Today I spent about six hours (including driving about 40
miles) to try to tie up some loose ends in regard to the educational
scholarships.
I still don’t have the final details but I just heard got phone calls from the last two centers I was waiting to
hear from. I am pretty close being able to determine how many scholarships will be granted and
how much money will be distributed. I will go out to Dulce Nombre tomorrow
morning to give the parish secretary the details.
It’s been difficult but I’m glad St. Thomas agreed to help
in this, partly because of stories like this:
Sor Nola who runs the program in Dulce Nombre had told me of
an 18 year old young man who wants to study in high school. His father has been
disabled for a number of years and so income is very limited. The mother too
has recently had some health problems.
There are five children in the family, four boys and one
girl who is developmentally disabled. The home is without electricity, water,
and latrine.
But the family borrowed 400 lempiras (about $20) to pay for
part of the tuition and fees.
I had told Sor Nola that this is a case where we could give
more than the half-scholarships we are normally giving. They would only have to
pay 165 lempira more (about $8.50).
But they had come to bring another 465 lempiras ($23.50)
which the son had earned working in the fields.
Sor explained the decision and returned 300 lempiras (about
$15). They were grateful and shared that their son was wondering how he would
be able to work to pay for uniform, tennis shoes, and some other things –
including the bus fare each week.
Talking to the teacher in one community he told me that some
other parents had also borrowed money to pay for the school fees. I asked him
about the interest rate. Up to 18% - per
month!
And so the funds will help about 88 students this
year.
The process has been difficult and time-consuming, but I’m
hoping to work with the teachers, the priest, and a few others to have a better
process next year.
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