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Premio "Ruby" de Soroptimist International de Sequim 2010

Soroptimist International de Sequim le felicita a Judith Pasco, la directora de Mujeres de Maíz Opportunity Foundation. Ella es la ganadora del premio anual ¨Ruby¨. Este premio reconoce a mujeres, que a través de sus actividades personales o profesionales, trabajan para mejorar las vidas de mujeres y niñas.

¨Mujeres¨ le agradece mucho al club de Soroptimist para este premio y para su apoyo de nuestros esfuerzos en Chiapas.

Soroptimist International of Sequim 2010 Ruby Award

Soroptimist International of Sequim congratulates Judith Pasco, Board Chair of Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation, the winner of its 2010 Ruby Award. The annual award acknowledges women, who through their personal or professional activities, are working to improve the lives of women and girls.

"Mujeres" thanks Soroptimist International of Sequim for this recognition and for its continuing support.

DOS PROYECTOS NUEVOS PARA 2010

A fines de 2010, unas mujeres de las comunidades en que trabajamos en Chiapas, nos presentaron con dos proyectos. Después de repasarlos, decidimos aceptar el desafío de juntar fondos para apoyarlos.

El primer proyecto viene de la comunidad de Zinacantán y fue creado por 4 de nuestras becarias. Es un proyecto que durará un año entero para 30-35 niños de la primaria. En un taller de tres horas a la semana, los niños van a tener la oportunidad de reenforzar sus destrezas académicas, aprender a escribir en su idioma maya, asistir a unos talleres en cuanto al autoestima, etc., desrrollar su creatividad, y aún aprender como reciclar la basura. Va a incluir un desayuno ligero, todos los materiales y capacitadores certificados.

El segundo proyecto es de la comunidad de Altamirano. Consiste en un programa, también de un año, para que 15 mujeres puedan cumplir su educación primaria...es decir, aprender a leer y escribir. Después pueden participar en las asambleas de su comunidad y pueden sentirse valoradas y capaces de continuar su educación.

Estos dos proyectos tiene todo que ver con la autodeterminación. El año pasado vimos personalmente como eran los talleres en Las Margaritas. Fue el primer proyecto de ese tipo que apoyamos. Estamos muy entusiasmadas por los dos nuevos proyectos, porque promueven la educación a y la vez crean el auto estima.

En marzo sale nuestra carta anual que solicita fondos que va a incluír más detalles de los dos proyectos nuevos.

Muchísmas gracias.

New Full Year Projects...We Are Enthused!!

At the end of 2009 we were sent two proposals created by the women in Chiapas and based on their assessment of some critical needs. After reviewing both of them, we have accepted the challenge of providing the funding. These projects both demonstrate and promote self-determination.

The first, in the community of Zinacantan, has been designed and will be run by four of our scholarship young women (ages 14, 17, 21, and 30). They will conduct a weekly three hour program for 30-35 primary school children that will reinforce academic skills, promote self-esteem, reinforce literacy in their Maya language, develop creativity and even teach garbage re-cycling. The program will last all year and be evaluated after each unit as well as every quarter.

The second project, in the community of Altamirano, will provide the opportunity for 15 women to complete their primary education through a year long certified literacy program. The women will then be able to participate in their communities assemblies and thus feel more valued. In addition, they will gain confidence in their abilities.

We are delighted with both these projects. In our coming annual funds solicitation letter in March, more details will be discussed.

Last year we funded the workshop project designed by the women in Las Margaritas and were personally able to confirm its organization and impact. Now, other communities are assessing their needs with respect to education. We are delighted with this new and expanding direction that Mujeres is taking.

Thank you again for your continuing support. You are indeed making a difference in the lives of these amazing women.

Judith

DECEMBER 2009 CHIAPAS TRIP plus RAVEN'S BREW COFFEE

San Cristobal de las Casas continues to enchant. I just got back last week after leading a group of seven very congenial people. Three (Ingrid Sorensen, Margaret Gardner and Pheryl Montroy were adult students of mine, and Mary Ann Kirkpatrick, Fred Tuttle, Donna Leavitt and Linda Crossland represented the Unitarian Church in Edmonds, one of our staunch supporters.)

We were fortunate to be in Chiapas during the festival of the Guadalupana...the Virgen of Guadalupe. Antorcha groups were running all directions but most were heading for the church of the Virgen in San Cristobal. Groups from parishes make pledges to honor their devotion to the Virgen by running in relay fashion to an appropriate church. The San Cristobal church is one of the most significant in Mexico and thus hundreds of Antorcha groups were running in. One of our scholarship girls, Petrona, was with the group that drove to Mexico City and then ran back. The person running carries a lit torch. The groups are transported and supported by pick-up trucks decorated with balloons, pictures of the Virgen, corn stalks, etc. Everyone participating wears tee-shirts or tunics with the Virgen's picture.

We attended the December meeting of the cooperative. One of the workshops this time dealt with motivation and was given by an intern from Puebla University. We also delivered a goodly supply of toothbrushes and toothpaste. Carmen promised that interesting proposals from communities would soon be coming our way.

The weather was glorious and we all found it difficult to come home.

Complete change of subject: Raven's Brew Coffee provided the coffee for our Dia de Muertos dinner this year and in addition donated a great "Deadman's Reach" teeshirt and pound of coffee for our auction. We received many positive comments about the coffee that evening. Raven's Brew is dedicated to " quality, sustainability and culture. We use shade-grown, organic and naturally-processed coffee beans in most of our blends, and support small family growers through our buying practices." It has become my personal favorite coffee. So I am letting you in on a terrific sale of coffee, mugs and teeshirts for $7 apiece if you go to their website (http://www.ravensbrew.com/) between December 25 , 2009 and January 4, 2010. Thank you all for your continuing support. Love and caring know no boundaries and your generosity is proof.

Feliz navidad y un próspero año nuevo.

Judith

ALTERNATIVE GIFTS INTERNATIONAL and US!!

I'm sure that many of you are familiar with Alternative Gifts International and their annual catalog highlighting many non-profit organizations. In their own words, "Alternative Gifts International is a non-profit organization that inspires support for humanitarian and environmental causes. We offer donors the option to designate charitable gifts through carefully selected agencies in the name of their relatives, friends and associates."

We are delighted to be included in the Alternative Gifts International catalog this year. It was an honor to be selected and see our name in print with some very high profile organizations. The catalog is a tribute to so many people who are working hard to improve our world.

We are so thankful that our work is receiving this wonderful recognition. To AGI we say "¡MIL GRACIAS!

If you would like more information, AGI will shortly have a link on our "About Us" page. We also have a few of the catalogs left if you would like to request one.

Judith

Spotlight on Soroptimist International of Sequim

We owe a debt of gratitude to Soroptimist International of Sequim for their continuing support these past four years. When we first started our work, they gave us a donation letting us know that they believed in what we were doing. Every year since, at our Día de Muertos celebration, another check arrived. This year, Kathleen DeJong, presented Mujeres with a generous $500.

In addition to financial support, SI of Sequim has invited Judith twice to speak about the work of the foundation.

Kathy Purcell puts together a terrific monthly newsletter for SI. She is so conscientious about including news of Mujeres almost every month. Her articles are creatively laid out with photos so they are appealing to the eye.
She does us a great service in keeping SI members apprised of what we are doing. Thank you, Kathy.

We are linked on their website, and now we have linked SI on ours.

Mil gracias, Soroptimist International of Sequim for accompanying us on our journey to provide access to education to our sisters in Chiapas.

LA CELEBRACION DEL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS 2009

Acabamos de tener nuestro cuarto evento para celebrar El Día de Los Muertos. Fue todo el éxito. ¡Las personas que nos apoyan son las mejores! La cena, creada y cocinada por Molly Rivard y Ankur Shah, era muy sabrosa. Por primera vez había música durante la comida. La subasta fue grande y diversa con una selección extrardinaria de cosas.

Mil gracias a los voluntarios que vinieron y donaron su tiempo y esfuerzo. Sin Uds, no sería posible este evento.

Les agradecomos mucho a los individuales, los músicos, los negocios y las organizaciones que nos donaron cosas para la cena y para la subasta. Hay una lista completa de ellos en la versión inglesa de este blog.

En esta época de recesión, nuestros amigos de nuevo nos mostraron su generosidad en asistir a nuestra celebración y además en abrir sus carteras para comprar.

Les puedo asegurar de que las mujeres en Chiapas van a agradecerles otra vez para su apoyo y les prometimos que vamos a continuar trabajando diligentemente por ellas.


Saludos cordiales de Judith

DIA DE MUERTOS CELEBRATION OCTOBER 2009

Wow! This year's Dia de Muertos Celebration, our 4th, was the best ever. Mujeres supporters enjoyed a wonderful meal, a lively band, a diverse silent and live auction and the company of good friends. Our menu was created by Molly Rivard (one of our board members and food expert) and by Ankur Shah (a staunch supporter, our website guru, acclaimed chef and all around global citizen.) 125 dinners were served.

Volunteers abounded. Thank you one and all for all your time and effort. We appreciate you immensely.

Those of you who donated to our auctions are wonderful! Mil gracias to:

Nash's Produce whose organic vegetables make our vegetarian meal the best!
Wildwood Farm for their generous food donation.
Port Townsend Creamery who make the most delicious cheese!
Raven's Brew Coffee (Deadman's Reach blend) who provided us with coffee for the event in addition to a great auction item of coffee and a teeshirt! (This is my new favorite coffee!!)
The Sequim Lavender Growers Association and Cathy Angel for the most gorgeous bag of lavender products!
Mary Norton for the most gorgeous Day of the Dead quilt!
Melissa Penic for a fused glass platter to die for!
Magdalena Bassett for a 12 student class of tamale making! What a great idea!
Martha Lumia for two of her wonderful handbag creations.
Pheryl Montroy for original cards of her painting of a Maya cross.
Renaissance in Port Angeles for the basket of two pounds of fair trade coffee.
Gilberto Molina for the beautifully sewn laptop bag.
Vicki Coons for the auction popular Mexican statues.

A special thank you goes to the band who provided us with great Mexican music during dinner.
Steve Gilchrist, Ron Munro, Waynne Shields and Jenny James...you guys were great!

In a time of recession and worry, you, dear supporters, opened your hearts and your wallets and have given to the women of Chiapas more than you can imagine. We, the Mujeres Board, are humbled and grateful for this support.

Judith