GVI Phoenix Project

Facts and figures

On an annual basis we aim to provide:
First time education or educational reinforcement to almost 2000 children in primary school
Secondary education to over 200 children and adults
Employment to over 75 local people; more-so indirectly
100 energy saving wood-burning stoves and 15,000 trees planted
Around 100,000 teaching hours
Over 500,000 pieces of fruit
1,000’s of pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, colouring pencils, work-books and erasers
Over 300,000 whole or subsidized meals
Daily education in 16 communities across Latin America
Direct benefits to over 500 families

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Amazing progress in GVI Phoenix Ecuador

It is always great to see the GVI Phoenix projects for Doreen and myself and to see the progress that is being made on them. We recently visited the communities in Ecuador and they have come on leaps and bounds from when we started, from the initial start-up days in 2004.

Urcusiqui, our first comunity we started working in, is still Urcusiqui, for those volunteers who worked there in the past! Frankie, Jon Jairo, Doris and the rest are still, well, the same! Rocio is in charge, with Jesús, and the school is doing well. We have decided to pay for a new teacher for the coming year, to share the workload.

Huayrapungo, with Zoila at the helm, has come on really well, and there are a couple of grades of children who have only been taught by volunteers since they started their educational cycle, a great testament to the work we do, and also the trust that the community have with GVI Phoenix volunteers.

Larcacunga, with Ines, has come on excellently since Benn started the project there. It is amazing what can be done in just a year and we hope to continue the good work for years to come.

It is always great to catch up with the volunteers in our different Phoenix projects, talk about things, see where we can improve, what is working, what isn't.

Being based in Guatemala means Doreen and myself put a lot of responsibility on our staff in the field, all ex-volunteers. The volunteers themselves also step up, know what they have to do, and are doing the job fantastically well.

The difference GVI Phoenix volunteers make in Ecuador is quantifiable and easy to see...the children are passing their exams, moving on to secondary school, eating and enjoying education.

Doreen and myself can see this, by visiting the projects over time, seeing the positive difference and I thank every single volunteer in Ecuador since we started, to now, and to the future volunteers who decide to come and help in Ecuador.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Benn and Julie, our project managers in Ecuador for the past couple of years, and also, a huge thanks to our interns, Pat, Cat and Brigitte. Tracey, Colleen and Morgan are now in charge!