Fondo Intibucano

If I don't work, I can study
Desperately poor families are often forced to send their children to work away from home or in dangerous conditions in order to reduce the number of mouths to feed and sometimes in order to provide income for the family. The first step in identifying a successful Fondo student is finding a family that is committed to education; even if that means that in the short-term there will be less income. The Fondo will then work with the family on assuring food security, clothing, and other basic benefits that a working child may provide so that that child can instead remain in school.

If I study, I can learn
Fondo students attend schools that offer a wealth of academic and professional opportunities unavailable through traditional public schools. We assist families with external issues to assure that scholarship recipients are able to pursue their education. We track student's progress while they are enrolled in school and interact directly with teachers regarding individual progress.

If I am safe, I can grow
Many poor families in Central America live in unsanitary or unsafe conditions. The Fondo works with the families of students to provide safe housing, clothing, and other basic needs.

If you help me, I can prosper
Poor families with children in school have other needs beside food, clothing, and housing. Parents of these children may be illiterate or barely literate. Often the children quickly surpass their parents' ability to help them with school work. In these cases, The Fondo will hire a case manager to work closely with students and their families throughout the entire year – often mostly critically during vacations, summer breaks, and other "off periods" like strikes, which are common in Central America. Case managers provide academic guidance and support, goal setting assistance, on-going need assessment, opportunities and resources identification, and other non-academic life skills such as budgeting, nutrition, and successful parenting advice. Case managers can also serve as crucial links to the school for parents who are working and unable to attend meetings, illiterate and unable to understand report cards and teachers' notes, or simply intimidated by the unfamiliar school environment. The case managers help the parents to stay involved and engaged.