Cambiando Vidas
"Changing Lives"

:: Our Mission :: About Chacala :: About EBACH :: The Volunteers and Staff :: History of the Rotary ::
:: Meet the Kids :: Education in Mexico :: What Your Donation Means :: How You Can Help :: Newsletters ::

What Your Donation Means

• $30 Uniforms: Uniforms are compulsor at the high school and technical schools.  Two are necessary along with shorts and tops for physical education.

• $30 Shoes: Black shoes are part of the required dress code along with running shoes for sports & physical education.

• $30 Tennies: The price of shoes in Mexico is comparable to prices in the US or Canada despite significantly lower incomes in Mexico. For example, the average daily wage in Mexico is $5/day, skilled workers such as bricklayers earn $25/day while helpers would be paid about $15/day.

• $20-50 Books: Books are recyled at the telesecundaria however students attending high school are required to buy at least five textbooks for the fall semester.

• $40 Supplies: Students are required to purchase basic school supplies such as notebooks (9/semester - one for each subject), drawing paper, instruments such as compasses, rulers, glue, pens, pencils and calculators.

• Tuition: While secondaria classes are free of tuition charges, students still must pay a small charge each time they take an exam. High schools and technical schools charge tuition fees that range from $28 to nearly $100 every six month. 

• $360 Transport: Our high school and some secondary students attend schools in neighboring towns and travel 6-13 miles by bus from Chacala costing $2/daily round trip.

• $35/wk Tutor: Rural education means our students are behind their peers in towns particulary in math, physics and chemistry. At present, a tutor travels to Chacala twice a week to help students upgrade their skills.

• University students receive $200/mo living expenses plus tuition, books and school supplies.

Full scholarships are $60/mo or $720/yr which includes transportation costs from Chacala to Las Varas and La Penita where our students attend technical and secondary schools. Of course, we gratefully accept donations of any amount. 

You may choose to team up with a particular child and pursue an email relationship with that child, or come to visit them in Chacala. Look for our posting of sixth graders who will be applying to the program this summer—they will need scholarship help for the upcoming school year.