The Free High School has been tranforming women's lives in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua in a way so clear and dramatic that I feel every penny I can send to support the school is touching a life in a positive way. Graduations have been celebrations in many ways: daughters are given hope and confidence seeing their mothers affirm the need and right to literacy; sons gain greater respect for themselves, seeing that the family status changes in the community. This is a wonderful program.
I love the Free High school for Adults because it provides an opportunity for adults who live far away in the country and/or work during the week to get a real education. As a supporter, I have heard the personal stories of people who have attended the high school and it has made an incredible difference in their lives. Some have been able to get new kinds of jobs, some have gone on to university and some have improved their skills, such as math skills, so they are able to work more effectively. It does such a good job of providing education for its students that officials have said it is a model of what schools should be.
The other aspect of the high school that I like is that the students are required to teach others, so that education spreads even beyond the students who are enrolled in the school.
Finally, I am happy to support the high school because all the fund-raising and administrative work is done for free so support for the school actually pays for teachers and supplies.
I live in Newton, Massachusetts and have been impressed by the commitment of the high school students and citizens of Newton in their passion for San Juan del Sur high school. And I I learn more about the Free High School for Adults, I am inspired by how much the students value their education and how much it takes for them to achieve something that we take for granted. As a former teacher of middle school, I believe that education is the answer. Congratulations to all.
Great organization, serving women and communities in the south west corner of Nicaragua. Every non-profit should be so effective.
Review from Guidestar
Since 1997 I have worked with my Nicaraguan counterpart, Dr. Rosa Elena Bello, first to improve adult literacy and then to start and maintain a Free High School for Adults. It has had an illustrious history since it opened in 2002. It is open to all the people the other high schools exclude, so it reaches the most disadvantaged and gives them an opportunity they would never have had. In 2006 they opened a Technical High School too, which gives a high-level technical certificate.
Its first graduating class had only 11 people, but now each year we matriculate over 550 people and we graduate about 60, for a total of 346 over the years. Many have gone on to university, to real careers, to positions in local government.
Review from Guidestar