RSVP: Your Story of Hope
Each year we share Stories of Hope to show the impact you are having on communities in need. In the last year alone, your support made a difference for more than 4,000 individuals. Watch the video below to learn how Alexandra and her whole family are utilizing the resources available through the MPI community center in Ecuador.
““We feel so lucky that Manna Project is working in Ecuador, and we can’t wait to see it grow to serve more people. There’s a lot of children, families, that can take advantage of what Manna Project has to offer.” ”
A Day in the Life with NYU
For the third year in a row, Manna Project had the privilege of taking over the New York University Wasserman Career Center's Twitter account to share "A Day in the Life" of a Program Director.
Program Directors Kristin (Ecuador) and Liz (Nicaragua) took more than 2,500 NYU students and community members on a journey through a day in the life of an international development director! We are so grateful to the Wasserman Center for the opportunity to reach NYU students with international opportunities.
If you are a student following the series yesterday and would like to apply, don't wait! Summer intern applications are due on November 15th, and Program Director applications are due on December 1st.
Thank you, @NYUWassEmployer!
October News
MPI Alumna Featured in Forbes
Congratulations to MPI alumna Jackie Weidman, whose work in clean energy leadership was recently featured by Forbes! After her time with Manna Project, Jackie went on to co-found the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI). See the article by Lyndsey Gilpin here or read more below.
“Not long after she graduated from college, Jackie Weidman moved to Ecuador to teach environmental education with Manna Project International, hoping to focus on the impacts of climate change. After studying the subject in school and watching how the US remained in denial that climate change was occurring, she figured she’d be fighting a similar battle in the communities she worked with.
Instead, she experienced quite the opposite. “Everyone was like, ‘oh, duh,’ we obviously believe it.” The community got 80 percent of its water supply from a glacier that was melting at unprecedented rates, and because of that, Ecuador has some of the most progressive water conservation regulations in the world.
The people in Ecuador knew developing countries were at the root of the problem, too, and they couldn’t do much to stop it. So Weidman focused on agricultural and environmental education for the year she spent there, getting to know the stakeholders in the communities and how cliamte change impacted people at the local level.
When she arrived back in the US, ready to begin a career in federal environmental policy, she realized she felt incredibly removed from the politics of climate change. The BP oil spill and the fail of the cap and trade bill to reduce carbon emissions had both occurred the year she was abroad.
So Weidman decided to go straight to the source—to Washington DC to embed herself in the workings of energy and environmental policy, and she hasn’t left the District since.””
MPI Ecuador Team, 2009-2010
The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain
Cultural immersion is one of the quickest and most successful ways to learn a language. Every year, MPI's new Program Directors develop the arsenal of language skills they need to thrive in an unfamiliar culture; all leave with much higher levels of proficiency than when they arrived. It goes without saying that this verbal acuity is of great value on the ground - but what are the long-term benefits of multilingualism?
Brain imaging technology has shown that using more than one language increases activity in both hemispheres of the brain. Practicing use of more than one language keeps both hemispheres engaged and active as we age. In addition to these advantages, multilingual brains show higher density of neurons and synapses, more activity in certain regions, and delayed onset of diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia - by up to 5 years.
While lingual flexibility doesn't happen overnight, the major cognitive benefits of bilingualism last a lifetime. If you woke up this morning and wondered, "What is a dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and what is its role in executive function?" then this video is for you. If the previous sentence made you want to click away...this video is also for you!
Check out the benefits of a bilingual brain TED-Ed talk by Mia Nacamulli:
If you are ready to transform your monolingual brain, consider working with Manna Project International in Ecuador or Nicaragua. The life-long benefits can't be beat! Program Director applications are due October 1st, so hop on over and use your prefrontal cortex to fill out an application: www.mannaproject.org/pd-application.
Learn more about serving abroad for 5, 7 or 13 months at www.mannaproject.org/program-director.
"Regardless of when you acquire additional languages, being multilingual gives your brain some remarkable advantages. Some of these are even visible, such as higher density of the grey matter that contains most of your brain's neurons and synapses and more activity in certain regions when engaging a second language." - Mia Nacamulli
6 Months Later...
Last March, Ecuador Program Directors organized a $1,000 fundraiser for the Teen Center in Sangolqui. The amazing friends and family of our Program Directors responded, giving more than $2,000 to improve the resources we provide to a core group of teens from underprivileged communities in the Chillos Valley.
This week, we looked back on the last 6 months to share the results of this incredible generosity. The Teen Center fundraiser allowed Manna Project to:
- expand our special activities and events,
- purchase new sports equipment,
- and make many improvements to the Teen Center.
As a result, daily attendance is up by 63%! Improvements to this safe, dynamic drug- and alcohol-free zone, which is exclusively for teens, brought 113 visitors in the last quarter alone. The last six months have been packed with fun events including field trips, sports days, ping-pong tournaments, and game nights.
We are so grateful for the community supporting teens in Rumiloma - they are receiving encouragement, educational support and mentorship in a fun and safe environment. We can't thank you enough...but we will try!
P.S. In case you missed it, here is a picture of the Program Directors after being "pie-d" in the face when they hit the $2,000 mark. ;)
Why #ilikemannaproject
I am a regular attender of "Cheers with the Beers," the annual Christmas party of a friend whose last name happens to be...you guessed it...Beers! Attendance is fairly consistent from year to year, but in 2010, I noticed a new face at the cookie table. I soon found myself talking with Lori Sharffenberg, MPI's Executive Director, who had recently moved back to the US after seven years in Nicaragua. We swapped travel stories, told jokes about culture shock, and bonded over the joys and challenges of international non-profit work (and yes – many holiday cookies were consumed that night).
Driving home from the party, I remember thinking, "Wow. That girl is impressive." As one of the original founding members of Manna Project, Lori had a dream and dedicated her life to helping it grow from an idea into a multi-national non-profit organization! You don’t meet many people with that kind of story. But rather than intimidating me, that first conversation with Lori left me encouraged and challenged in my own work and excited to have found an understanding, humble and globally-minded friend.
In the months that followed, Lori and I worked side by side on many occasions, and it dawned on me how much I also believed in the work of Manna Project. In 2014, I had the privilege of joining Manna Project as Director of Communications and Development, and every day I like Manna Project even more. In my ten years of volunteering and working with non-profits professionally, I have never encountered a more accountable, driven and effective organization. The bar is truly set high, and I am so grateful to be part of the team working to reach it for the benefit of communities in need.
The communities we serve in Ecuador and Nicaragua are so generous with us, and our volunteers are amazing young people with a large capacity for giving and a huge desire to learn. As we searched for a way to help our Program Directors stay connected with their friends and family back at home, the Like-a-thon was born.
This week we are launching the second annual MPI Like-a-thon, a week in which incoming Program Directors will encourage their friends and family to “Like” our Facebook page. We don’t do this to attain a higher number of page likes, but because, well, we like Manna Project!
We believe that the ability to serve abroad is a gift. This gift is only possible through the encouragement and financial support of friends and family, and the best way we know to thank the community supporting our volunteers is to show the impact of our volunteers in the communities we serve. Manna Project is a community that makes it possible for dreams to become reality, and we want to share real stories of changed lives.
It is our hope that as these stories pop up in your day-to-day feed, you will know that you are making a difference by joining the story. Like me, you may also find yourself liking Manna Project more and more as the days go on!
The 2016-2017 Program Director Handbook is Here!
It's that time again - the latest version of MPI's Program Director Handbook is here! We are looking forward to meeting a new field of potential Program Directors in the upcoming application season.
Though our pool of applicants grows each year, one thing stays the same - the caliber and quality of the candidates who apply. We look forward to meeting a new generation of social changers as we find the perfect balance of personalities and passions to operate MPI's programs in the coming year.
Before we get to 2016-2017, we want to make sure you know - it is not too late to apply for a position in 2015-2016. We still have two opportunities available in Nicaragua. The first deadline is August 25th, so send in those applications!
Apply today to be part of one of our amazing teams - we look forward to meeting you. And of course, don't forget to...
Questions? Comments? Contact meghan@mannaproject.org.
An Interview with Nancy Shattuck, Ecuador Country Director
Meet Nancy Shattuck, MPI's New Ecuador Country Director
An Interview with Meghan Brennan
Lori and I recently returned from a training trip to Ecuador, where we met Nancy Shattuck, MPI Ecuador’s new Country Director, in person for the first time. Nancy comes to Manna with a background in victim advocacy, community education and volunteer organization. In addition to her impressive resume, we are discovering a plethora of hidden talents! During our visit, MPI’s Program Directors were baking a cake with girls at the local shelter for teen mothers. All was going well until someone tried to turn on the oven. The batter was ready, but the oven had no gas! The baking project seemed doomed to fail.
Enter Nancy. No oven? No problem! She put her Peace Corps skills to work, impressing everyone with the "field oven" she had up and running in no time using pots on the stovetop. Instead of disaster and a wasted cake, the project was a success and everyone was soon enjoying warm cake and fresh fruit - I took careful notes in case my oven ever breaks.
Above: Nancy's field oven and resulting cake
Left: Enjoying cake at the shelter for teen mothers
Later that afternoon, Nancy sat down with me at the MPI community center and library to talk about her time with the Peace Corps, the goals and strengths of Manna Project, and what you absolutely must pack for a trip to Ecuador.
Meghan: Welcome Nancy! You first came into Ecuador via…
The Peace Corps, via Washington State.
What made you interested in the Peace Corps?
After graduating from college, I wanted to go to veterinary school but wanted to take a couple years and gain experience. The Peace Corps was always in the back of my head. I applied in my junior year, and they accepted me.
Did you originally choose to work in Ecuador?
I asked to be placed in a Spanish speaking country, specifically Latin America; the Peace Corps matched my skills with a need in Ecuador and offered the position in February of 1999. I had six weeks to prepare for a two year commitment! It was a good timeline.
So you arrived in Ecuador for training, fresh off the plane, backpack in hand.
There were fifty or sixty of us! At that time, the Peace Corps had five or six programs. I was in the group with animal production, agriculture, and natural resources. The other group had youth and family development and health.
So after your training, you were pretty far out.
I was placed in Santo Domingo de los Colorados, which is about three hours from Quito. However, my home was actually about two hours from Santo Domingo into the jungle. At the time, they had just finished a bridge to be able to get into the town, but the roads were not paved. But we did have electricity and water. That was very exciting!
Sounds hard to keep in touch!
Yes, only three people in town had cell phones. Now it’s very common, as you’ve seen, everyone has a cell phone, but at the time it was rare. It was also less safe than it is now, but I always felt safe in my town. I never felt like a target. I was here for Y2K, and the Peace Corps told all the volunteers to take out at least $50 in case the banks crashed…that was the only time I had a problem. On New Year’s Eve some kids stole my $50! Good thing the computers didn’t crash.
Oh man! Your Y2K sounds more exciting than mine. What is one experience you had in the Peace Corps that you feel like really shaped you?
I ran a children’s English camp in my home. At the time, the Peace Corps was very much against us being English teachers. They didn’t want us to teach English; it wasn’t the skill we were there to bring. I had background in the artificial insemination of dairy cattle, so that’s what I was supposed to be doing! But people wanted to learn English, and it was an easy way to make connections. I started the camp with the kids I wasn’t specifically working with in school so I wasn’t “teaching English” on Peace Corps time. I’d have between twenty and thirty kids in my tiny wooden house singing “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” They loved to sing that song - fast, slow, every possible way. So much fun. We made paper mache, globes, art projects...it was always fun to work with the kids. I always really enjoyed it.
What do you find interesting about Ecuador?
Ecuador is the size of Colorado, but it has four very distinct ecological regions, and those regions have sub pockets of different environments. You can get from the beach to the mountains to the Amazon jungle, all in a day! There are also the Galapagos Islands, but you’d need an extra day to get there, too.
When you mention the Galapagos, it reminds me of the intersection of Ecuador and the development of science, biology and geology, and how we understand human history. Darwin’s theory of evolution was influenced by his time in the Galapagos. Being here is a great opportunity to continue learning!
“All you need is Ecuador!” It’s the country’s slogan.
I find the rebar very interesting - almost every structure has rebar sticking from the top!
They definitely do not have the rules and laws we do in the States about construction. You will see some creative architecture here sometimes. The rebar sticking out the top is very common! If your house is “under construction,” you get a tax break. That’s what the rebar is all about.
Another thing that’s very surprising to me is: Nancy, it’s hot. I live in Florida so I know hot. But people are wearing sweaters and jackets, and jackets with sweaters underneath. Help me understand!
We’re on the Equator! We’re closer to the sun, and this is a high elevation. We’re at about 7,500 feet. So people burn easily here, and they don’t use sunblock unless they’re at the beach. So, in order to not get burned, people (including me right now) wear long sleeves and a hat.
So is it inappropriate to wear shorts in public here?
I do see more people wearing flip-flops and tank tops these days. Shorts? I never wear shorts because I already stand out, being a blonde, white-skinned person. I personally would not wear shorts in public. The Ecuadorians do not, and I want to blend in.
What brought you back to Ecuador?
I married an Ecuadorian, and now we have two kids. We always talked about moving back when our son turned ten. Well, he’s thirteen and we just asked ourselves: “Are we going to do this?” My Latina friends in the States regret not living in their home island or country because their kids never understood what it meant to be Puerto Rican or Mexican. We visited with the kids, but a vacation is very different than when you actually live here and go to school and figure out life here. So we moved for our kids. I love it here. I just like the style of life. It’s a little bit slower, less of the “go go go” mentality.
And what is it that first drew you to MPI?
We moved back to Ecuador in 2014. I came here with a job, working remotely with my employer in Washington. But I like to be busy. I like being involved. When I saw the Manna position, I knew it would be a great fit. I like the working with people and being a part of the community. Not just training other people to go out and do the work, but actually being part of the work myself. Thats what drew me in.
What are some of the unique advantages that MPI Ecuador offers the community?
It is a huge benefit to have a community center they can come to. Families pay $5 to belong, which is totally doable for families here. It is important for it to not be free, so there is buy-in from the community and they have ownership of the space.
Did you know it’s very uncommon for libraries in Ecuador to lend books? In Ecuadorian libraries, you go, look at the book, and then you leave it there. You’re not allowed to take it home. MPI’s library is a really cool thing we’re offering and I’d love to see it expand. There are so many options - perhaps a book bus that takes books into the community...there are so many things we could do with literacy in Sangolqui.
I don’t want to make a generalized statement, but it is very rare to see Ecuadorian kids picking up a book and reading it outside of school - I don’t think it’s because they don’t want to, I just think it’s because they just don’t have access to books. Books are expensive, and the majority are imported. Reading is not a priority for families because they don’t realize the benefit. I’d really like to talk about literacy with the community - literacy and what happens when people are literate. Not just limited to education, but also to self-esteem and awareness. There are so many good things that come from being literate, so I’m really, really excited about the library.
When I was in the Peace Corps and they were so against us teaching English, it was very strange because that is what people were requesting. I’m so happy to see now that English is being offered by volunteer organizations because English is important for business and being able to travel. It opens up the world to people.
Do you see a high demand here for English instruction?
Yes, definitely. English is our most attended, most successful program. It’s what draws people in. The majority aren’t coming because of the library or our cooking class; they’re coming because they want to do English class. Then they get involved in our other programs.
I sometimes get the question, “Why do you teach English? Isn’t that kind of imperialistic?” From the perspective of community, what would you say to people asking that question?
If you look at Europe, for instance, so many people are tri-lingual. I’m in no way saying English is better than Spanish; it’s just the language that is used in business. Maybe eventually we can have Chinese classes, but right now this is the language that is used the most. The people who come to class really want to be here. People want English classes, for sure.
What do you think - for our volunteers - is the biggest take away from their time with Manna?
The intercultural exchange, and really learning about the Ecuadorian culture and understanding the importance of family, of time. I’ve talked to people in the States who have no concept of how people live in Latin America. It’s totally normal to have three generations living in one house. It’s not like in the U.S., how kids leave the house at 17 or 18 and they are ready to go take on the world. That doesn’t happen here. Kids stay at home until they graduate from college or they get married. I was 21 when I was here in the Peace Corps, and it influenced how I am as a parent and an adult, how I try to form relationships with people. I think that that’s the Ecuadorian cultural influence on me. I think the volunteers take a lot from being so young and being able to be part of this culture of connection.
Peace Corps volunteers receive a stipend and people ask us, “Why would I pay to go and have this experience?” What would you say to someone who is considering the Program Director position and finds finances an obstacle?
When I joined the Peace Corps, I had three months of training with my group, but then I was totally on my own. I had support from the main office, but it wasn’t like it is with Manna. From what I’ve seen, Manna is one of the least expensive programs someone can do, and for above average experiences. That’s the benefit of Manna: you get so much more than what you’re actually paying for. Aside from just a healthy, safe place to live, we have stable, reliable programs you can be involved in and constant support and career development. Even though I was paid to be in the Peace Corps, I definitely had to use my own money for extra little things. But I look at it as - you could do an unpaid internship in the States, but you will not get the experience that you get here of cultural immersion, hands-on experience. You will not have the same autonomy and independence and opportunities to do so many different things as you do here. When you look at the cost versus value and relationships, Manna wins!
What was your impression stepping into the Director position mid-year?
I’m excited. I’m glad about the timing, because the Program Directors that are here now are teaching me so much about what we are doing now and what we can do better. What did they like, what didn’t they like? Because I am a new face and they leave in the next six weeks, they have been completely honest about the year and feel there’s no pressure about what they can say. I’m excited because these conversations are going to help the next group in what we’re able to do together.
What are some of your goals for the coming year?
I would love to see the [community center and library] grow with more participation, more community events, and developing personal relationships with families and doing things directly with them. As mentioned before, I’d like to see us do more related to the library and literacy because this ties into the intersection of community need and our programmatic strengths.
I’d really like to help incoming Program Directors get creative and find out what we could do where there is more of an exchange with the community. The community teaches us, as well. How can we make that happen? One of my goals is to create a committee of local Ecuadorians who are involved in the Centro and partner programs, to get their feedback about what they want to see grow.
What do you see as the biggest need in this community?
Education. Education has improved in Ecuador, definitely, from 15 years ago when I first lived here. But I still think there is only room for improvement when it comes to education and youth development. Kids need more options so they’re not just going home and doing nothing, or doing graffiti and getting into trouble. There are extra curricular activities, but they are cost prohibitive. I’d like to partner with programs already offered in the community. For instance, there are few opportunities for girl to do physical activities. We are looking into developing a soccer league for girls with some empowerment type program. I have many ideas, like developing our Preventative Health Center. Manna has a two-tiered approach that pairs community development with the professional development of our volunteers. Many of our Program Directors want to enter the health field, so I’d like us to grow in health programming and partnerships. I don’t know if it will be here at the Centro or if we will further develop our relationships with the local hospital, health center and diabetes club. We will see what interests our incoming people and what they want to pursue.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge or surprise for new Program Directors arriving to Ecuador?
Since I lived here before for three years and now I live here again, this is my “normal.” But if I had to guess, I’d probably say it’s the non-committal attitude in Ecuadorian culture. Ecuadorians will say, “If God wants it.” They’re very fate-driven, so they won’t just say yes. They are very easygoing about everything. Knowing Americans in general, we’re not like that. “I will be there on Saturday at 9:00 am, and it will last for 1 hour. We’re very respective of people’s time. It isn’t that Ecuadorians are disrespectful, it’s just a different way of life. Ecuadorians recognize it: “We’re never on time...we’re on Ecuadorian time.” It’s called “The hour of the Ecuadorian.” Even now, probably for me the hardest thing. So I think it will be a challenge for the new volunteers! They are idealistic, ready to do things and plan and be here. But sometimes, nobody’s going to show up. That just happens sometimes. It’s not a reflection on them, it’s just the way it is. You just keep building relationships and you see what happens.
So it’s “Do we wait for them to come to us or do we go to them?”?
We go to them. My experience is that Ecuadorians are not coming to Manna Centro because it’s the Manna Centro: they’re coming because Amelia was their English teacher at ESPE, and she said you could come here and get books. Personal relationships are what get people involved. In the U.S. we just do cold calling, it’s normal. Whereas here, they want to know somebody first.
What would you say to people getting ready to come?
I would say, please come with an open mind - I’m excited about your energy. It’s important to have expectations, but be prepared that your expectations will change. That’s not failure or bad, it’s OK because you don’t know necessarily what you’re walking into here, what the reality will be like. I’m very excited to be with the new group and start with them, and see what we can do together in the next year!
It will be awesome!
Yeah!
If you had to complete Ecuador’s slogan and say “All you need is Ecuador…plus _________,” how would you fill in the blank?
“All you need is Ecuador ...and coconut ice cream.”
Ecuador has great ice cream. If you’re a Program Director on your way, you don’t need to pack your own!
Maybe a jar of peanut butter.
OK. It’s decided. All you need is Ecuador, coconut ice cream...and a jar of peanut butter. Thank you Nancy!
You’re welcome!
Land Purchased for Clinic in Villa Guadalupe, Nicaragua
Villa Guadalupe was built in 2011 to house more than 8,000 people left homeless by flooding and another 2,000 people who were displaced by the closure of Central America's largest municipal trash dump, La Chureca. In Villa Guadalupe, the average family lives on less than $2.00 a day, and 100% of children are affected by parasitic infections. The entire community faces unemployment, constant food insecurity and malnutrition.
Manna Project's Clinica Médica meets the medical needs of as many families as possible from a small, rented space. We dream of opening a larger, more well-equipped facility. This week, the first steps were taken toward building a permanent medical center in Villa Guadalupe. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, we now own the land to build! With committed donors and a growing community of supporters we are fundraising to build this new clinic which will include four designated exam rooms to allow us to provide specialty services as well as general medical attention.
Do you have a heart for families in need of medical care? You can make a recurring gift to the clinic here.
Has the work week got you down? You'll get a boost when you see the impact your support has on communities in need! Like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter for regular updates.
Eyeglasses Brigade
A brigade from Austin Samaritans visited MPI Nicaragua. At an event for community members over the age of 40, nearly 100 adults had their eyesight assessed. Those who needed assistance with short distances were fitted for reading glasses according to their level of need. The day was a huge success as word spread, and 85 people left with new glasses. We are so grateful for the opportunity to improve sight - thank you, Austin Samaritans!
You can see more pictures here.
Third Quarter Retreats
Teams in Ecuador and Nicaragua went on short retreats to reflect, rejuvenate and plan. The Ecuador team traveled to nearby volcano Cotopaxi to explore leadership styles and personal growth. In Nicaragua, everyone headed to Playa Gigante, where they discussed program effectiveness, quality improvement and site growth. The retreats brought everyone together as both sites prepare for the upcoming quarter and arrival of summer interns.
You can see more retreat picture here.
Spring Break Success!
It was a fun, productive month as both our sites welcomed Spring Break teams from across the United States! From pediatric check-ups to spelling bees, each team contributed their time and talent to support MPI's long-term commitment to the communities we serve. In Nicaragua,
- Vanderbilt University students cheered on 200+ 5K participants as they crossed the finish line. This team made the day a huge success, raising $2,380 for the Cedro Clinic.
- The University of South Florida's team of doctors and medical students provided primary care clinics, home visits, health education and planned for clinic improvements.
- The University of Georgia led our Camp JAM students in the planting of a lovely new garden. Using recycled materials, they created bright and cheerful planters in Farito.
- The University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing conducted a 4-day de-parasiting clinic, where more than 1,000 people received medicine to get rid of harmful parasites.
- Worcester State University students taught creative arts camp for our Child Sponsorship kids and their siblings in Villa Guadalupe.
For a recap of Ecuador projects, see last month's Manna Mail here.
Next month we will share updates from Nicaragua's Spring Break activities. Are you interested in starting a Manna campus chapter at your university? You can!
Cedro Health Clinic Celebrates First Anniversary
Last week, the community of Cedro Galán came together to celebrate the first anniversary of the Cedro Health Clinic. In the last year, the clinic has provided 1,230 affordable health consultations and now treats more than 15 patients per day - up from 15 per week in October 2013!
At the celebration, attendees enjoyed snacks and drinks, a slideshow of photos from the past year, and a video thanking clinic staff and volunteers. Community members visited educational stations covering information on diabetes, hypertension, hand-washing and Dengue fever. These stations:
- Taught the dangers of high sugar consumption and illustrated the sugar content in popular beverages
- Offered blood pressure screenings and heart-health tips
- Hosted activities including "My Plate," an art project where children learned the elements of a balanced meal
- Reminded community members of Dengue fever warning signs and the clinic's free, rapid-response Dengue testing
- Made hand-washing fun with a water station for kids to practice proper techniques
The celebration ended with a dance, which was a huge hit! We are so grateful to the community and to you for a wonderful first year. We look forward to many more years of improved health in Cedro Galán.
You can help provide vital health services for Cedro Galán through our donation page. Would you like to see more photos from the celebration? They are available here.
Pen Pal Program
As a PD, I had kicked around the idea of starting a pen pal program with Manna's children's English students and an elementary school in the states, but having no connections with any elementary school stateside the program never panned out. Fortunately, however, the University of Michigan Manna Chapter reached out to me this year with the same idea! The UMich Manna chapter regularly volunteers at Harm's Elementary School in Detroit so they saw an opportunity to connect the student's at Harm's with Manna students internationally. With the help of Evan Quinnell, a current Ecuador PD teaching 4th level Children's English at the Ecuador site, we made it happen! A couple of weeks ago, the 15 students of Evan's class reached out to the children of Harm's Elementary School in Detroit, Michigan and they have just received their first replies back from the students at Harm's!
Evan's 4th level English Class (always hard to get everybody looking at the same time).
A letter from Marcus in Detroit to Camila in Rumiloma
Evan's students have yet to send their replies, but surely they will be thoughtful, inquisitive and insightful letters. Here's to global unity and new friendships abroad.
New Manna on Campus
Hello all! I'm Virginia, the new Chapter Coordinator for Manna. This marks my second position with Manna, the first being my 13-month Program Director position in Ecuador that I finished up with in August! I have been spending the last month getting to know the new chapter leaders and we have already hit the ground running with ideas and enthusiasm for this year. What I love about these chapters is that they're all individualistic, each with their own ideas of what they want to accomplish this year as branches of a working non-profit organization. They are all involved with their own local initiatives, volunteering in their communities with organizations that run the gamut of non-profits - community development initiatives. They are also all in the early stages of planning a wide-array of what are all sure to be successful fundraising events in the name of Manna. Needless to say, this is already shaping up like it will be a very successful year in the MPI chapters arena. More to come as the year unfolds!
The End of Another Great Year
Manna Project International is proud to have five outstanding active Chapters all over the country. The mission of Manna is embodied on campus at Vanderbilt University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan, the University of Georgia, and the University of Texas.
Students on these college campuses have been dedicated to local and global service all year, and collectively have made quite an impact. Across the board, we had 171 Manna Chapter members spend their spring break volunteering in Latin America, and 9 different local initiatives ongoing throughout the country during the year. Our Manna Chapter members are dedicated and service oriented and we are so excited to see what next year has to offer.
Do you have interest in starting a Manna Chapter on your college campus? Being a part of a Chapter gives you the opportunity to connect with like-minded students to make a difference in your community and abroad in the communities where Manna serves. For more information on starting a Manna Chapter, email our US Coordinator, Taylor Brown, at chapters@mannaproject.org.
#dayinthelife of a Program Director
Though spring semester is over, our first summer session is well under way. Our summer interns are an impressive bunch this year, bringing their energy and passion to support the Manna mission. We're equally lucky to have had extremely remarkable candidates apply to be Program Directors for this coming year. We are thrilled to continue the tradition of bringing incredibly solid teams of Program Directors together on-site.
Manna Project International was recently featured on New York University's Wasserman Center for Career Development's twitter as Taylor Gaskill, a current Program Director in Ecuador, described for us a "Day in the Life". You can see a recap of her day of live-tweeting by clicking below.
It may be summer, but we would agree with your professors when they say it's never too early to begin thinking of the future. Think you have what it takes to be a Program Director? Manna's US Coordinator, Taylor Brown, tells us about her journey to Manna, and what makes Manna what it is. Check that out below.
Manna Project International was recently featured on New York University's Wasserman Center for Career Development's twitter as Taylor Gaskill, a current Program Director in Ecuador, described for us a "Day in the Life". You can see a recap of her day of live-tweeting by clicking below.
It may be summer, but we would agree with your professors when they say it's never too early to begin thinking of the future. Think you have what it takes to be a Program Director? Manna's US Coordinator, Taylor Brown, tells us about her journey to Manna, and what makes Manna what it is. Check that out below.
Spring Break in Ecuador
Very recently, the library in Rumiloma, Ecuador celebrated it's 5th anniversary! Manna has been working in Rumiloma for five years already -- it's amazing to see how much it has grown. Vanderbilt sent a group of spring breakers to Ecuador this March, and they were hard at work to prep the library for it's 5th Anniversary Party. They painted a whole floor, repaired countless tables for English classes, and added an awesome creative flare to the English room! When they weren't hard at work, the group explored the Quito Basilica, and hiked into the Andes.
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| New art in the English Room! |
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| In the heart of the Andes. |
Saturday morning, final preparations were made for the big day. Even through the rain, it was a grand celebration, and the Vanderbilt group was such an integral part of the success of the 5th Anniversary Party! We could have never done it without them.
To read more about the 5th Anniversary Celebrations and for more information on the awesome on-site happenings in Ecuador, follow the Manna Ecuador Blog!