Story
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">Er, Laura, what the hell are you doing that means I should give you my hard earned beer money?</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #33cccc;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because these projects in Guatemala provide sustainable community development and education. I'm doing this to help give these kids the start they deserve in life. Why should you sponsor me though? Well that should be clear to you really guys, but if you want a bit more for your money, then </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I promise that</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a) From July 17th I will be Kayaking the length (and more!) of the Rio Dulce (that's a river doncha know) with some other crazy hoons. 70 kms is a long way...<br /></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b) I will also <a href="http://theantiguayears.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Blog about the joys and trials of the training and the event for your entertainment</a>, and...</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">c) Show you first hand where your money is going, when I visit the projects here in Guatemala and take some (frankly rather amateur) photos.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">So go on, pass a few bob this way, it's for a fantastic cause!</span></strong></span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">What are the Phoenix Projects?</span></strong></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In October 2003, GVI set up the Pajaro de Fuego (Phoenix) Project in San Andrés Itzapa for children who had no chance to go to national school. A year later, GVI set up further schools in Santa Maria de Jesus. There are now over 500 children between the ages of 5-15 who benefit from these partnerships . Further fundraising from the GVI-CT is aiding with everything from food to scholarships to new classrooms, care for the elderly, agricultural initiatives and a small business centre for the women of the community. </span> </span></span></em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">Where is my money going to go?</span></strong></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Without this project, the children would simply not receive an education. By donating just a small amount, the project will receive funding to allow the school to have teachers who can provide official certificates for the children, which goes a long way to achieving our sustainable goals. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">These children are the future.</span> </span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">£10 buys the necessary educational utensils for one child per year</span> </span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">£50 buys fruit for 30 children for one month</span> </span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">£200 pays for the salary of one local teacher per month</span> </span></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></em></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span>The funds from this challenge will be spread across the board, but will have three main focuses. </strong></p>
<p><strong>1) To provide scholarships to children who would otherwise not get the chance of an education</strong></p>
<p><strong>2) To extend Plan Ancianos providing food to the older members of society and </strong></p>
<p><strong>3) To create an emergency fund so that should something like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Agatha_%282010%29" target="_blank">Tropical Storm Agatha </a>happen again, there will be funds in place to provide emergency assistance immediately.</strong></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have a look at the phoenix blog on <a href="http://gviphoenix.blogspot.com/">http://gviphoenix.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></span></em></p>
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