We enjoyed another festive season in
San Miguel de Allende, and we wish all our
friends a very Happy New Year!
Updates
Thirty-two 8th grade girls entered the Mujeres en Cambio scholarship program at the September presentation of the becas. To mark their welcome, the new girls were presented with small cloth purses in which to carry home their envelopes.
For all wishing to attend a becas event, our next one will be held at the Instituto de Allende on January 21 and 22 from 11 am to 2 pm. At that time 177 students from 8 different communities will receive scholarship awards.
Also in September, a luncheon seminar was held to create connections between graduates and participating students in order to create mentoring opportunities for alumni of our scholarship program.
The annual General Assembly was held in November to elect officers to the MeC Board. A biography of our board members has been created on the website to introduce our officers and new Amistad Canada liaison members.
Farewell and Thanks to Stephen Bresolin
The MeC board wishes to bid a grateful adios to Stephan Bresolin, who served as our Amistad Canada liaison for 5 years. Stephen, who is currently traveling the world with his family, is from Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. As a CPA, Stephen was an expert in the good-governance of not-for-profit organizations, and was a senior executive of the Canadian Bar Association. His knowledge and friendship contributed greatly to the MeC mission.
Muchas Gracias, Stephen!!
Celebration of Gratitude Event
On December 4, the MeC Board hosted a Celebration of Gratitude to honor a large crowd of our generous patrons and donors. Hosted at a stunning rooftop bar, Bekeb, the evening treated our supporters to donated drinks and hors d‘oeuvres, a tango demonstration, and views of the sparkling lights of San Miguel de Allende. And several girls gave heartfelt speeches. By clicking here you can read the text of one the girls’ speeches (in Spanish).
An Anniversary Celebration of 30 Years of Service
The Board and many of our local volunteers are currently planning events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of MeC. Coordinated by Events Chair Christine Yannitelli, we will commemorate our core mission of educating rural Mexican girls who would otherwise not receive the opportunity to continue their schooling.
The first exciting event will be a party at the Instituto de Allende on Wednesday, March 12. Food, drinks, a silent auction, a raffle, and entertainment will be included in the festivities.
March is National Women’s History Month in Mexico, whose theme this year is: “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations”. Their theme aligns beautifully with the mission of Mujeres en Cambio, and will be echoed in the activities at the big celebration on March 12. Tickets will be available soon, so please save the date!
Highlighting our History
As part of celebrating our 30th anniversary year, Mujeres en Cambio wants to share some of the stories of long-time supporters to help tell the story of how MeC grew and thrived.
Merrily Beyreuther has called many places home over the years, including a stint in Columbia as a Peace Corp volunteer. Shortly after moving to San Miguel in 2004, she met Pakina Langenscheidt, one of the founders of Mujeres en Cambio. At about this time, Merrily became a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, a staunch supporter of MeC and other NGOs in San Miguel. Because Merrily had a car and spoke Spanish, she and other volunteers were soon visiting schools in the campo to meet teachers and gather recommendations for students to enroll in MeC’s scholarship program.
Merrily fondly recalls the monthly luncheons that were held as a way to build the MeC community. Pakina, Georgeann Johnson, Marge Zap, Peggy Bell, Arturo Jurado, Joan Strouse and others gathered to plan and eat, with Betse Davies, the guiding spirit of the kitchen. After lunch, Roger Hind passed the hat for the donations, which were a chief source of funds for the scholarships. Merrily helped out with beca distribution and assisted Marge Zap with keeping track of the girls and becas. Together Merrily and Marge developed a spread sheet to make that job more efficient. Later Debe Moskowitz computerized the data.
Today, Merrily writes: “During my time with MeC, we carefully weighed whether we could support the young women into university. Look at Mujeres en Cambio now! It’s so rewarding to see so many young beca recipients entering the program already with an eye on university. Bravo Mujeres en Cambio!”
Bravo Merrily! Thanks for all you have done for Mujeres en Cambio.
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