Ajpopoli
vzw is a non profit organisation that supports a school for underprivileged
Maya children in its daily operations. Without fundraising the school would not
exist.
Ajpopoli vzw was founded in 2007 in Leuven (Belgium). It is an organisation that supports the school “Centro Educativo Ajpopoli Ak’Wala” in the mountain village Comalapa in Guatemala.
As a private school, it is not subsidized by the state and can therefore not operate independently. Mayas form a minority in Guatemala and most of them live in poverty or extreme poverty.With financial aid from Ajpopoli vzw a team of local, motivated teachers and staff offer qualitative schooling for some 300 children.
Fundraising is mainly done through child sponsorship, activities and gifts. The funds cover both the school operations (building, material, administration and staff) as well as a social fund for urgent support (medical bills, food and clothing) to pupils and families in need.
A board member of Ajpopoli visits the school twice a year, at own expenses, to audit accounting, to evaluate performance and to visit pupils and their families. Throughout the school year the organisation and the direction of the school are in contact to guarantee close follow-up.
All the donations are completely used for the project.
Vision
High quality schooling and education are the only way out of poverty and oppression for the underprivileged Maya children. Schooling is the opportunity for a better future.
Mission
“Centro Educativo Ajpopoli Ak’Wala” offers good schooling until the third year of secondary school and wants students to maximize their potential through continued studies. The social fund alleviates pressure on the students and allows them to focus on their studies. The fundraising is aimed at achieving this mission.
Ajpopoli vzw was founded in 2007 in Leuven (Belgium). It is an organisation that supports the school “Centro Educativo Ajpopoli Ak’Wala” in the mountain village Comalapa in Guatemala.
As a private school, it is not subsidized by the state and can therefore not operate independently. Mayas form a minority in Guatemala and most of them live in poverty or extreme poverty.With financial aid from Ajpopoli vzw a team of local, motivated teachers and staff offer qualitative schooling for some 300 children.
Fundraising is mainly done through child sponsorship, activities and gifts. The funds cover both the school operations (building, material, administration and staff) as well as a social fund for urgent support (medical bills, food and clothing) to pupils and families in need.
A board member of Ajpopoli visits the school twice a year, at own expenses, to audit accounting, to evaluate performance and to visit pupils and their families. Throughout the school year the organisation and the direction of the school are in contact to guarantee close follow-up.
All the donations are completely used for the project.
Vision
High quality schooling and education are the only way out of poverty and oppression for the underprivileged Maya children. Schooling is the opportunity for a better future.
Mission
“Centro Educativo Ajpopoli Ak’Wala” offers good schooling until the third year of secondary school and wants students to maximize their potential through continued studies. The social fund alleviates pressure on the students and allows them to focus on their studies. The fundraising is aimed at achieving this mission.
Fundraising through child sponsorship
We chose
for child sponsorship as our main regular income to bear structural costs
(salaries and resources) as well as the social fund.
Sponsorship is very successful in creating a personal bond between both parties and in increasing awareness. We encourage Belgian sponsors to write their sponsor child twice a year. At the same time the sponsor receives regular updates on both school performance and family situation from the sponsor child.
Sponsorship is very successful in creating a personal bond between both parties and in increasing awareness. We encourage Belgian sponsors to write their sponsor child twice a year. At the same time the sponsor receives regular updates on both school performance and family situation from the sponsor child.
Donations
We need donations from individuals, schools and other organisations to help us realise specific projects, such as purchasing school material and computers, class room fit-out, sports field and playground, etc.
Some Belgian schools are twinned with a class in Guatemala.
Some Belgian schools are twinned with a class in Guatemala.
Historical background
In 1996
Camila Mendoza, the current school head-mistress, founded a small school for
underprivileged Maya children together with her husband. They hired an extra teacher to extend the two
class groups with a third class, but any further growth to meet the existing
need came to a halt due to lack of tuition fees and state subsidies (not
attributed to a private school).
When a group of friends visited the school in 2003 they were impressed by the project and decided to support the school financially, which resulted in the organisation Ajpopoli vzw in 2007.
When a group of friends visited the school in 2003 they were impressed by the project and decided to support the school financially, which resulted in the organisation Ajpopoli vzw in 2007.
Guatemala
Although
Guatemala is called “the land of eternal spring”, the country remains one of
the poorest and most violent regions in Latin-America. Especially the Indian
population struggles to survive. It is a beautiful and exciting country, but at
the same time facing many political, economic, ecological and social
challenges. The country and its population are slowly recovering from the 30
year civil war (1966-1996).
Comalapa is a mountain village situated some 80 km from the capital, mainly populated by Maya Indians living in extreme poverty. Low schooling or illiteracy result in farming by the men (corn and beans for own use and local market). Women provide in some additional income by weaving. Family income is very low and therefore most parents cannot afford school fees for their children.
Comalapa is a mountain village situated some 80 km from the capital, mainly populated by Maya Indians living in extreme poverty. Low schooling or illiteracy result in farming by the men (corn and beans for own use and local market). Women provide in some additional income by weaving. Family income is very low and therefore most parents cannot afford school fees for their children.
On www.donorinfo.be/en/organization/ajpopoli-vzw can you find financial information verified by Fisco Zone sprl/bvba