves in as many homes in 2 towns and 2 villages. This article from NPR will tell you a bit of the history of the stoves, you can also google ONIL Stoves for more information:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98745120&sc=emaf
These stoves are replacing open fires in peoples homes, leading to fewer smoke related health problems, fewer burns, a savings on firewood, and therefore less destruction of forests.
Along with the stoves, last year we helped 3 schools buy sorely needed books and equipment as well as school supplies for children who are most needy. For the families school is expensive even though there is no tuition fee. We worked with the Literacy organization CONALFA, providing office equipment, teaching supplies, TV and DVD player, repairs and whatever we could to assist this commendable and under funded organization. We helped several widows with basic food supplies and clothes for their children, provided a printer for the health clinic, started a young environmentalist group, purchased industrial sewing machines for a cooperative, and sewing training to increase the coop’s ability to fill orders.
Our goals, aside from sustainability, helping people help themselves and rekindling friendships, for this coming year of course include more of the same; and, as there will be several of us ‘on the ground’, a few more things! Part of our group will explore with local people the possibilities and benefits of vertical gardening techniques that will include learning how to grow tomatoes upside down. This would lead to discussions about growing vegetables and nutrition. Both Santa Catarina and San Antonio are burgeoning villages and space is at a premium. Others will be working in the educational field with teachers; with helping young children with their reading skills, setting up small reading groups with the books we bring; with environmental awareness and projects (as you may know, Lake Atitlán is in severe crisis with an unbelievable algae bloom that goes 40 feet deep in some places); and with weavers to help them with design, colours, and marketing skills. It is an ambitious list and for that matter, only a list. Things tend to unfold as we listen to the needs of the community but it is good to have a ‘guide’, a product of our previous experiences there.
To continue this great work we need your support and call on you to make us part of your Christmas. Many people in the past 4 years have given donations for stoves or community support (school supplies, health, urgent relief etc), instead of Christmas gifts, to extended family and friends, or they have collected money in their offices and schools. All of your donation will go to the project, not to administration costs or volunteers’ expenses.
If you do donate, stoves cost $120 Canadian this year. We are pleased to be able to offer you an income tax receipt for whatever amount you decide on ($20 and over) and we will give or send you a beautiful card for Christmas or in fact for any occasion year round, (e.g. wedding, birthday, memorial or gratitude) saying that money has been donated in the recipient's name and what it is for.
CHEQUES can be made out to ICO FOUNDATION and can be sent to: ICO, c/o K. Coster, PO BOX 8300, VICTORIA, BC, V8W 3R9. And designate stove or community development or something more specific. Or cheques can be sent to me as well at 1081 Holmes St., Duncan, V9L 2C9, and must arrive before this yearend.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me (250-748-4178).
If you would like more information about ICO or to donate online, please refer to
http://innovativecommunities.org/pages/1141.php
To donate (by cheque or online) please designate whether it is for
Guatemala: stoves for health or
Guatemala: community development (all the other things!)
and also please have a look at our web page in the Getting Higher Choir newsletter: http://www.crucible.ca/temp/guatemala.html
I am very grateful to be going back again this year - it is so amazing what a difference we all can make in their lives with so little and they are SO appreciative of and strengthened by any assistance we can give them in providing tools or opportunities to learn and promote change that brings them out of poverty but with a focus on maintaining their ancient culture. We will keep you informed of all that we are doing during the months ahead and will send pictures.
With heartfelt thanks,
Kathy (Coster)
November 25, 2009
Web: InnovativeCommunities.Org
Registered Canadian Charity BN/Registration Number: 871126249RR0001
12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1
09) Mary Lynch ~ Oct. 27/10 8) Kathy Coster ~ Oct. 5, 2010 7) Mary Lynch ~ June 13/10
6) Devastation Follow-Up Photos June 7/10 5) Devastation In San Antonio May 29/10
4) Kathy Coster ~ Nov. 25/09 3) ICO Report 2) ICO Report 1) Photos June 15/08
Please Note: These letters and photos are displayed from the original letter at the bottom to the most recent update at the top
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3) InnovativeCommunities.org At work in Guatemala (posted Nov. 20/09)
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Lake Atitlán......located in the highlands of Guatemala, is a place of incredible beauty, edged by volcanoes, and surrounded by small picturesque Mayan villages. But when you enter one of these villages, you find people trying to eke out a living in very difficult circumstances. Over 15 years ago, Jacqueline Mealing from Kaslo BC started to work with the weavers of San Antonio Palopó, one of the Atitlán communities. During the past few years, she’s been joined by other volunteers, and – thanks to generous contributions from friends in Canada – we’ve been able to expand the scope of the project to include not only San Antonio, but neighbouring villages around the lake. |
What do we do?
Stoves:
In both San Antonio and neighbouring Santa Catarina, our main focus has been the installation of safe, fuel-efficient stoves. Traditionally, Mayans cook over unventilated open hearths in their one-room adobe houses. This causes respiratory illnesses, eye infections, and burns to children. Traditional cooking fires also use large quantities of wood, a problem which is contributing to rapid Guatemalan deforestation. The Onil stove (which costs just over $100 US), developed and produced in Guatemala, is vented, smoke free and uses 70% less wood. We have installed over 500 stoves in the past three years. Already, we are hearing from the health workers in these communities that health is improving dramatically.
Check out this YouTube video: IPO San Antonio Palapo ~ Onil Stoves
Education:
We also focus on educational support. Many children still can’t attend school because they don’t have the small amount of money they need for school supplies. We work with the elementary schools to provide school supplies and equipment, we are building up school libraries, and we provide scholarships for needy students who can’t afford to attend secondary school. InnovativeCommunities.org also supports a scholarship program in the nearby community of San Pedro.
On-the-Ground Support:
Often, our volunteers are faced with urgent needs in the community, such as a hungry family whose father is out of work, a recent widow with six small children to feed, a mother needing medicine for her child. With your help, we are able to help meet these urgent needs.
How can I help?When you buy a San Antonio scarf, you help provide much needed employment, and the proceeds go to buy stoves. If you give a donation, you are helping support work in the Atitlán communities. Because volunteers pay all their own expenses, every cent you contribute goes straight to projects in the communities. InnovativeCommunities.org is a registered charity, so you will receive a tax receipt for your donation. Here are two ways to make a donation: • Write a cheque to ICO Foundation, write “Guatemala Communities” on the memo line along with other instructions — stoves, schools, general — and send it to: ICO Foundation, PO Box 8300, Victoria, BC V8W 3R9 • Donate online at innovativecommunities.org (Click on "Donate" and in the "Donation For : ICO Initiative" box choose either "Guatemala: Stoves for Health" or "Guatemala: Stoves forCommunity Development")
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For a PDF file of the above report that you can download and then email as an attachment to others who might want to help Click Here |
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12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1
09) Mary Lynch ~ Oct. 27/10 8) Kathy Coster ~ Oct. 5, 2010 7) Mary Lynch ~ June 13/10
6) Devastation Follow-Up Photos June 7/10 5) Devastation In San Antonio May 29/10
4) Kathy Coster ~ Nov. 25/09 3) ICO Report 2) ICO Report 1) Photos June 15/08
Please Note: These letters and photos are displayed from the original letter at the bottom to the most recent update at the top
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2) ICO Atitlán Community reports from the field (posted Apr. 10/09)
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Our intrepid volunteer, Kathy Coster from Duncan, has been in San Antonio Palopó since mid-November, working with people in San Antonio and its neighbouring community Santa Catarina to decide on the most urgent needs. Here’s what’s been happening: We have ordered 140 safe, fuel-efficient Onil stoves from the factory in Guatemala City. These are being installed in the homes of families from San Antonio, Santa Catarina, and the tiny nearby hamlet of San José Xiquinaba. Installation date: February 7 or sometime soon after. These are given to at-risk families, who have had trouble with water-borne illnesses. Health clinic nurses tell us that only a few new families need filters this year; we have ordered 15. We are providing supplies for needy children in the region’s three primary schools, as well as providing the schools with basic supplies – paper, pencils, art supplies, scissors, tape, etc – the kind of things we take for granted in Canada, that aren’t supplied in Guatemala. We have already bought routers for two of the schools. These allow 4 computers in each school to have internet hook-up, and allow students to link up with the outside world. One of the school principals has agreed to teach computer skills to other family members in off-school hours. CONALFA is the name of the government-sponsored literacy program for illiterate women to learn to read and write. The government hires the teachers, but provides almost nothing in the way of equipment. Our gift of around $1,000 will give them a television, dvd player, new computer monitor, tables and chairs, white board and markers, repaired windows and electrical outlets, and a few other things that they need. This gift contributes towards literacy education of approximately 500 women and men in the municipality. We are supporting several students with tuition and school supplies at a middle-school or high school level. These are all bright kids from poor families, who would otherwise have to drop out. Linda Stanton, from Victoria/Saltspring, who has a keen interest in organic farming arrived in mid-January. A local school principal is enthusiastic to support a gardening project with a grade 6 class and Linda has supplied a gardening book and packages of seeds to get them started. We have started a Club de Jovenes Ambientalistas (Young Naturalists). The children are meeting once a week and on Saturday mornings are getting computer and internet time for an hour to research and network with other groups and projects. So far the Club spent a morning picking up garbage along the lakeshore and they have met with the mayor and presented their ideas for environmental improvements. The Cooperativa Integral has 142 member weavers who weave fabric for a variety of items: bags, wallets, slippers, aprons, placemats, etc. However, the co-op lacks tailors. Last year, they lost a substantial amount of business because their one tailor was too busy to meet deadlines. Our group, in partnership with Global Village Store in Victoria, is fronting money for the purchase of 4 industrial sewing machines, and the training for 6 tailors. This project has a micro-credit flavour; the machines are leased to the co-op at a charge of 15% of the initial cost per year, and the trainees will pay back part of their training costs. The revolving fund created by this will be used to buy more machines and train more tailors. Food prices have skyrocketed in the past year. We are providing food for several families just to help them survive. Sometimes, a bag of corn or beans can make all the difference in helping a family through a difficult time. |
12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1
09) Mary Lynch ~ Oct. 27/10 8) Kathy Coster ~ Oct. 5, 2010 7) Mary Lynch ~ June 13/10
6) Devastation Follow-Up Photos June 7/10 5) Devastation In San Antonio May 29/10
4) Kathy Coster ~ Nov. 25/09 3) ICO Report 2) ICO Report 1) Photos June 15/08
Please Note: These letters and photos are displayed from the original letter at the bottom to the most recent update at the top
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1) June 15, 2008
Here are some recent pictures of families with their new stoves and of children receiving school supplies sent to Mary by Kathy and then posted here June 15/08
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12) Kathy Coster ~ Photo Gallery 11) Mary Lynch ~ Nov. 26/10 10) Kathy Coster ~Nov. 24/1
09) Mary Lynch ~ Oct. 27/10 8) Kathy Coster ~ Oct. 5, 2010 7) Mary Lynch ~ June 13/10
6) Devastation Follow-Up Photos June 7/10 5) Devastation In San Antonio May 29/10
4) Kathy Coster ~ Nov. 25/09 3) ICO Report 2) ICO Report 1) Photos June 15/08