Panajachel - We packed alot into this day!!

We all met early for the boat ride across Lake Atitlan to San Lucas to see some projects.

We hopped into the Tuk Tuks to get to the first project. K’aslem Mandala Environmental Education Youth Leadership Program encourages Mayan youth to create environmentally friendly gardens that will help to sustain the community. They teach them Permaculture. Permaculture is a planting method that is in harmony with the local environment and allows for equal distribution of the produce to all persons. They use all organic methods. We helped by planting a couple of trees.

Dawn & Laura planting a tree

We then visited a large school. Rotary had contributed water filters so the children had clean water to drink.

We next visited a very small school in a small village where the El Calde of the village was also the founder of the school and the principal of the school. The one building we saw was for kinder and first grade. They had another building that housed second and third grades but the El Calde paid for that rent himself. The government agreed to pay to build a new school if they could find land suitable for it.

The El Calde and a teacher

Our next stop was at a small production facility. This is such a worthwhile venture. Esperanza, who has been our guide all day and has her hand in all of these projects, has worked with approximately 26 women to get them established as a co-operative. They make a variety of jams, honeys, and sauces. They then bottle and label them for sale. The facility has been USDA approved. This is a huge accomplishment for these women and will go a long way to give them and their families a better future.




Our day is now half over and we are heading back across the lake for a quick lunch before we move on to visit with Sharon and see some of her projects. Sharon is Australian. She lives in Panajachel with her 2 adopted daughters and she contributes alot to the community. Among her list of endeavors are a clinic to spay and neuter dogs, a project to educate men and women about birth control so they can space their children for better health, providing water filters to homes, sponsoring children for school, providing efficient stoves, and the list continues.

Ceramic Water Filters

At Sharon´s we saw the 3 efficient stoves they provide. These are very important because the smoke and particulate matter are greatly reduced. This will improve the health of the families that receive these stoves. The cost of these stoves is approximately $150 - $160 per stove.

WOW - what a busy day. I am so amazed at how many wonderful projects are being done by people that aren´t even formally a Rotary Club yet.