Appreciation Night

Thanks to Linda Kirkpatrick and www.justaroundhere.com for coming to our May event. Check out her great photos online: http://justaroundhere.com/international-focus/starfish-one-by-one/1508-starfish-one-by-one-honors-volunteers.html

Starfish Mentors: Making a Difference

Young women in the Starfish One by One program are breaking the glass ceiling by committing to six years of a junior high and high school education and a brighter future for themselves and their families. Dedicated mentors (other Mayan women who have walked the same path and are among the one percent to reach university) support our students throughout their six years in the program. These mentors run weekly peer support groups for fifteen Starfish girls, offer out of school academic tutoring, and work with student families to surmount traditional barriers that impede education and women’s empowerment. However, the institutionalized marginalization of Mayan women means that young women in the Starfish program face barriers that extend beyond poverty, access to schooling, and cultural norms. Family violence, combined with high rates of alcoholism, can all too quickly derail a young woman’s educational ambitions.

This past week, educators from the JUCONI Foundation of Mexico traveled to Guatemala to provide valuable training around the issue of domestic violence to Starfish mentors and four other NGO groups in Panajachel, Guatemala.

This training will allow Starfish mentors to better support our incredible Starfish students in any family issues they may encounter. Many mentors in the Starfish program have faced situations in which a bubbly, engaged leader in the peer group suddenly disengages. Her group participation drops and her grades in school suffer. When the mentor approaches the young woman about this change in behavior, she sometimes learns about issues of domestic violence in the home. This domestic violence ranges from physical abuse by alcoholic mothers or fathers to sexual advances by other adult family members. Unfortunately, this scenario occurs far more often than it should. Violence is notoriously underreported, but one recent study asserts that 9 out of every 10 women in Guatemala has been a victim of some form of violence in the home.

Starfish mentors are well versed in academic support, financial literacy, and reproductive education, and skillfully confront cultural issues like lack of family support around education. Starfish mentors need professional and culturally appropriate training to confront the issue of domestic violence. Specific training is needed to provide each young woman with the skills to cope with and recover from the devastating consequences of violence. Training is also needed to teach young women in the program to recognize the signs of and prevent domestic violence. Starfish is excited to partner with JUCONI to bring this training directly to Guatemala and to other organizations as well.

As Starfish continues to expand its impact – over 210 students are now enrolled for six years of intensive support and education — our ever growing staff must be trained to effectively deal with family and domestic violence. Through acquiring these new skills, Starfish mentors ensure that young women do not succumb to pressures and problems, but stay in school.

A reflection from our newest board members, Doug & Jeannie Amidon

Education leads to options; the more education the more options. Most of the Starfish One by One girls are the first in their family to continue with their education beyond sixth grade.  These girls are bright, motivated, and eager to learn.  But, as “firsts” they need a tremendous amount of support.  The role of the Starfish mentor and tutor is not just to educate, but to expand the young girls’ horizons and broaden the vision that they might have for their future. This is not easy and it is not cheap.  It demands that mentors and tutors provide support, encouragement, high expectations, accountability, and a whole lot of love.

Since 2010 we have traveled to Guatemala frequently in our roles as retired teachers offering support, encouragement, and a few ideas, to the mentors and tutors.  We see “up close and personal” how the mentors and tutors interact with and relate to these young people.  And after each visit we come away encouraged, impressed, and grateful.  Grateful  that, in a small way, we have an opportunity to support those who are helping these Starfish kids continue their education that will lead to more options, expanded horizons, and a brighter future for each of them.

Starfish Appreciation Night

On May 17, the Evergreen (CO) community gathered for dinner and learned about Starfish’s work on reproductive health with a great video by Kate Lord and a Skype chat with two of our students in Santiago de Atitlan. We celebrated how Starfish is starting family dialogues and empowering girls to take charge of their lives at an early age.

After dinner supporters and volunteers drew and wrote messages on a parachute to send to Guatemala for team-building and group activities. Visit our Facebook page to view more photos of the event. Thanks to all of our local friends who showed up for this informative and fun event.

Spring program update

“I just returned from just under 2 months (Jan-Feb) in Guatemala.  In contrast to previous years, this year I stayed in Panajachel and worked out of Starfish’s main office there.  All told, there were fewer visitors than last year (approximately 30, but another 15 coming through in March).  The total number of beneficiaries in 2012 is 210 students and their families.  There are also 30 indirect beneficiaries from the Starfish training program. 

As usual, Starfish has many organizational areas where we are innovating and driving innovation.  The most notable are mentioned below.”

Travis Ning, Executive Director

POWER Program (7-9th grade): This program continues to be the most systematized of the organization.  There are currently 5 groups of girls in the POWER Program.  There are 3 mentors and the program is supervised by Marilena.  One of the more significant areas of focus of the POWER program is the “Friendship Phase” that Marilena is supervising throughout all 12 Starfish groups.  During this phase, all mentors are challenged to make continual family visits in an effort to create a unique and positive space and relationship with them.  The staff is employing several of the tools acquired via trainings from a training entity in Mexico called JUCONI.  Through specific games, recognition of family efforts to support schooling, and a strengths-based focus, Starfish is trying to construct a unique, positive relationship that will serve as a platform for all future interactions.  This phase formally launched in February and Marilena has been accompanying all mentors to model these new techniques.

The major advantage that Starfish has with the POWER Program is experience.  Now removed from directly mentoring groups, Marilena able to supervise and accompany POWER mentors in the field.  Marilena is growing into her role as a supervisor and is very committed to the continued work with families.  The curriculum of the POWER Program has been developed over several years, but still needs improvement in the areas of nutrition and environmentalism.

BRIDGE Program (10-12th): The BRIDGE Program has 7 groups.  Starfish hired Thelma as the BRIDGE Coordinator in November of 2011 and she supervises 3 mentors and also mentors the pioneer group.  The BRIDGE Program is in its first year of full implementation and is being designed and implemented at the same time.  Thus far, Thelma is very solid and viewed by the mentors as resource.   The more notable development in the BRIDGE Program is the “Foot in the Door” Program that matches Starfish students with non-profits or small businesses.  Through part-time jobs, Starfish students are gaining powerful, firsthand experience.  Starfish (via the Dining for Women Grant) covers roughly 80% of the girl’s stipend while the non-profit or business picks up the balance.  At present, Starfish students are working at the following organizations/businesses:

• La Puerta Abierta (Children’s library – Santiago)

• Adisa (special needs children – Santiago)

• Department of Education (Santiago)

• Africa 70 (environmental education – Santiago)

• Friendship Bridge (Pana)

• Mercado Global (women’s co-op – Pana)

• La Comunidad (women’s co-op – Pana)

• Hotel Cacique Inn (Pana)

• Mayan Families (pre-school education – Pana)

• Community Solutions Enterprise (micro-consignment -  Sololá)

• Starfish (mini-mentors)

Selling books as a fundraiser

The wonderful members of  the Dining For Women Santa Cruz chapters sold 40 copies of A Mayan Star Born to Shine, to donate to their local elementary schools. Every bit counts and we are so grateful for supporters like them. THANK YOU!

Dining for Women featured on NBC Nightly news

Dining for Women is an organization that is featuring Starfish One by One as their charity for the month of February and raising money to support our cause. They were the subject of a segment on NBC Nightly News that aired Tuesday, February 8th and Starfish is excited to have been a part of it.

Many thanks to Dining for Women and the Antennuci’s (a local Starfish family) who joined them at the San Jose Chapter meeting to talk about Starfish One by One and to educate them on what we do. You can view the short video by clicking here.

Stories from the field: meeting Karen and Nicolasa

Recently, two teenage sponsors and their family visited Guatemala and the Starfish offices. They got to meet the girls they have been sponsoring for many years and their lives were changed. Following is their experience in their own words:

Nikki:

“When I heard that my family and I were traveling to Guatemala, I could barely contain my excitement. In sixth grade my teacher, Terri Leek, introduced the girls in my class to a group called Starfish One by One. We each sponsored a Guatemalan girl around our age, but this meant nothing to us at the time; simply that we were able to bake cookies and make jewelry to raise money. As the years progressed, I received letters from the girl I sponsor, Nicolasa, 20 years old, telling me what her life is like and how much she appreciates going to school. These letters began to give Starfish One by One a much deeper meaning to me, I began raising more money on my own; taking money out of my allowance and asking for donations for my birthday. Nicolasa sent me a letter explaining how school was and how she wished that she could meet me soon, sending along a woven belt that she had made for me. Then I knew that I just had to meet her in person. Over this past Thanksgiving break, I was greeted in the street of Atilan with a warm hug and a huge smile as Nicolasa showed me how she lives her life. Before going to Guatemala I imagined a tour of Nicolasa’s village, her home, and her school, all the while laughing and sharing stories. I expected her life to be challenging, but I also expected to see many similarities in our lives. My experience in Guatemala was quite the opposite than I expected, when I walked up the landslide-ruined path up to her temporary home; I was overwhelmed with shock, sorrow, and appreciation. Although similar in some ways, Nicolasa lives almost a completely different life than I do, a life where girls, especially those educated, aren’t generally favored in her community. I never expected when going to Guatemala that my family would have to try and convince Nicolasa’s father to allow her to continue school, which would give her the chance to accomplish so much more than simply weaving and cooking. When Nicolasa broke into tears after I gave her a small backpack with books I had brought from Colorado, I finally realized how much I was actually changing a life. By sending Nicolasa to High School, she is given so many opportunities I never even thought about before visiting Guatemala. Many days I had wished that I could skip school or I felt so overwhelmed by an essay that I would break down, but after seeing everything that Nicolasa endures daily, her strength inspires me to do the best I can with all of my opportunities. The girls in the Starfish Program all have unique, touching, and challenging situations, but what they all have in common is the chance to succeed. Nicolasa is family to me, and I am so grateful of Starfish One by One, which has given her the change to pursue any opportunity she wishes, not just academically but socially and mentally as well. Starfish One by One provides more than simply an education, but also life skills through mentor groups of about 15, where they are able to openly discuss issues, questions, and their future. Nicolasa will be attending college soon, and already I am so proud of her success and so grateful of what Starfish has to provide, I can’t wait to see what she will do in the future with the base that Starfish One by One has created for success. 

Kiira:

“My experience with “Starfish One by One” started when I was in 6th grade.  I was jealous of my sister who was already receiving letters and small gifts from the girl she sponsored. This envy and curiosity lead me to volunteering and ultimately sponsoring Karen. As I got to know a little about Karen I found out that she is a 15-year-old girl who doesn’t know her father. She lives with her mother and two younger siblings. Two uncles, who have alcohol dependencies and don’t treat her with the respect that she deserves also, live in the family compound. After corresponding with her for three years I finally got to meet her and was overjoyed. It is hard to describe their living conditions but the lifestyle there is much different and harder than ours. I was happy to see that she made the most of her situation, and shared with us her most valued accomplishments. They included ribbons she had won for basketball and academics, and photos of her in plays. She also proudly showed us around her home including the view from her roof above their kitchen. I didn’t realize that Starfish was providing Karen with much more than just schooling. The program allowed her to spend time with other girls who had similar education goals and challenges. Mentors taught them how to avoid the common pitfalls for girls in Santiago such as bad relationships and or early marriages and pregnancies, along with providing the opportunity to venture into their community and work with nonprofits of their interests. During the time we spent with Karen and her mentor I was amazed at how she was so much like me: enthusiastic, energetic, outgoing, and a natural leader. It seemed that the girls could be themselves and they had friends that they didn’t necessarily go to school with but they could still talk to. When having to leave I was sad because I had been waiting for what seemed like a lifetime to meet someone for only a brief couple of hours. But that was probably the best couple of hours in my life so far. After my trip to Guatemala I had mixed feelings. The trip was life changing and experiential but at the same time a harsh wake up from the life that I live. I was so happy to meet Karen and although I didn’t have time to walk in her shoes for very long I saw how hard she had to work for opportunities we take for granted, like school. I’m motivated to keep track of Karen and support her as she struggles to finish her education and realize her dreams.

Although the Starfish girls have many obstacles in their way to a brighter future, with the support of their sponsors, donors and mentors they are able to stay brave, strong, and optimistic. Other non-profit organizations in the area also lend a helping hand to the girls’ success. Our trip to Guatemala was a trip of a lifetime, but also an intense realization of the challenges these amazing girls are able to overcome because of the strength that Starfish One by One provides for them. Starfish One by One changes these girls’ lives and creates a stronger community, one girl at a time. “

She’s Hired!

Starfish’s “Foot-in-the-Door” Program

In 2012, as a part of its BRIDGE program for high school girls, Starfish is providing young women with their first “real job” experience.  The beauty of this program is the “win-win” nature of it where Starfish students have part-time jobs other local non-profit organizations.  This way, young women are able to better hone their talents and interests while serving the needs of their communities.

In the case of 11^th grader Elsa, she was recently hired by Friendship Bridge to help their HR department.  Friendship Bridge is a large women’s microcredit and education organization.  Elsa, who will graduate high school as a secretary next year, has never had a formal job before.  Her mother never got past the first grade and now has 12 children to care for.  Outside Starfish, Elsa would have no access to career guidance to help her plan her future beyond high school.  With this opportunity, Elsa has her foot in the door of a respected organization and the opportunity to develop tangible skills and talents that will no doubt serve her well as she starts her career.

This program provides Elsa with a small stipend from Starfish (via Dining for Women) and Friendship Bridge.  She works part-time while she continues in high school.

February Partnership with Dining for Women

We are excited to announce that Starfish One by One is Dining for Women‘s featured non-profit this month! Find out more about this great organization and all of the work they are doing to help women and girls around the world.