I NEED YOUR HELP!

And another pesky fly gets stuck in the ointment.  As of last week, after over 6 longs months of project planning, proposal writing, fund-raising, and waiting waiting waiting, the women's group pila project was fully funded by a few very generous donors back home (a BIG thanks goes out to them).  This week I had the check in my hands and called a meeting with the women to spread the good news and organize a buying committee.  Their project is really happening, and they couldn't seem prouder.

Yesterday, however, my project specialist called me with some not-so-good news.  The Dollar-Quetzal exchange rate has changed since we originally submitted our proposal to Washington, thus the amount raised in dollars produced a little over Q1000 less then what we originally had requested (Q1000 will buy three pilas).   Luckily, the Washington desk agreed to re-post the project to raise the missing funds.

So here's the deal: we still need to raise $219.65.  So all of you great people out there reading this--now is your chance to help!  Please please donate!  Donate $5, $10, whatever you can.  A donation of $40 will buy one new pila.  A donation of $20 will buy one women two "laminas," or metal roofing sheets, to act as a lean-to rainguard for her pila.  Every little bit helps.

Help empower the women of Tzibal.  Bring them pilas.

To read the project summary and make your donation online, click here.

The Tzibal women's group outside of our meeting place.

A Guatemalan woman washing clothes at a community pila.

A Guatemalan woman and her pila.