Ripple Effect leaders Gord & Deb LeMaistre Begin New School Project in Guatemala

Posted by John Borst 
on Feb 07, 2014
 
Gord and Debra LeMaistre have been involved with District 5550’s officially sponsored “Literacy” initiative the Ripple Effect Program since 2009.
 
They are committed to creating a rich learning environment, sustainable schools, and hope for a brighter future for children of Guatemala.
 
Gord and Deb have been visited Guatemala six times, where 43% of the population is under 14.
 
They gave us a brief history on the 3 schools that have been built or renovated:
 
 
  1. The Los Caneles School is now a new 2 story school with 5 classrooms, kitchen, storage area for food and playground .This is a project in which our club was involved.
 
  1. The Tierra Blanca School built by “Schools Building Schools”, a high school student fund-raising effort, permitted the building of 2 classrooms and washrooms.
  1. The Las Tarayes School is the latest project. Washrooms need to be constructed. The kitchen is currently a dark, smoke filled room. Several classes are being held in wooden shacks with dirt floors. The existing cement classrooms have low, leaky roofs and are hot and stuffy.
 
Assistant Governor Rod Riople and the 2016-17 District Governor Nominee Designate is also of the Kenora club, accompanied the LeMaistres, and introduced them.