Run for Aurelio!

November 2, 2008






SASsy held its second annual fundraising run today - this time to raise money to support a 20 year-old Guatemalan man named Aurelio to pursue his nursing studies.

Aurelio works for the NGO, Compañero en Salud (“Partner in Health”) in Guatemala. SASsy was made aware of Aurelio by the Lions Bay-based NGO, Project HANDS, which collaborates with Companero en Salud by sending BC surgeons, anesthesiologists and others to
volunteer at their outreach clinics twice a year. Aurelio performs a very important role at these clinics by reconfirming patients and accompanying them to hospital. He also assists in providing English/Spanish/Quiche interpretation between volunteers and patients. A representative of Project HANDS writes: “It is obvious that he has a gift when it comes to taking care of patients, he always listens carefully to what they say and is always motivated to help them.

Aurelio is from a poor part of Guatemala which was severely affected by the civil war. Early in his life, Aurelio’s education was interrupted when his parents had to move in search of work and then again with the death of his father, when he was only seven years old. He has not had consistent access to schooling, nor the means to pay for it.

Now 20, Aurelio has worked for CS for two years, and with the money he earned completed his high school education (Bachillerato en Ciencias y Letras). Aurelio dreams of becoming a nurse and continuing his important work with CS. First, he plans to study towards an "Auxiliar de Enfermeria" (1 year). After he finds work, he plans to save towards his next education goal: continuing to university to obtain accreditation as
an "Enfermeria Profesional".

To help Aurelio meet his goals, he needs support for one year at $215 per month, a total of $2,580. This will cover the costs of his materials, uniforms, transportation, food, and room rental.

We're really pleased to announce that our fundraising run was a huge success. Through the generosity of our friends and family, we raised a total of $2,285 - almost enough to send Aurelio to school for the full year! This total is beyond any of our wildest dreams. Thank you to all who attended this event today. We enjoyed a great run, yummy food and good company, and hopefully have made a significant contribution towards a young man's future.

Stay tuned for updates on Aurelio's progress.

For more information about Project Hands, click on: http://www.projecthands.org/