programs IN THE COMMUNITY
community center
Fundacion Cielo has been working with the generous collaboration of the Municipalities of Teabo and Chumayel in the last few years. They have shared with us their facilities such as auditorium, classrooms, library, sporting facilities, etc. However, it's been a long standing dream to have our own facilities in the Municipality of Teabo.
Fundacion Cielo has received approval from the community to build a Community Center at the old water tank or Algibe. The water tank as been abandoned for over 40 years. We are excited to be working with renowned architect Seijo Peon, specializing in sustainability and finding new uses for existing structures. His firm has worked pro bono designing and elaborating the plans for the reuse of the water tank into a Community Center. See presentation.
For the last few years we've been working on raising funds to begin the construction of Fundacion Cielo's Community Center. We have received the generous support of Javier Ortiz de Artinano Goni, a Spanish national with a generous heart and a desire to help those in need and Mark Rueff, a US citizen with deep love for the Yucatan and their people. Thus far, we've raised US$12,000. We still need to raise an additional $38,000 to complete the first stage of our goal.
Fundacion Cielo has received approval from the community to build a Community Center at the old water tank or Algibe. The water tank as been abandoned for over 40 years. We are excited to be working with renowned architect Seijo Peon, specializing in sustainability and finding new uses for existing structures. His firm has worked pro bono designing and elaborating the plans for the reuse of the water tank into a Community Center. See presentation.
For the last few years we've been working on raising funds to begin the construction of Fundacion Cielo's Community Center. We have received the generous support of Javier Ortiz de Artinano Goni, a Spanish national with a generous heart and a desire to help those in need and Mark Rueff, a US citizen with deep love for the Yucatan and their people. Thus far, we've raised US$12,000. We still need to raise an additional $38,000 to complete the first stage of our goal.
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JOIN US, BE PART OF THE CHANGE
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Children ACTIVITIES
In the summers our interns have been running Children's Activities in the Plazas of the towns of Chumayel and Teabo. The purpose of the activities is to provide an educational experience in a fun environment. Many children stop attending school after elementary school because their families cannot afford the books, uniforms and transportation that they need. The children that are fortunate enough to continue to attend school are usually not provided with a quality education. Most of the schools in the communities we work in are overcrowded and have a severe lack of resources. Many times even if families can afford to send their children to University, their children cannot pass the Admission exams. During our Children's Activities we teach a variety of subjects. The children have the opportunity to practice their math, creative writing, and art skills as well as learn about the environment, health and community resources. We also play sports such as basketball, soccer, baseball, and field games. Our hope is that these activities provide a helpful supplement to the children's school studies and encourage them to continue their education.
Art Education:
We partner with the wonderful Mexican artist, Patricia Loret de Mola. With a substantial history of working within different schools and communities, Patricia wants to share the importance of cultural support. Every year, around 200 kids attended her workshop over the course of two days.
Thank you so much Patricia!
Art Education:
We partner with the wonderful Mexican artist, Patricia Loret de Mola. With a substantial history of working within different schools and communities, Patricia wants to share the importance of cultural support. Every year, around 200 kids attended her workshop over the course of two days.
Thank you so much Patricia!
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Our flagship summer event is our Mentorship Week. The main goal is to inspire teenagers in the importance of higher education. During a full week we run workshops, University Fairs and conferences for all junior high and high school students in the neighboring villages.
Workshops include pairing teenage students with nearby University students in order to provide role models and answer basic questions. Our workshop replicates a Speed-dating dynamic, whereby we sit on one row teenage Students and University Students on the row across. We instruct them first on general questions and invite both sides to also generate their own questions for their counterpart. We allow a 5min chat between the two parties before the teenage students move to their next mentor. We've received incredible feedback on this activity from both sides. We develop leadership skills on the still young University Students and generate a lot of interest from the teenage students into pursuing an undergrad degree.
By the end of the one week program, the students identify which Universities they are interested in attending, what resources they need in order to continue their education, and how they will attain those resources. Our Summer interns run the long week of programs in the community. Activities include a College Fair where all the neighboring public and private universities come to present their programs, facilities and financial aid services. We collaborate with Universidad Privada de la Península, Centro Educativo Rodríguez Tamayo, UT Regional del Sur, and Instituto Tecnológico Superior del Sur del Estado de Yucatán (ITSSY).
In 2015, we selected the top graduates from the local High School and coached them for a full semester. We then helped the top two performers to secure scholarships via Fundacion Legorreta Hernandez, to continue their undergrad education.
In 2017, we launched our own Scholarship Program in partnership with local NGO Impulso Universitario. We selected 3 top female candidates from Teabo and Mani villages and are sponsoring them for the next 5 years to complete their studies.
Workshops include pairing teenage students with nearby University students in order to provide role models and answer basic questions. Our workshop replicates a Speed-dating dynamic, whereby we sit on one row teenage Students and University Students on the row across. We instruct them first on general questions and invite both sides to also generate their own questions for their counterpart. We allow a 5min chat between the two parties before the teenage students move to their next mentor. We've received incredible feedback on this activity from both sides. We develop leadership skills on the still young University Students and generate a lot of interest from the teenage students into pursuing an undergrad degree.
By the end of the one week program, the students identify which Universities they are interested in attending, what resources they need in order to continue their education, and how they will attain those resources. Our Summer interns run the long week of programs in the community. Activities include a College Fair where all the neighboring public and private universities come to present their programs, facilities and financial aid services. We collaborate with Universidad Privada de la Península, Centro Educativo Rodríguez Tamayo, UT Regional del Sur, and Instituto Tecnológico Superior del Sur del Estado de Yucatán (ITSSY).
In 2015, we selected the top graduates from the local High School and coached them for a full semester. We then helped the top two performers to secure scholarships via Fundacion Legorreta Hernandez, to continue their undergrad education.
In 2017, we launched our own Scholarship Program in partnership with local NGO Impulso Universitario. We selected 3 top female candidates from Teabo and Mani villages and are sponsoring them for the next 5 years to complete their studies.
Health Programs
During our summer internship program we organize a Health Fair. We invite several groups including Centro Nueva Vida (Addiction Center), Sin Piojitos (Without Lice), The Yucatan Bureau of the Mexican National Association of Dentistry, the local Zumba instructor, and others to participate in different activities throughout the week. Centro Nueva Vida presents on overcoming addiction and handed out pamphlets. Sin Piojitos provides delousing services for kids in the community. The Yucatan Bureau of the Mexican National Association of Dentistry donates toothbrushes, toothpaste and provides training. The local Zumba instructor organizes public classes in the main Plaza! We also partner with the local government on the Baxaal Paal, or children games.
Lastly, we organize community meetings regularly to foster community leadership. During the community meetings we participate with the local government in organizing community members into several committees: Sports, Health, Education, Culture, and Community Maintenance. Each committee is led by a previously elected government leader. This allows the community to continue functioning with their original structure. This system also encourages community members to be more involved and therefore able to hold their public officials accountable. Committees are responsible for choosing a community problem they want to address and then find funding to support the project. By not using federal funding or funding from NGOs the community becomes financially independent. Our hope is that committees will be able to fund all of their projects through community fundraisers. Look out for updates in our newsletter about Chumayel's and Teabo's progress.
Lastly, we organize community meetings regularly to foster community leadership. During the community meetings we participate with the local government in organizing community members into several committees: Sports, Health, Education, Culture, and Community Maintenance. Each committee is led by a previously elected government leader. This allows the community to continue functioning with their original structure. This system also encourages community members to be more involved and therefore able to hold their public officials accountable. Committees are responsible for choosing a community problem they want to address and then find funding to support the project. By not using federal funding or funding from NGOs the community becomes financially independent. Our hope is that committees will be able to fund all of their projects through community fundraisers. Look out for updates in our newsletter about Chumayel's and Teabo's progress.
PartnershipS With OTHER NON-PROFITS
We are a young organization with limited funds but unlimited dreams and wishes to improve living conditions in the communities where we work. Thus, we decided to not only work on our own but also partner with other non-profits and draw from their expertise in various areas to double down on our impact.
In 2014, we identified a high level of teen pregnancies in high school girls. It was decided that through sexual education, we could empower these ladies and promote school attendance and increase the rate of graduating students. (Which is currently at 14-16%). Thus in 2015, we partnered with British Non-Profit Marie Stopes, to empower women in the Yucatan Region. We worked alongside professionals Barbara Perez and Diana Ballinas to give sexual education workshops to the high school students of COBAY and women empowerment workshops for local community leaders. We hope the training of local professors will allow us to give continuity to these programs in the community.
We also held training workshops for 30 midwives from many villages around the Yucatan. Midwives attend an average of 6 births a year. In Mexico, 50% of maternal deaths in rural zones are the result of obstetric emergencies. Hospitals that can provide appropriate care are too far away. This is why the service provided by these rural midwives is indispensable.
We have continued Sexual Education workshops in the subsequent years serving the local Junio High and High Schools partnering with local NGO VIFAC's trained professionals.
Fundacion Legorreta-Hernandez, is a key parter during our Mentorship week providing training to aspiring scholarship candidates. They also bring along role models and success stories that are a great motivation to our high school students. Lastly, based on our joint collaboration, in 2015 Fundacion Legorreta-Hernandez sponsored with full tuition and living expenses, 2 of Fundacion Cielo's mentees class of 2015.
In 2016, we welcomed Amigos de Las Americas to the Fundación Cielo family. Currently, they have groups stationed in 9 Latin American countries. They have placed groups of students in Teabo and Chumayel. With similar objectives as ours, we hope that this partnership and working together will bring more success to the communities.
In 2017, we initiated our partnership with Impulso Universitario, a local non-profit that provides scholarships to students in the Yucatán and offers resources and coaching to the recipients throughout their time in university. Coaching skills include, leadership skills, presentation skills, English, which we believe are a key component to the profesional success of our candidates.
In 2018, we launched a partnership with Seeds of Learning , a non-profit organization dedicated to better the educational opportunities in rural Latin America. This summer we are hosting close to 100 volunteers in the mayan villages where our weavers live. During their time in the Yucatan, volunteers will be working with local children and youth. Projects include community work, activities with the children as well as a cultural experience between the visitors and the locals.
In 2014, we identified a high level of teen pregnancies in high school girls. It was decided that through sexual education, we could empower these ladies and promote school attendance and increase the rate of graduating students. (Which is currently at 14-16%). Thus in 2015, we partnered with British Non-Profit Marie Stopes, to empower women in the Yucatan Region. We worked alongside professionals Barbara Perez and Diana Ballinas to give sexual education workshops to the high school students of COBAY and women empowerment workshops for local community leaders. We hope the training of local professors will allow us to give continuity to these programs in the community.
We also held training workshops for 30 midwives from many villages around the Yucatan. Midwives attend an average of 6 births a year. In Mexico, 50% of maternal deaths in rural zones are the result of obstetric emergencies. Hospitals that can provide appropriate care are too far away. This is why the service provided by these rural midwives is indispensable.
We have continued Sexual Education workshops in the subsequent years serving the local Junio High and High Schools partnering with local NGO VIFAC's trained professionals.
Fundacion Legorreta-Hernandez, is a key parter during our Mentorship week providing training to aspiring scholarship candidates. They also bring along role models and success stories that are a great motivation to our high school students. Lastly, based on our joint collaboration, in 2015 Fundacion Legorreta-Hernandez sponsored with full tuition and living expenses, 2 of Fundacion Cielo's mentees class of 2015.
In 2016, we welcomed Amigos de Las Americas to the Fundación Cielo family. Currently, they have groups stationed in 9 Latin American countries. They have placed groups of students in Teabo and Chumayel. With similar objectives as ours, we hope that this partnership and working together will bring more success to the communities.
In 2017, we initiated our partnership with Impulso Universitario, a local non-profit that provides scholarships to students in the Yucatán and offers resources and coaching to the recipients throughout their time in university. Coaching skills include, leadership skills, presentation skills, English, which we believe are a key component to the profesional success of our candidates.
In 2018, we launched a partnership with Seeds of Learning , a non-profit organization dedicated to better the educational opportunities in rural Latin America. This summer we are hosting close to 100 volunteers in the mayan villages where our weavers live. During their time in the Yucatan, volunteers will be working with local children and youth. Projects include community work, activities with the children as well as a cultural experience between the visitors and the locals.
