The phrase, "the road out of poverty leads through the schoolroom" can also include the Chacala library. The library was built six years ago by Rotary US and Rotary International. It is one of the best examples of a successful foreign aid project because it is functioning far beyond the original expectations. In 1996 the rural community of Chacala did not understand how to run a community service such as a library. They had no public buildings except the fishermen's cooperative. North American neighbors, both private individuals and Rotary Montana and North Carolina have dedicated time, energy and money to keep
the doors open and the programs evolving.

The mission of the library is to prepare this generation of children for the future. The library offers programs like: kindergarthen head-start, homework assistance, computer education, craft classes, live theater and sports. The staff works with the local teachers understanding their education program. Chacala now has excellent teachers who have returned for the third years. This was unheard of before the library began its programs. The library has a new addition giving some relief to the many children who use its facilities. The downside is, each month the library struggles for funding. The programs and staff have outpaced the funds. The staff often works without salaries to keep the doors open. Donations are the library's lifeline. Can you help?

HISTORY OF CHACALA

Before 1998, Chacala was an isolated rural fishing village of about 400 residents set in a beautiful bay on the Pacific Coast in the State of Nayarit. It is 45 miles south of Tepic and 56 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. The main occupation of the residents was fishing for their families and to sell commercially.

A new paved road built in 1998-99 opened Chacala to the world. The 21st Century arrived in the form of tourism. More and more tourists North Americans and Mexican are discovering this beautiful little village. New businesses are coming and will continue to prosper as tourism grows.

The new road has brought many changes. For the first time in Chacala's history, children are leaving Chacala to attend high school or vocational schools. Parents are struggling to understand what is best for the future of their children.

HISTORY OF THE LOCAL SCHOOLS

Chacala has a kindergarten, a two-room primary school with six grades and a tele/secondary for three junior high school grades. The government provides teachers while the community is responsible for maintaining school facilities, paying for power and water, school supplies and cleaning.

The kindergarten usually has about 10 children ages 5-6. It receives a teacher's aide with as little as two week's pre-school training. The teachers are often trained in other professions and are in this work program to pay back their student loans. The children often enter first grade without the minimum skills required.

The primary school has two classrooms each with three grades (1-6). There are two teachers who stay for 3 years before being rotated out to a city school. Each teacher has a minimum teacher curriculum education of six years. The lack of continuity keeps the Chacala students slightly behind their town peers especially in math and the sciences.

In rural areas where there's a minimum number of students, the government provides a system of tele/secondary schools. There is no tuition and no books to buy as books are recycled. There are regular classes in math, sciences, history, Spanish grammar, English and other subjects. In 2003 the school has one teacher for three grades and just a handful of students. Subjects are taught with the help of centrally-produced videos, shown on a screen in the classroom.

Summer school is offered through the library after-school program. It has been privately funded by Rotary Kalispell Montana, Rotary North Carolina, Rotary International and by generous visitors to Chacala. Approximately 25 children attend each summer. School starts the first day of school vacation and ends before regular school begins six weeks later. It is taught by the Library Administrator and volunteers.

HISTORY OF THE CHACALA LIBRARY

The Library was founded by Dale Reinhart and built in 1996 with funds from Rotary International and Rotary North Carolina. It was then donated to the community. A year later a couple from Kalispell, Montana, Betty and Jim Thompson visited Chacala & became patrons of the Library. Susana and Poncie Escobido retired to Chacala in 1997 and have made it their mission to create a learning center for the children of Chacala. Rita Fitzsimmons and Art Thompson, Rotarians from Kalispell have been working since 1998 to channel funds from their club to the Chacala Library, often saving the library from closing its doors.

The Library Administrator, Maria Virginia Rodriguez Robelo (DonaViky), joined the staff in 1997. She provides after school homework help for the primary grade students. Volunteers completed the staff at this point.

In 1999-2000 a group on sailboats from Puerto Vallarta called Computation de los Ninos donated two desk top computers to our Library and opened the door for eventual internet access when Chacala got telephone service in 2002. Since then more computers have been privately donated by patrons in the US.

In 2001, Rotary Kalispell provided the money to build a small multifunctional extension where the Head Start and Kindergarten after school programs are held where Norma Yesenia Gradilla Lopez, a teacher's assistant added to our small staff in 2002 supervises these programs. She also helps with homework assistance.

In 2002, Rotary Berkeley donated funding for a second floor on the main Library building to house the growing need for computer and internet access for our students. It's very exciting to see the doors this technology is opening for the children of Chacala. In February 2003, forty Rotarians, head up by President John Furgerson and Dr. Pate Tomson have come to Chacala to do the finish work on the second floor. Bringing all their own tools which they will leave here, they are plastering, painting, wiring, building work stations, taking Spanish lessons, playing music in the evenings and generally being a blessing to our small community.

As a part of this project, an additional space was added to the downstairs part of the Library to house a "Tool Lending Library" for use by future volunteers and for local town projects.

The Library's main function is to assist the children with their homework and the goal is to build a solid base in the three "R's" so these children have a chance to go on to higher education. Once the children have completed their homework, they begin creative play using the donated sports equipment, puzzles, blocks, cars, dolls, dress-up clothes, crafts, coloring and card playing. All funding for the library has been provided by private and Rotary donations.

THE LIBRARY WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS/SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

We believe the Library Programs provide after-school continuity and the children are learning discipline regarding their homework, how to work together and developing their leadership skills. We are setting goals and they are meeting them. The question began to arise, what was beyond secondary school. We had raised the bar of achievement but what were we giving the winners?

The answer came with another volunteer, Mary Anne Day, who with Susana Escobido started a scholarship fund under the blanket of "Cambiando Vidas" (Changing Lives), a nonprofit organization. The fund was created to provide educational opportunities for the children of Chacala. The Board of Directors includes Mary Anne, Susana and Maria Trinidad Moya (Trini) a resident of Chacala who has taught Spanish here since 1990 and has in 2003 completed her University studies as an ESL teacher.

Less than six years ago, not one child in Chacala went on to high school or technical school. In recent years, for the first time in Chacala's history, children are attending high school or vocational college in nearby cities.

Scholarships are awarded based on financial need and student merit. This fund offers both full and partial scholarships. Full scholarship pays for all education expenses, including uniforms, books, tuition and transportation. Partials vary depending on availability of funds and the ability of parents to participate. For example, in some cases, the fund pays for all of a student's school related expenses, while the parents pay for transportation.

To stay in the program, the students must maintain a B average, attend school regularly and participate in community projects. In recent months, projects have included garbage clean up in Chacala, assisting with a benefit sale to raise funds for the Library and helping with the annual Christmas party for all the children under ten years old in Chacala. A current project is compiling a book of short stories about the village and its people. Norma is currently the Administrator for the day to day running of this program.

This year, 2002-3, there are 15 students in the program. Next year, nine more children hope to attend secondary school and they are waiting to see if scholarship funding will be available to help them. The cost per student is $70/month for a full scholarship at the secondary level. For more in depth information about this program go online to Chacala.org. Susana and Mary Anne are busy year round raising funds for this project and keeping everyone up-to-date on what's going on with the various projects.

A donor may make a one time donation which would go to the general fund for expenses such as: the administrator, cultural excursions, general educational expenses to be shared by all the scholarship students. Or, sponsor one student at $70US/mo. You would be able to check in with the students at "www.Chacala.org" or email directly with the students.

Our goal is to help ensure that every child in Chacala who wants to attend high school or technical school has an opportunity to obtain this education.

FUTURE PROJECTS

The school buildings and surrounding grounds are in need of upgrading. The goal is to create a safe, creative, instructive environment for both students and teachers.

Kindergarten: Provide a sealed roof. Purchase playground equipment The flooring was finished in 2002 and fence around the grounds was built the previous year accomplished with funds raised locally and donations from North Americans.

Primary: Landscape* the grounds, provide a secure storage area for supplies, some new desks, one teacher's desk, two clocks, banquet table for snacks & projects, patio, playground equipment, and resurface the basketball court. A simple kitchen where volunteer moms can prepare a nutritious snack or lunch.

*Landscaping has become an important issue due to the addition of computers & printers in the Library. The dust blowing in from the school yard has shortened the life of all this technical equipment.

Secondary: Build a volleyball court, resurface the patio, repair the school fence
and remodel the abandoned dormitory* (new bathroom and kitchen) provide water storage for the dormitory.

*The dormitory idea has merit on several fronts. It could be a traveler's hostel providing low cost lodging. Also it could be used for cultural exchanges and community events. The income from the dormitory could be used to fund school improvements and general expenses.

Library: Storage shelves, tables, chairs, one teacher's desk, sports equipment. Upgrade lighting; provide Air Conditioning and windows for the second floor to prolong the life of our computers and printers. Internet access and all accessories needed.

We will need additional staffing to supervise the internet access, provide technical assistance and maintain security for our computers.

In the future, the second floor will be used by the town as a place to pay bills, fax, make copies, etc. We will need more staffing at that point in time and we are hopeful that one or more of our scholarship students will be ready to take on this task.

NOT FOR PROFIT STATUS

Two Library patrons, Eric Bohren and Holli McMann, have been responsible for obtaining nonprofit status. Our fund's name will be Cambiando Vidas (Changing Lives) at POB 276, Boulder Creek, Ca. 95006. As soon as all the government paperwork is complete we will be opening a bank account in that name. However in the meantime, we will still be using Susana Escobido's Scholarship Fund at the Wells Fargo Bank.

HOW TO MAKE A DONATION

Deposits can be made to S.Escobido-Chacala scholarship fund, Wells Fargo Account No. 7230751535. The routing no. is 121042882. You can direct deposit at any WFB or mail to Wells Fargo Bank, POB 6995, Portland, Or. 97228-6995. Simply write on the back of the check "for deposit only" and the account number. Also you can pay via Pay Pal on the internet.

PLEASE BE SURE TO SEND AN EMAIL to Susana (sescobido@aol.com) or Mariana (madad99@aol.com) with the date and amount of your deposit so we can identify them on our bank statement and send you a receipt for your taxes. THANKS

SUMMARY

Cambiando Vidas means changing lives. The goal is to help cultivate mutual respect and support to make our community a better place to live. After hurricane Kenna hit on Oct. 25, 2002 the job became a little harder. People are rebuilding but with the absence of adequate government assistance, it is a long term project to reconstruct basic services. For example, the water system in much of the village was destroyed. Education expenses are a greater financial burden than ever.

The children who are now entering high school are critical to the economic future of Chacala's infrastructure. We are urging them to think of education as an insurance policy which will allow them to make choices based on options. The students will be the ambassadors of new ideas to Chacala. The students will become the leaders, the business people and the parents who value education.