P-4899

Approved

District Grant Final Report

District 5340

2023-24

Rotary Club: Encinitas Coastal

Project Title: Student Aid Program


Project Description

1. Describe the project. What was done, when and where did project activities take place?

This project was to support the education of rural schoolchildren in the Department of Retalhuleu in Western Guatemala. The costs associated with attending school are not free in this area, and many children drop out of school because of these costs and to help with chores at home. Average schooling here is only 2.3 years, and it's lower for girls and indigenous groups.

This local Rotary-developed student aid project is to encourage the support of families to keep their children in school by addressing the obstacles that end the education of many children in this area. These include out of pocket expenses for items such as uniforms, shoes and backpacks. It also includes food and nutritional supplements to compensate families for the lack of that child's labor at home while they are in school, and to improve overall family nutrition.

This project has been in place for some time, supported and run by the Club Rotario de Retalhuleu. In this particular case, the children enjoyed these funded items during the 2023-2024 school year. The children are students that attend a variety of rural schools in the area, often walking to class from home. As an aside, we are also working with the Retalhuleu Rotary Club on WASH projects for 7 area schools that lack adequate clean water and latrine facilities.

The funds are distributed as follows: 10% for school supplies, 20% for shoes, 20% for student uniforms and 50% for nutritional support. It costs $200 to support each student for the school year, so the combined effect of this matching grant was to enable 30 students to attend school.

The children and the families personally commit to doing the schoolwork and supporting their educational efforts, and the local REU Rotary Club members monitor progress and provide support. In addition, some basic donated health and dental services are available to the students.

The Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club visited with the children and their Rotary colleagues in late January of this year, 2024.

2. How many people benefited from this project? 30 students from our grant, and a total of 65 students overall in the program.

3. Who were the beneficiaries, how were they impacted by this project, and what humanitarian need was met?

The beneficiaries were 65 young Guatemalans of primary school age. The project allowed them to continue their studies and further their education without their families suffering unsustainable financial hardship.

The humanitarian (and specific Rotary) needs met include supporting education and the support of mothers and children. Furthering education is likely to result in better economic, health and overall welfare benefits for the students, their families and for the region and country in general.

4. How many Rotarians participated in the project? Approximately 20 Rotarians from REU, along with 10 visiting members of the Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club.

5. What did they do? Please give at least two examples, not including financial support provided to the project.

The Rotary Club orientation for students includes education on personal hygiene, the importance of clean water and overall sanitation. They additionally screen students and families, provide personal mentoring and support to each student and their families, and they often are able to solicit in-kind goods and services from the community, such as health care volunteers to evaluate student health, dental services, eye and ear screenings, and discounts from businesses on items the children need to be successful in school. Student progress is evaluated by local Rotary Club members quarterly throughout the year.

6. If a cooperating organization was involved, what was its role?

None known.

NOTES FOR EXPENDITURES BELOW:

1.Figures were spent in Guatemalan Quetzales but are translated here into U.S. dollars at an exchange rate of Q7.81382 = $1.00 U.S. Exchange rates are fluid and will vary over time.

2. The total shows over $6,000 spent as additional funds were received from the Medford Rogue Rotary Club.

3. All receipts are uploaded, along with a reconciliation of income and expenses performed by our club, and a project summary prepared by the Club Rotario de Retalhuleu.


Financial Report

7. Income

Sources of Income

Amount

1. District Grant funds received from District 5340

$3,000

2. Rotary Club Contribution: Encinitas Coastal

$3,000

3. Other funding

$0

Total Project Income

$6,000

8. Expenditures

Budget Items

Name of Supplier/Vendor

Amount

1. Food

Unisuper and Viveres Reyes

$3,759

2. School Supplies

Papeles de Reu, S.A.

$1,088

3. Uniforms

Uniformes de Guatemala

$291

4. Backpacks and Logos

Int'l de Confeccion y Compania

$1,164

5. Shoes

Calzado de Guatemala

$1,045

Total Project Expenditures

$7,347

District must retain receipts of all expenditures for at least five years. Please scan and upload to the project's "Documents" tab all invoices (be sure they are marked "paid"), receipts and/or copies of checks for the full amount of the project budget.


Certifying Signatures

By signing this report, I confirm that to the best of my knowledge these District Grant funds were spent only for eligible items in accordance with Trustee-approved guidelines, and that all of the information contained herein is true and accurate. I also understand that all photographs submitted in connection with this report will become the property of RI and will not be returned. I warrant that I own all rights in the photographs, including copyright, and herby grant RI and TRF a royalty free irrevocable license to use the photographs now or at any time in the future, throughout the world in any manner it so chooses and in any medium now known or later developed. This includes the right to modify the photograph(s) as necessary in RI's sole discretion. This also includes, without limitation, use on or in the web site, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, exhibitions and any other promotional materials of RI and TRF.

Signatory

Email

Sign Date

 

 

Adam Rosenberg

adam@arrcpa.com

Signed on 28-May-24

 

 

Jan Dickieson

dickiesonjan23@gmail.com

Signed on 25-May-24

 

 

Neil Hokanson

hokansons@gmail.com

Signed on 23-May-24

 

 

Report submitted by Neil Hokanson