Tuition for the kids of La Chureca
Over 8 years I've had the honor of being taken into a storyline that has forever changed my life. I was invited to walk with the families of a place then named La Chureca, a masssive unregulated trash dump that was home to thousands. It was a place of work and survival in a country hosting over a 70% unemployment rate and the unfortunate stat of being the poorest nation in Central and South America. Children played barefoot amongst the burning refuge, stepping over needles discarded from medical waste while their parents worked endless hours rummaging through trash.
I met Wendy in front of her families make shift home. The walls and roof were made of materials salvaged from the dump, it's contents the same. She was open armed and welcomed me into her world. Through the eyes of a then five year old, Wendy guided me through the flames of La Chureca and the realities of extreme global poverty. She has had a strength I've never never understood but always watched in awe. She has guided my lens, my heart and my life since that day. For all the efforts to make change for her I always felt she seemed to do so much more for me.
Over the years Wendy and her younger brothers have faced starvation, multiple levels of outside dangers and basic survival. They have moved into multiple make shift homes and eventually a government relocation into a settlement community. At this time their mother is alone in charge of care for 5 children.
In a place like Nicaragua, a basic high school education is worth a lifetime of opportunity. For the past few years myself and the hard working on the ground NGO Love Light and Melody have been instilling the value of getting an education into Wendy and her brothers. The best opportunity to break the cycle is to bring the tools for them to pull themselves out and change their own destiny. In a huge win, Wendy and 3 of her brothers have made the decision to go to school and I couldnt be more excited to help in making that happen. We have been able to out of our pocket get them through their first year. Costs are coming up this New Year and we need help to make this continue. I need your help, your heart and your drive to make a viable change in these kids lives! Some of you have followed their story through my eyes for some time now, some of you are brand new to it. I invite you to dig into their story, we are all one family; learn more at: http://lovelightandmelody.org
Now is the time to be a part of breaking the cycle.
I am in. My life and my lens have been and always will be in pursuit of changing these kids life until they are moaning over what to do on their day off like the rest of us. As part of that pursuit I'm throwing myself at you in anyway I can to help me get them through another year of school, another year of books and another year of helping mom get some food in their tummies so they can all concentrate on this major task at hand. They need your help.
I will be offering all my prints this holiday season to raise money for this. 100% of the profits will be given to these 4 kids pursuit of changing their life. If you can donate to the page, even if it's a dollar; every penny counts. If you are looking for a gift this Christmas that has a profound effect on battling extreme poverty and looks amazing on your wall; dive in. It's yours, and I couldn't be more grateful to print it for you.
From Alaska to Indonesia, Mount Washington to California I'm offering any print you want off of my website www.briannevins.com towards this cause. Donations of $200.00 will get you an 11x14 (11x19 for most) of your choice. Donations of $100.00 will get you an 8x10 (8x12) of your choice.
Other donation sizes include:
16x24 : $300.00
24x36" $500.00
All prints are signed and include shipping within the continental US, outside of additional charges may apply.
OVERVIEW
Love Light + Melody supports children in the Villa Guadalupe resettlement community (where families from the La Chureca trash dump were relocated to) in Nicaragua through a scholarship program. We believe there is immeasurable power in education to inspire hope, transform lives, and protect vulnerable children.
The LLM Scholarship Program provides scholarships for kids in Villa Guadalupe to attend a private school, Lighthouse Christian Academy (LCA), where they can receive a Kindergarten through High School education and holistic support from the teachers and staff.
Love Light + Melody currently provides full scholarships for four students, with hopes of expanding the program to offer more kids opportunities to receive an education.
FUNDING NEEDS
Monthly Expenses (Per Student)
Tuition: $50
Transportation: $40
Tutoring: $15
Meals: $25
School Supplies: $5
TOTAL: $135
Yearly (Per Student)
School Uniforms: $25
PE Uniforms: $15
Books: $175
School Supplies: $70
TOTAL: $285
Full Scholarship (Per Student)
Monthly Expenses for One Year: $1,620
Yearly Expenses: $285
Miscellaneous Expenses: $95
TOTAL: $2,000
4 child total: $8000.00
Thank you for your help and together let's change these kids lives!