October 2024:
Lesotho Clean Water Project
SDPCA donation amount: $582.86
The purpose of this grant is to expand the depth of the current borehole serving students and teachers and to construct a second borehole for the community. The borehole currently shared between the school and the community suffers from extremely low water levels, often leaving the pump without water for several months each year due to limited rainfall during the winter and dry season. Consequently, students and community members are frequently forced to walk long distances to obtain water from neighboring villages.
A local electrical company has been engaged as the contractor for the project. The contractor's proposal includes deepening the existing borehole from 40 to 80 meters and constructing a new 80- meter borehole designated solely for community use. To ensure the long-term sustainability of this project, the school will take on responsibility for the maintenance of both boreholes. There will also be a training session for the school stakeholders hosted by a local organization to learn more about appropriate maintenance of the boreholes and taps.
Philippines Container Library Project
SDPCA donation amount: $797.14
This grant seeks to fund the construction of a fully functional library to improve English language proficiency and literacy within the community. This library will serve as a crucial resource, supporting reading activities, providing a safe space for research and college guidance, and fostering intellectual curiosity. The project will be a collaborative effort, with contributions from the school community, the mayor, and local non-profit organizations.
To maximize the impact of the new resources, teachers will participate in specialized training to engage students in critical thinking and enhance literacy outcomes. The grant will cover the costs of two container units, air conditioning, library materials, and teacher training, ensuring the library is well-equipped and sustainable. With this new resource center, students will have access to the tools they need to improve their literacy skills, succeed in college entrance exams, and realize their full potential.
Ecuador Anatomical Models Project
SDPCA donation amount: $442.86
The objective of this grant is to obtain anatomical models for the training of both patients and health professionals. Anatomical models are 3-dimensional representations of various human body structures, many serving as useful visual aids to explain diagnoses and conditions to patients to increase their personal capacity to live healthier lives, while others are used by medical professionals to practice certain necessary skills like suturing. The grant idea was identified by health center staff, who have noted difficulties in relaying care instructions to patients without any points of reference. Utilizing the models will improve the ability to communicate important health information from doctor to patient, increasing the patient’s knowledge of their body, medical conditions, and reasons behind certain lifestyle choices promoted by the health center. This then increases the capacity of community members to participate in their own preventative care, early detection of serious diseases, and chronic illness management.
By providing continuing education opportunities for staff and educational resources to pair with the information given during workshops and appointments, the overall health and well-being of the community will be improved. Currently the health center has zero anatomical models nor funding to procure these models. The grant has assured sustainability following its completion, as the anatomical models can be continually used for as long as they are functional. As anatomical models can be delicate and their longevity depends on how well they are taken care of, all individuals who wish to utilize the tools must first be trained on their proper handling and care of the models. The models will then be utilized in training workshops for patients and health center staff.
Namibia IT Resources for Learning
SDPCA donation amount: $177.14
This grant aims to significantly enhance English proficiency among students at a village school by equipping it with 12 projectors and 12 laptops. These tools will expose students to English media, thereby improving language skills, boosting learner engagement, empowering teachers with modern teaching aids, and fostering a digitally literate learning environment.
Parents, teachers, and learners have played a pivotal role in planning and implementing this grant through needs assessment workshops, participatory planning, and the establishment of oversight committees. The grant will provide teachers with professional development in digital teaching methods and equip learners with essential digital literacy skills. Funding is needed to purchase the equipment and provide the training and resources necessary for effective implementation. After the grant’s completion, the project will be sustained through regular maintenance, continuous teacher training, and community fundraising.