To friends and followers of the Wishi Project,

Nearly five months ago this project was founded, with no concrete plans and little direction – just the knowledge that the indigenous children of the Wishi Community hoped to some day go to school, and the confidence that it was somehow possible to realize that wish. Today, as a result of the hard work, generosity, and enthusiasm of our supporters, we are making incredible progress towards giving this community the school that they have long hoped for.

We now have the formal support and collaboration of two foundations, Eden’s Rose Foundation in Albany, and Fundación EcuadorVolunteer in Ecuador; schools, churches and community groups are coming forward to help with fundraising, raising awareness, and gathering supplies; we have incredible individuals volunteering their time to help with marketing, building a library, documenting the project, and more; and we are nearly a quarter of the way towards our fundraising goal, with two fundraisers planned in the upcoming months. The members of the Wishi Community are also mobilizing their efforts – getting ready to extract wood to use for the building, preparing to house and feed volunteers, holding planning meetings within the community and with EcuadorVolunteer, and working with the kids to ensure that they are ready to attend the school as soon as it is built.

This process is demonstrating a clear truth: That we have amongst us a wealth of talented people with good hearts, and when these people are inspired by a goal – like building a school – they come forward and can make incredible things happen. I am so impressed by the goodness and talent that I have witnessed, and I am so fortunate to be able to see, through this project, the powerful kindness that people are capable of.

Starting today there will be weekly updates on the progress of the project which you can follow here or on our Facebook page. As things move forward I hope you all can share in the excitement of what we are building, together. I hope that you will check back again soon.

Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement.

Elizabeth