Girls for Success School
A Peace through Yoga Foundation Project
Costa Rica
Mission
The purpose of the Girls for Success program is to enrich, educate, and empower girls in the rural area of Hone Creek, Carbon I and the surrounding community in Costa Rica.
Vision
Our vision is to provide a learning environment where each student feels supported, respected and encouraged to reach their fullest intellectual and earning potential. We intend that all students become life-long learners, become economically self-sufficient and develop the poise and confidence to assume leadership positions in their communities.
What we do
English classes offered by a trained English speaker
Sewing program
Art and Music Activities
Life skills workshops on topics such as conflict resolution
Mindful movement and health initiatives
Guest Speakers
Educational Field Trips
The Girls for Success Center provides daily after-school English classes to girls ages 6 to 12. The three-hour classes are offered by a teacher with advanced command of the English language. The program also offers additional classes in sewing, crochet, art and business skills. Each month, students participate in a life skills workshop or an educational excursion. For high school aged girls, we offer The Bilingual Club, to further their proficiency in English and to inspire them to pursue a university education and a career. New for 2023, we have added STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) workshops once monthly for all of our students.
Why Girls?
Helping to shape confident, informed young women helps them to take a path in their lives that is both productive and healthy. By redirecting negativity and non-opportunity and give them choices on achieving their personal and professional goals, recognizing their importance in society, the home and in leadership.
Why English?
Carbón and Hone Creek are communities 5 kilometers away from the town of Puerto Viejo and 15 kilometers away from Cahuita, two of the most popular tourist destinations in the province of Limón, Costa Rica. Other than agriculture, the economy is based on jobs available in the tourism industry of the nearby towns, jobs in hotels or restaurants or as a taxi driver, all jobs requiring some level of English.
The school system in the entirety of Costa Rica requires English to be taught in high schools, but not in elementary schools, so when students make the transition from elementary to high school and a certain level of English is expected, many of the students fall behind. This is the case in these communities, and since a large reason for not graduating high school is the inability to pass the English part of the graduation test, preparing the students early is extremely necessary.
New Girls for Success School Architectural Design
OUR GIVING BOARD
Thank you for making this project happen. Our new school opened in Noember 2023 after a total cost of a $105,000. We are grateful to all our donors.
Jennifer and Jane Adams, Joanne Applegate, Cynthia Baffa, Gina and Steve Baffa-Caputo, Jeanne Marie Baffa, Kristen and Geoff Barfield, Darin Bassett, Sally and Dennis Bassett, Jill and Clark Bassett, Karla Becker, Shashank Behere, Wilma Berends, Abdul Majeed Bhat, Blooming Life Yoga, Mary L Boustani, Bowen Engineering, Durena Bridegroom, Carol and John Brown, Amy Caputo, Prasad Chalasani, Prasanna Chintala, Ellie and Christopher Clapp, Tracey Cobb, Narsing R. and Sridevi Damera, Bethany and Jim Danko, Greg Deeds, Jean Deeds, Ankit and Archita Desai, Amy Elliott, Joe Fiasco, Joe and Deb Fiasco, Evan and Erika Finn, Julie Freccero, Friends of Jean Deeds, Gerardo Ramierez Garza, Marwan Ghabril, Simrat and Alex Ghoman, Jenny and Tom Godby, Laura and Mike Gogis, Krishna Gorantla, Praseeda Govindadas and Krishna Govindadas, David Griest and Deborah Davis, Brewster Harding, Sharla Harker, Brent and Joy Harlos, Timothy and Lisa Hinds, Holly Hospel and Richard L. Doying, Alex and Vickie Ionescu, Janet and Nick Jones, Donna Kaplowitz, Pam Kaza, Cynthia Kenyon, Laura Kohls, Satya Kolli and Naga Chalasani, Kathleen and Jeff Korgen, Chandrashekhar A Kubal and Uma C Kubal, Ashley and Dave Lancer, Olivia Lancer, Haripriya Maddur, Laurie Mathiasen, Cynthia McQuigg, Kelly McKinney and Ric Miller, Michigan State University, Lacey Monroe, Elaine Montgomery, Anitra and Tim Murphy, Cheryl Nygren, Jasmine Parkins, Heather C Perdue and Dr Neil H Perdue, Terry Popielarz, Divija Pulikal, Michelle Qureshi, Anil and Archana Ranginani, Raman P Rao and Madhavi P Rao, Wade Rickaby, Terry and Tracie Romp, Carol and Gerald Roth, Sarada Devi Group, James and Judy Schneider, Lynda Schoberth, Luci and Maggie Sendelbach, Jill Shink, Wood Slaymaker, Nathan and Melissa Smurdon, Nancy Spohn, Daniel Sutkovs, Jane Sweet, Jennifer Ulrich, Srinivas Vallapuri and Indira Vallapuri, Rupa Vasireddy, Shireesha Vuppalanchi, Rachel Washington, Chris Yovanovich.
DONATE OR BECOME A PROGRAM SPONSOR TODAY
Peace through Yoga Foundation is a 501c3 charity and 100% of all donations go directly to support the Girls for Success program
Our annual budget for this year-round program includes a full-time English teacher, a sewing teacher, rent and upkeep of our center that includes a classroom and library in the heart of rural Hone Creek, monthly field trips/life skills workshops for our 16 student (age 7-12 years old), a Girls for Success Club for high school students, a sewing revenue project, guest speakers, and art and music activities.
Current Needs:
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$500 to sponsor a girl annually (receive monthly newsletters from the teacher and quarterly letters from "your girl")
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$300 for a sewing machine
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$270 for a student's bicycle and lock
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$150 for one field trip
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$100 for one month toward sewing teacher
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Any “general fund” amount given is greatly appreciated.
