Can't find an answer to your question? Email us at aseac.ecuador@gmail.com and we'd be happy to help!!
Why do students need scholarships if public school is free?
While there is no cost of matriculation, students must purchase mandatory uniforms and materials, and must also pay for daily transportation. Add it all up and suddenly a “free” education becomes quite costly!!
Can donors meet the students?
Yes! Our Wednesday Eco-Club is an ideal time and place for donors and students to interact through projects and activities. If you are a current donor and would like to do this, please send as an email (aseac.ecuador@gmail.com) and we will happily coordinate your visit!
If it costs $200 to sponsor a student, why is the scholarship only $180?
We reserve 10% of each donation for 1) administrative costs; 2) student lunches; and 3) annual investments.
1) Administrative costs: these include but are not limited to: photocopies (for example of student contracts), basic office supplies (binders, pens and pencils), and materials for the Eco-Club (art supplies, planting materials, etc.).
2) Lunches: our students live too far from town to be able to return home for lunch between school and Eco-Club so we provide them with home cooked meals at the cost of $1.75/person at Jambi Mascaric, an eatery run by UNORCAC’s Central Women’s Committee. The proceeds of the eatery are used to support the activities of the Women’s Committee, which include social, health and economic development initiatives for local women (see www.unorcac.org for more information). In this way, your donation indirectly supports local development in Cotacachi!
3) Annual investments: donations fluctuate from year to year making it is essential for ASEAC to invest some of our funds to ensure that we can support our students through financially challenging years.
How is the money monitored?
All donations go into a local bank account that is monitored by our president, treasurer, program coordinator, and by an accountant. Starting in 2014, the accounts will be reviewed annually by our Board of Directors, and we will additionally publish basic financial statistics via an Annual Report that will be posted to our website.