By Colleen Supanich | Project Leader
Today we want you to meet Carolina. Thanks to your generous donations, Carolina is now the world's first Eco-Store attendant! Carolina is a 39 year old mother of 5 originally from the town of San Andres Itzapa. Regarding why she wants to be an Eco-Store attendent, Carolina comments: "It helps me because in this way I can help other people to remove the garbage from our community and economically it helps me because I am earning something I can reinvest in the education of my children." Carolina also added how the Eco-Store is helping the community. She recounted us a story about a young boy who came to the Eco-Store to exhcange 4 eco-bricks for 2 pounds of sugar and a package of coffee in order to help his mom, who is supporting him in his studies. The young boy was happy to be able to repay his mom in this way. Carolina ends this account of the young boy by saying, "These are experiences that one sees that the Eco-Store does help the families."
Here's a little more about how we are using your donations. On May 26th the inauguration of Eco-Store #1 took place. As part of this event we invited members of the neighborhood community to learn more about the project, how to properly make eco-bricks to exchange in the store and what items were available for exchange. We also had time for some games, a raffle, a ribbon cutting ceremony and a snack! In just its first week of operation, Eco-Store #1 yielded a total of 140 eco-bricks! That is over 35 pounds of plastic trash that won't be burned or won't be thrown in our rivers and make its way to the ocean! And the eco-bricks keep coming in! In just this first 2 weeks of operation of Eco-Store #1 we have gathered 210 eco-bricks, recycling over 52 pounds of wastes and providing dozens of families with necessary pantry supplies to help their resources go even farther during the week.
The inauguration of Eco-Store #2 in the hamlet of Panimaquin is currently being planned for the end of July. Stay tuned for updates!
With appreciation and gratitude,
Colleen
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