STARFISH ONE BY ONE
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May 21, 2010
I am such a big fan of this charity because as a woman born in South America, I have personally witnessed the poverty and lack of opportunity for girls. I love the work that Starfish is doing in Guatemala with girls- empowering them through education and giving them the tools and self confidence they need to help themselves. They can then give back to their communities and families and break the cycle of poverty.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
the letter I got back from the girl I sponsor. It is wonderful to hear about her progress.
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How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
May 18, 2010
I fell in love with the idea behind Starfish One by One: making a difference one person at a time by educating adolescent girls. Starfish targets the most at risk and deprived individuals: rural Mayan adolescent girls who, without the help of scholarships, peer support, and mentor support, would not be able to finish jr high - high school. These very girls ALSO have more potential than anyone else in their communities to bring lasting, positive change. By getting an education, they will marry later, have fewer children, and invest their added income into their communities. A persistent effort in this direction has the potential to heal the whole culture of its most damaging problems, all of which stem from oppression and poverty. The most distinguishing aspect of Starfish One by One's program, though, is the centrality of the Starfish Mentors, who are all rural Mayan women (except for one male mentor who works with Starfish's groups of boys- boys are less at risk thangirls, but still marginalized and oppressed). The Mentors are college educated, and yet have overcome the same obstacles that Starfish students face. They speak the same dialect as their Mayan students. They guide the youngsters through their education step by step, working with them in froups of 15 at least once a week outside of the regular classroom. I met these Mentors. They are multilingual, passionate, energetic, unbelievably organized and utterly devoted to providing leadership and support to each student. I'm completely convinced of the power of this program. I had to resign as their art director because of the demands of being a mother, but if not for that I would continue to work for Starfish on a volunteer basis. I hope to have the privelege of being useful to these wonderful people again someday. I visited some of the Starfish students this past January, and saw for myself what the girls are up against, as well as the tremendous hope and energy they experience as Starfish scholarship students. These girls would do anything to finish school. It is their hope, for their own futures and for their families. I met the young woman who I have the honor of sponsoring; her name is Dolores. In Mayan families girls like Dolores are expected to take care of younger siblings (she is one of 7 or 8 children) and do household chores; that is why most girls are not allowed to continue to go to school past 6th grade. Dolores keeps up all her household chores, and studies after she has finished. It is a long day. Dolores, like all the other girls I met, also has a long walk to a pick-up spot where she rides in the back of a truck to school. Going to school for these girls is a sacrifice and a hardship. But they want it , desperately. Another young woman, Jeronima, is 20 (many girls must interrupt their studies to help aging or sick parents or siblings)and is finishing her high school degree. Since she is the only person in her village who speaks Spanish, she has begun to advocate on behalf of her village for better roads, better access. She is going to be an agent of change in her community. These girls are going to change their world. This is how they will rise, on their own, out of the poverty and marginalization that has been inflicted on them by corrupt, cruel governments for generations.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
See the story about Jeronima, above, who is becoming a leader in her community and changing things for them. This could not have happened without Starfish's intervention.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Just make it grow. Duplicate it in Afghanistan and other places. Maybe fund raising could reflect a little more the seriousness of the situation these girls are in, and the modesty of their lives.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Interacting with the founders, executive director, and board. Meeting the students and mentors and getting a glimpse of their life. Doing something real for real people.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Calm, energetic, intelligent, articulate, compassionate, realistic, detail oriented, passionate, kind, down to earth...
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
send tendrils to other communities where girls could begin to lift their people out of desperate poverty. help more girls and families.
Ways to make it better...
I were less scattered. If I had a little more direction as a volunteer.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
getting exposure and raising enough money to grow
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
May 17, 2010
I visited Starfish in January 2010 along with four other Rotarians. We went to the homes of four families, all of whom have daughters in the program (described elsewhere by other reviewers), and saw first hand the economic plight of these girls. We visited the learning center in Pana and met there the staff and about 15 other Starfish girls. Ted, Connie and Travis Ning are visionaries, each with a heart for service and willing hands to do the work. They're gifts to the world, and Starfish is an example of the concrete ways in which our gifts can be passed forward.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
meeting the participants.
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How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
One time
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
May 16, 2010
We met Ted and Connie Ning of Evergreen, Colorado through a mutual friend. Over dinner one evening Ted and Connie told us about "Starfish One by One." We appreciated their vision for empowering young Mayan girls in Guatemala. We were intrigued and wanted to see firsthand how this was being done. In January 2010, along with our mutual friends, we spent a week in Guatemala with Ted, Connie, their son Travis, and several of their local leaders. It was a wonderful experience and we hope to return and offer ourselves as volunteers for short-term service. During our visit, Travis, the local director, provided us with many opportunities to meet and interact with the local leaders and the young Mayan women they served. The goal of Starfish One by One is to provide relational and financial support that will enable these teenagers to continue their education beyond 6th grade. The philosophy is simple yet powerful: if you educate women you can change the world. Educated women have better economic opportunities, have fewer children, provide better nutrition for their families, all of which improve communities, countries, and the world. These young women were chosen by their teachers because they have great potential and are financially the most in need. Families must also agree to be supportive of their daughter as she pursues her education. Starfish One by One provides scholarship help and weekly mentoring groups. The mentors are local Mayan women who are college educated and who know well the Mayan culture and the challenges ahead for these young women. They meet with the young women at least weekly to provide tutoring assistance, personal support, goal setting, and a great deal of encouragement. We had the privilege of meeting the mentors, observing several mentoring groups, and talking with the families whose daughters were in the program. We were very impressed with the quality of the local leaders and mentors. As we interacted with the families, there was great sensitivity and respect from the Starfish One by One staff. And there was a great deal of appreciation and affection from the families for the opportunity given to their daughter to continue her education. All in all, the vision of the Nings, the high quality of the local staff and mentors, the gratitude and support of the families, and the contagious enthusiasm of the young girls are some of the reasons that we are enthusiastically sharing our experience with Starfish One by One. We are surely going to return and be continually supportive of this tremendous work. Doug and Jeannie Amidon, Carlsbad, CA
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
...the continuing education (beyond 6th grade) of young Mayan women in Guatemala including college educated Mayan women who are giving back to their communities by serving as mentors.
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How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About once a year
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
May 16, 2010
Starfish One by One offers scholarships and mentorships to help Mayan girls get an education so they can ultimately break the cycle of poverty. Girls in that culture are not encouraged to get an education. Starfish not only offers financial assistance, but mentors to help offer counseling and academic encouragemenet for families who do not support education for girls, or do not know how to provide academic support because they never got an education. I sponsor 2 girls and frequently exchange e-mails with one of them. She updates me on her progress and always tells me how grateful she is to already be the most educated person in her family--and she's only in 6th grade! This is a very hands-on organization and the founders and mentors work very hard to stay involved in the girls' lives and abreast of personal and academic happenings so they can continue to help them stay in the program. Great organization! Great people!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
These girls are already succeeding not only by doing well in school, but they are giving back to the community by tutoring pre-schoolers and other adults. It is The Girl Effect at its finest!
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How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
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