Let’s Keep the Help Flowing! |
|
|
Memorial Healing Ritual in Arcatao, sponsored by the UW-Arcatao Mental Health Project, November, 2019. |
|
|
This holiday season, a generous member of our community has offered to MATCH ALL donations to MASCP up to $5,000. If you give $100, we get $200! As you can imagine, this is a huge boost to our ability to support our friends in El Salvador. Please help us support these important projects. |
|
|
Your donation is tax deductible and continues Madison’s 33 year history of supporting community organizing, higher education, historical memory and sustainability in Arcatao. ¡Muchísimas gracias! |
|
|
Wondering how we spend $10,000? |
|
|
63% of our budget goes directly to the people of Arcatao. This includes: - scholarships for two students to attend the University of Central America in San Salvador. With your financial support, our goal is to increase this amount to support a third scholarship student.
- support for projects at the Historical Memory Museum
- reforestation efforts, including 300 new trees planted this year around Arcatao
- grants to a local community radio station, Radio Sumpul
- funds for the UW-Arcatao Mental Health Project.
- organizing costs — i.e. photocopies, travel to regional meetings, food and drink for meetings, money to keep the lights on.
|
|
|
“I was born in Arcatao on October 23rd, 1998. My parents are Gustavo Menjivar and Luisa Crespín. I have lived in Arcatao ever since I was a kid. In 2017 I started studying at the National University, UES. I’m currently in my third year of Civil Engineering. It has not been easy but I trust that God will help me fulfill this dream. It does not only belong to me, but to my parents, grandparents and siblings, everyone that loves me. My biggest wish is to graduate and use my knowledge to the greater good of the community and help anyway I can.” - José Maurilio Menjivar Crespín, MASCP scholarship recipient |
|
|
16% of our budget goes to the Chalate Arts Project We buy embroidery from the Embroidery Cooperativa in Arcatao and jewelry, wooden crafts and other items from the Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad (CIS) in San Salvador. All these pieces are fair trade and we sell them at holidays fairs in Madison. For the women in the embroidery coop in Arcatao, this project is their major source of cash. |
|
|
14% of our budget goes to MASCP’s contribution to staff salaries - 2 full-time staff members in San Salvador
- one part-time coordinator in the States.
We are part of a network of 16 other US-El Salvador Sister Cities who all contribute to paying for these important positions. The staff people in El Salvador are Zulma Tobar and Mario Guevara, and they are critical to our work. They coordinate all delegations and interactions with each sister city, conduct trainings for partners, and organize the annual USESSC National Gathering, held in Sister Cities throughout the U.S. |
|
|
Zulma Tobar, USESSC staff, left, with Felicia Mijango, newly elected to the Junta Directive of CRIPDES (Organization for the Development of El Salvador), presenting at LACIS on UW campus in Madison in 2019. |
|
Sistering representatives from the province of Chalatenango at the CCR (Rural Communities of Chalatenango) office in Chalatenango City. Milton Monje, Arcatao’s sistering rep and head of the Junta Directiva in Arcatao, is in a hat, 4th from left back row. Mario Guevara, USESSC staff, is 4th from right back row. |
|
|
7% goes to MASCP administration. MASCP is powered by volunteers, but there are some things we need to pay for. This includes: a post office box, tax preparation, and website and email management. |
|
|
Come see us at the Fair Trade Holiday Festival this Saturday, December 7th! |
|
|
Monona Terrace 1 John Nolen Drive Madison December 7, 2019 8 AM-3 PM Your kids and grandkids would have even more FUN in these aprons embroidered in Arcatao. See you there! |
|
|
News Flash! Pupusas and Salvadoran farm-to-cup coffee in Madison |
|
|
Go to the new Finca Coffee at 2500 Rimrock Road for a little bit of El Salvador right here in Madison. Marleni Valle, originally from Matepán, El Salvador, serves fairly traded, farm-to-cup coffee from El Salvador and a full array of Mexican and Central American food—pupusas, quesadillas, tacos and burritos. General manager and co-owner, Todd Allbaugh, is the past owner of Fifth Element Coffee, and has teamed up with Marleni and her husband to create this very special restaurant. Come support them and enjoy their tasty Salvadoran food and coffee! |
|
|
Every few months, we speak by phone with friends in Arcatao. In September, we spoke with our compa, Marco Tulio, who is a member of the Junta Directiva in Arcatao: “We want to thank you very much for Madison’s funds,” he said. “It means a lot to us. You help us in such a significant way.” Let’s keep the help flowing. |
|
|
Thank you and come say “Hi” at the Holiday Fair! |
|
|
|
|
