CCJ-Ecuador: Escuela Anne Stevens
History
Since 1998, we have been engaged in a wonderfully symbiotic relationship with the community of San Eduardo, Ecuador. St. Augustine’s took our first Alternative Spring Break trip to Ecuador in 1998 and opened a school, Escuela Anne Stevens, in the town of San Eduardo in 1999. Since then, we have financed the operations of the school through donations and sponsorships, we have made an annual pilgrimage with approximately 32 people every spring to help with capital improvement projects, and to operate an annual medical clinic for those in San Eduardo and the surrounding communities. In 2013, we founded Sibimbe, a women's sewing cooperative whose hand-sewn pouches are purchased by Thistle Farms. A new building to house the cooperative and to provide new learning spaces for the school was completed in early March 2014.
Ecuador Wish List 2018 - Toothbrushes, Reading Glasses, etc.
Each year, we have relied on donations to supply some of our needs on the pilgrimage to Ecuador, and we have reached that stage of our preparation for the journey on March 3, 2018. We are accepting donations of: toothbrushes, reading glasses (especially 2.25, 3.00, and 3.5), safety glasses and sunglasses (adult and children’s).
For the wellness clinic, we need infant & toddler supplies: sippy cups, bulb aspirators, toddler spoons and forks, bottles, bottle brush cleaners, baby tooth and gum cleanser, diaper rash cream, saline drops (e.g., Little Noses).
Questions? Email Allen Karns at allen.karns@gmail.com.
Sponsor a child at Escuela Anne Stevens
The school has 72 students this year that are excited to learn and be a part of the community. Resolve to sponsor a child at Escuela Anne Stevens for the 2017-18 school year! Your $35/month donation ($420/year) goes to pay the salary, retirement contribution, and health care benefits for the six full time teachers at Escuela Anne Stevens in San Eduardo, Ecuador. In addition, it helps purchase supplies for the school. If you would like to sponsor one or more children, please send an email to Allen Karns at allen.karns@gmail.com or Don Welch at donwelch9@gmail.com. Checks are payable to "CCJ-Ecuador" with "sponsorship" written in the For: line.
Sibimbe
Sibimbe is a sewing cooperative in San Eduardo, Ecuador. This social enterprise partners with Escuela Anne Stevens, where it is housed. Sibimbe launched its business by creating healing oil pouches for Thistle Farms. They have expanded their work to produce a variety of items for Shared Trade, liturgical items for Cokesbury and have just recently begun making pet collars and leashes for the non-profit PEHT. The Reverend Gina Angulo, priest at the church in San Eduardo and spokesperson for Sibimbe, says, "The purpose of this cooperative is to provide decent work and to improve the quality of life for women. It is our hope that in the future there will be many more women that can be a part of Sibimbe."
For more information, visit their Facebook Page - Sibimbe San Eduardo - or email Kim Bailey at kimhbailey@hotmail.com or Mary Murphy at mary@staugustineschapel.org.
