Projects

Guatemala The Phoenix Project

In October 2003, GVI set up the Pajaro de Fuego (Phoenix) Project in San Andrés Itzapa for children who had no chance to go to national school. A year later, GVI set up further schools in Santa Maria de Jesus. There are now over 500 children between the ages of 5-15 who benefit from these partnerships. Further fundraising from the GVI-CT is aiding with everything from food to scholarships to new classrooms, care for the elderly, agricultural initiatives and a small business centre for the women of the community. From 2010 it is hoped that our school in Itzapa will be formally recognised by the Ministry of Education and we will be employing local teachers aswell. Plans to formally register Santa María are also in the pipeline, depending on the success of Itzapa.

Project wishlist

Without this project, the children would simply not receive an education. By donating just a small amount, the project will receive funding to allow the school to have teachers who can provide official certificates for the children, which goes a long way to achieving our sustainable goals.

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Peru Indigenous Support Project

In 2005, GVI Phoenix started work in small rural communities, Pueblos Jovenes, around Arequipa, in Southern Perú. The aim was to provide help in the classrooms and a full meal each day for the children. The communities have one teacher per school, so education attention was lacking. We also employ local teachers to help out in the school and secondary school scholarships. We now work in four communities.

Project wishlist

Without this project, the children would not receive the full attention needed for primary education and would not have the chance of a secondary education. By donating just a small amount, the project will receive funding to allow the children to move on in their scholastic journey and also, just as importantly, receive a full meal each day.

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Kenya Mkwiro and Wasini Island Community Fund

The villagers of Mkwiro on Wasini Island, Southeast Kenya have proved themselves to be proactive in both humanitarian care and conservation. With aid from funds raised through the GVI-CT two orphanages are being helped, a pharmacy is being staffed and water collection and waste management are being upgraded for the village.

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Honduras Indigenous support in Copan

In 2005, GVI Phoenix started working in a small school in San Rafael, in the mountains surrounding Copán. Recently, we have expanded into Barbasco aswell, providing extra teachers, food and fruit for the children, who share classrooms and teachers across all grades. In 2008, we started our own secondary school in San Rafael, paying for teachers to give secondary education, which was impossible before. Now we have 100 children enrolled, from five different communities.

Project wishlist

Without this project, the children would simply not receive secondary education. By donating just a small amount, the project will receive funding to allow the school to have teachers who can provide official certificates for the children, which goes a long way to achieving our sustainable goals. We can also ensure the children receive a healthy meal each day.

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Kenya Olives Childcare and Orphanage Project

Olive's Rehabilitation Centre is an informal (“slum”) school located in the suburb of Bombolulu in Kenya’s second largest city, Mombasa. It was set up in 2001 to educate, clothe, feed and provide counseling and religious education services to some of Mombasa’s most vulnerable children.

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Nicaragua Indigenous Support Project

In 2009, GVI Phoenix started working in the small community of La Thompson, outside Estelí, in Northern Nicaragua. Here we built a school where children without the chance of a formal education could come and receive work. The kindergarten is formally recognised by the Ministry of Education and we are hoping the rest of the school will be too. We are planning to expand into the community of Buenos Aires in 2010.

Project wishlist

Without this project, the children would simply not receive an education. By donating just a small amount, the project will receive funding to allow the school to have teachers who can provide official certificates for the children, which goes a long way to achieving our sustainable goals. We can also give the children a healthy meal each day.

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Kenya Tsavo West ex-poacher rehabilitation

GVI began working with community-based organisations in the Taveta District of Kenya in November 2006. We work to support the three groups of ex-poachers to deliver education and capacity building in pursuit of new, sustainable, alternative livelihoods. Through the work of WSPA, GVI and our volunteers, local community members have received training and equipment to start bee-keeping and soap making, whilst Kidong is constructing their own Education and Cultural Centre, aimed at both local communities to teach them humane ways to tackle human-wildlife conflict and protect their crops from elephants and at tourists, with the objective of offering community-based eco-tourism.

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Ecuador Indigenous Support Project

In 2004, GVI Phoenix started work in small rural communities around Otavalo, in Northern Ecuador. The aim was to provide help in the classrooms and a full meal each day for the children. The communities have one teacher per school, so education attention was lacking. Recently, we have started various scholarship schemes for children to attend secondary school, which includes Plan Moo, whereby the families receive a cow, whose milk provides the income necessary. We also buy the utensils needed for those children not yet in the scheme.

Project wishlist

Without this project, the children would not receive the full attention needed for primary education and would not have the chance of a secondary education. By donating just a small amount, the project will receive funding to allow the children to move on in their scholastic journey and also, just as importantly, receive a full meal each day.

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Thailand Rescued Elephants Project

GVI is supporting a government effort to end the illegal practice of elephant street-begging. Rescued elephants are relocated to a rural area where our volunteers are helping elephant keepers to find alternative livlihoods. A healthy adult elephant will eat 200 - 500 kg of fresh produce every day. Properly caring for this endangered species requires unique skills and a large budget. Volunteers are assisting professional elephant keepers with daily care, reforesting habitat and planting elephant food to build a sustainable future for the rescued herd.

Project Wishlist

Without this project these elephants would be forced to find work elsewhere to support themselves: in a circus or back to begging on city streets. Finding enough food for the elephants is always a challenge. By sending even a small donation, you can enable our volunteers to have a larger and more sustainable impact, by planting food and creating habitat for the elephants' future.

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South Africa Orphan care and education project

This project aims to provide education and love and care to the orphans of Nomzamo township. With 6000.00 GBP the people of Nomzamo will be able to pay the salary for a qualified local teacher a full 12 months to provide much needed education and care to the orphaned children and create job opportunities within the community thus helping this project in a long-term sustainable way. By working side-by-side with Ncedulunthu Trust & Mama Lumka, coupled with the projects core ideals and aims, we can all be educated in basic skills, conversational English and basic literacy and numeracy. Without this project, there would be no preschool education and the future of these children would be in doubt. By implementing this educational program, the goal is that in several years from now there will be enough skill and funding for the program to employ their own qualified teachers from the community and continue educating their children to grow up into healthy, educated young adults with bright futures ahead of them.

By donating just a small amount, the project will receive much need funding which goes a long way to achieving our sustainable goals. To create job opportunities within the community, education to the children in Nomzamo, as well as contributing to educational supplies which are really needed.

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India Kerala Teaching Project

The Auxilium School is located in the township of Pallurithy, in the city of Kochi and aims to assist disadvantaged children and orphans in the area. It was established in 1994 to provide education to children who come from low socio economic backgrounds and orphaned children in the area. There are currently 565 boys and girls who attend this school, for most of these children coming to school is a privilege as they are being given the opportunity to gain an education as apposed to having to go out and work to earn an income. In an attempt to reduce drop out rates the school has kept school fees to a bare minimum in order to encourage parents to continue sending their children to school. Despite this there are still many who are forced to leave school and find work to help their families financially.

By helping with funding for this project you will be contributing towards achieving the long term goals of this program, which is to aid struggling families financially so that they can continue to send their children to school to get a proper education. This will hopefully contribute to opportunities for better paid jobs for these children in the future, breaking the cycle of poverty in this community.

Project Wish-list

Financial insecurity is one of the greatest challenges faced by most parents, and a little certainly goes a long way in India. Here is how your donation can help.

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Mexico Punta Allen Verde, Think global, act local Piensa global, actúa local

Help create a recycling centre and program in the heart of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.

Summary
Punta Allen is a small fishing village inside the UNESCO Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, located one hour away from Pez Maya, where GVI has a reef research expedition. The grass roots initiative Punta Allen Verde aims to assist this community to start a recycling program. Community members wish to create build a recycling centre, where the recyclable waste can be temporarily stored once separated. The aim of the program is to encourage all community members to participate so the community and village of Punta Allen, situated within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, becomes an example to the rest of the region.

Project wish list
The project has stages of development. Initially the community needs to purchase containers and place them around the village in key locations. Separation and recycling workshops will also be organized for the whole community, specifically in schools and with local women cooperatives. The community of village are very keen to implement this programme in town and to build a recycling centre where they can keep the rubbish while waiting for it to be collected. The items collected and stored, plastic, metal, glass, will be sold to generate income for the program, which be used to maintain the recycling centre and the program.

Activities
The programme will start with several workshops in town and then the placing of different containers around town and in the school. The reason for the program and separation techniques will be explained.
The workshop program will initially focus upon the children of the village, and then move onto the women’s groups and the local co-operatives, with the aim of the entire community eventually committed to participating.

Long-term sustainability of the project
All the plastic, metal and glass collected will be sold thus gaining revenue to fund and maintain the recycling centre.

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Mexico Renewable energy power for Pez Maya, Reserva Sian Ka’an

Help create a recycling centre and program in the heart of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.

Summary
Pez Maya is located inside the UNESCO Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, one hour away from Tulum, Quintana Roo. It was abandoned and then purchased by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and our local NGO Amigos de Sian Ka’an (ASK) in December 2001. Pez Maya has 2 miles of coastline and is nourished by inland mangrove swamps. The land, of 64 acres, is home for a great number of species of birds, crocodiles, manatees and sea turtles that nest during the season.
Since 2003 Pez Maya has been home for GVI marine conservation expedition monitoring of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef on a permanent basis. Monitoring has given an overview of the health of the reef and additional tools to ensure the sustainable management of this coast and marine resources.

Project wish list
The location of Pez Maya is privileged as it is right in the beach; therefore, using the sun and wind to generate power is an opportunity that has to be taken! The site is used as an education centre and a conservation research centre and the installation of effective alternative power sources sets a great example to local businesses, community, tourists and volunteers. We hope it is an example that will be followed within and close to the Reserve. In addition, the solar / wind power will mean to decrease the generation of carbon dioxide and the consumption of fuel. It will make Pez Maya more environmentally friendly and assist Amigos de Sian Ka’an achieve the aim of having a sustainable research center within the reserve.

Activities
The renewable energy system will be installed by local experts, always using local suppliers and workers whenever possible.

Long-term sustainability of the project
Pez Maya will continue to act as an Environmental Education Centre where talks and training on sustainable development will take place. Local businesses, community and tourists will encouraged to adopt alternative sources of energy and the research and education centre itself will have a lower impact upon the environment.

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Costa Rica Educational support in Mal Pais, Costa Rica

This project assists the local schools of Mal Pais and Santa Teresa to develop resources and improve the level of educational services, increasing opportunities for the local community to access the growing tourism trade in the area.

Background
The area of Mal Pais and Santa Teresa is one of the fastest growing areas for tourism in Costa Rica. As such, the town is growing fast and the population is swelling beyond the capacity of the local schools. The local students attend school for 3 hours per day, and the school is under-resourced. The teachers often manage more than one classroom at a time or are forced to group various age groups into one class. This projects aims to supply additional teachers, access to English language tuition for the local students and adults, and supply additional resources to the schools.

Project wish list
The project wishes to assist the local schools to employ additional teachers, text books for the school to be able to follow the national curriculum, additional classes including English language to the local students and adults, a resource centre and library at the school, internet access, a small IT centre with a printer and photo copier, and a play ground at both the Mal Pais and Santa Teresa schools. Work has started at the smaller of the 2 schools and will expand as finances allow.

Activities
The project was worked hard locally to fundraise. We have already gained the support of various local businesses and who have kindly agreed to match any funds raised from the local community, tourists or internationally. Additionally, we hold many locally events to raise money from within the local community and local tourist trade.

Long-term sustainability of the project
The project has the long term aim of improving the economic situation of the local community enough for the community to be able to be able to assist the school without the need of outside donations.

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Laos Sponsor English Lessons

Many young adults in Luang Prabang are unable to afford English lessons which is a critical skill needed to find well paying jobs.

Background
Commonly, the most economically disadvantaged are the boys who have become Novice Monks and the young men and women (under the age of 20) who are still living in the government run orphanage. This project aims to reach those targeted groups. Without sponsorship, it is impossible for them to access English lessons in an attempt to enhance their opportunities in life.

Project wish list
Without this project, many of the most disadvantaged young adults would go without English lessons leaving them severely limited in their ability to find work and lead independent lives. With just $144 this project would be able to fund a years’ lessons for 1 student thus significantly, improving their employment prospects.

Long-term sustainability of the project
Working together with Mekong English Centre we would like to provide sponsorship of English lessons to as many of these socially and economically disadvantaged students as possible in an attempt to break the cycle of poverty in their lives - empowering these young people in Luang Prabang to support their families and continue with their education.

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Laos Teacher Training

The Mekong English Centre has implemented an innovative Teacher Training Program to train Lao people to be effective English teachers. Whilst they are undergoing their training of 6 months they are both studying and implementing their newly acquired skills in the classrooms of the Mekong English Centre under the close supervision of their Trainer. All the sponsorship money for this project goes directly to covering the costs of the trainee teachers’ salary.

Background
The teaching methodology is Western based and is highly motivating for both the trainee teachers and their students. This is vastly different to the traditional Lao teaching style. The trainee teachers receive a salary for these 6 months of training and are guaranteed employment for a further 2 years with the Mekong English Centre upon successful completion of the training program.

Project wish list
Without this modern Teacher Training Program, the old teacher centred style of teaching which is still very strong in Laos would continue to be implemented, leaving students being taught ineffectively and in essence wasting the hard found money they have spent on English lessons.

Long-term sustainability of the project
WThe long term goal of this project is to train as many local teachers as possible. One trainee teacher will reach over 100 students, $750 will pay for one complete Teacher Training Program for one trainee teacher over a period of 6 months. This will have an enormous impact on the community at large as it will provide effective English lessons to hundreds of students and job opportunities for these well trained local English teachers.

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Mexico Help “Amigos de Sian Ka’an” protect the marine ecosystems of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere

Amigos de Sian Ka’an was founded in June of 1986 by 14 residents of Cancún, their purpose being to promote the preservation of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (RBSK) and its surrounding areas.

Background
The creation of Amigos de Sian Ka’an set a precedent for being the first non-governmental, non-profit assocation formed in Mexico. Spawning aggregations are specific locations in the Reef where fish meet at precise times to reproduce. Despite its high ecological importance little is known about these sites. Since 2006 with the support of many organizations and local fishermen, ASK have been conducting research dependent on funding in the Quintana Roo coast. So far there have been ten validated spawning sites and described spawning behavior of highly valued commercial reef fish such as Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), Black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci) and Snappers (Lutjanus sp.). Coral reefs provide large amounts of goods and services to Mexico, such as recreational activities, shoreline protection and fisheries with an annual estimated economic value of $130,000 to $1.2 Million per hectare. Hence, we annually monitor coral reefs along Quintana Roo’s coast to determine reef’s health. Through our monitoring program, we intend to influence environmental regulation and more integrative management strategies related to those tropical ecosystems, as well as the biodiversity they home.

Project wish list
Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs) are used to help in the identification and verification of the sites. The methodology also includes snorkel explorations, surveys to local fishermen, information on the reef geomorphology and biological parameters of target species. The project also looks into training local fishermen to survey multi-species spawning aggregations and develop sustainable fisheries policies in the long term.

Activities
So far the project has been very successful with more than 60 km explored so far and ten sites validated. More than 20 local fishermen have been trained in workshops and are showing a big commitment for locating and protecting the spawning aggregation sites as they understand its biological and commercial value. The current stage of the project is to continue training rangers and fishermen, locating and validating spawning aggregations and to explore 20 new sites in the Riviera Maya.

Long-term sustainability of the project
ASK will train local fishermen, who will carry out inspection and vigilance in situ, to empower the local community in natural resources management.

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Thailand Teacher Training

GVI Thailand provides opportunities for local community members to gain valuable English skills which they can use for their own personal and community development.

Background
In Krabi, English skills open up doors for people in the local tourist and business industries as well as numerous other educational and professional opportunities. As Thais are lacking in their English skills they rely on foreigners to come in as teachers in schools. By providing Thai teachers with assistance, training and professional development they can provide quality language classes for students on their own, breaking the cycle of reliance on outsiders for knowledge.

Project wish list
Without this project rural schools throughout Ao Luk would be without teachers to provide them with quality English language training. By donating just a small amount you can help support professional development for local teachers working in rural.

Activities
Local Thai teachers will gain training to improve their English skills and gain professional development by learning innovative new techniques and activities to use in the classroom. GVI Thailand will provide them with a number of professional development opportunities such as providing native speaking teaching assistants, offering English classes outside of school hours and holding specialized workshops and teacher trainings throughout the year.

Long-term sustainability of the project
By providing schools with continuous quality English teachers, students will be provided with skills to improve their future educational, economic and career opportunities. Local teachers will also be exposed to the English language and inventive teaching methods providing them with a means of professional development to improve their skills as a teacher. With time, local teachers will be able to continue providing a high quality of English for students, who will be able to carry on their skills to future generations, eventually cutting out the need for outside assistance.

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