G-1523

Young Mayan Women as Engines o

Description

Financing

Documents

Photos

History Logs

Project Description

Region: Central America

Country: Guatemala

Location: Solola

Total Budget: $162,150

Areas of Focus: Basic education and literacy, Community economic development



Global Grant Application GRANT NUMBER STATUS

GG1865581 Draft

Basic Information

Grant title

Young Mayan Women as Engines of Economic Growth in Guatemala through Empowerment and

Education

Type of Project

Humanitarian Project

Address community needs and produce sustainable, measurable outcomes

Primary Contacts

Name Club District Sponsor Role

Alan Steger Evergreen 5450 Club International

William Boegel E-Club of Lake Atitlán-

Panajachel

4250 Club Host

Committee Members

Host committee

Name Club District Role

John Van Lente E-Club of Lake Atitlán-

Panajachel

4250 Secondary Contact

Emilio Crespo Morales E-Club of Lake Atitlán-

Panajachel

4250 Secondary Contact

International committee

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Name Club District Role

Robert Rose Evergreen 5450 Secondary Contact International

Jim Kreider Evergreen 5450 Secondary Contact International

Do any of these committee members have potential conflicts of interest?

Yes

If so, please briefly explain.

We do not believe any potential or real conflicts of interest exist with any of the committee members. However, we have

checked YES so that, in the interest of transparency, we could point out some relationships between Rotarians and

benefiting organizations that could be perceived as possible conflicts. Theodore Ning, a member of the Rotary Club of

Evergreen, is a founder of Starfish One-by-One , the US 501(c)3 non-profit which provides financial support to

Asociacion Estrella de Mar. He has not been on the Board of Directors for the past two years but continues to provide

support in a volunteer capacity only. Estrella de Mar is a separate legal organization established under Guatemalan law.

He has no role or influence in its governance. His son, Travis, is the Executive Director of Starfish One-by-One and was

a former member of the host club, RECLA. However, neither Ted nor Travis has a direct role in the administration of

this grant.

The primary contact for the international committee, Alan Steger, has been to Guatemala numerous times and is

familiar with the cooperating organization, Estrella de Mar, and its personnel. He has performed volunteer work for the

organization in Guatemala and in the U.S. and is a donor. However, he has no employment relationship, leadership

responsibility, or financial role in the organization. Other members of the international committee have no connection to

Estrella de Mar except as donors. Similarly, no member of the host committee has any connection with Estrella de Mar.

Project Overview

Tell us a little about your project. What are the main objectives of the project, and who will benefit from

it?

This project builds upon two previous Rotary global grants: 1426078 "Guatemalan Community Development through

Workforce Readiness among Mayan Youth" and 1525485 "Creating Economic Opportunity and Community

Development through Unlocking the "Girl Effect" in Rural, Mayan, Guatemala." In those projects, the focus was on

encouraging girls to remain in school beyond the normal sixth grade education through an intense program of mentoring

and support. This project is different, in that it addresses goal achievement through changes in the educational system

itself.

Asociaciόn Estrella de Mar (EdM), the cooperating organization in the two previous grants, has again been selected as

the implementing organization for this grant. EdM has been operating a very successful program since 2010 focused on

girls' education and empowerment. Over 200 graduates of the program are currently engaged in various activities

including university studies, employment in the local economy, and building their own businesses. As successful as the

program has been to date, EdM has recognized that the quality of the education system itself continues to be a barrier

for many of these graduates to reach their full potential.

As a result, EdM has embarked on a new venture. In 2017, it opened its own school, Colegio Impacto (CI), or "Impact

School." Beginning in 2017 with only one class of 47 7th graders, it plans to add one grade each year until the full

compliment of approximately 300 students, grades 7 through 12, is reached. A new building is under construction and is

expected to open in late 2018. Unlike the public school system, a major focus of this new school is the development of

skills relevant to the 21st century economy, namely STEM topics (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics),

information technology, and critical thinking. The timing of this endeavor is ideally suited for this grant.

This grant will allow EdM to enhance and accelerate the development and implementation of the CI curriculum,

including instructor training, which aligns closely with Rotary's focus on basic education and literacy. It will seek to

accomplish three of Rotary's goals for this area of focus: involving the community to support programs that strengthen

the capacity of communities to provide basic education and literacy to all; working to reduce gender disparity in

education; and supporting studies for career minded professionals related to basic education and literacy.

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The benefits of the grant will not be limited to basic education. It will also allow EdM to continue to serve young adults

who are graduates of its original mentoring program, providing the resources and additional support necessary to

transition to the 21st century economy. These activities will be closely aligned with another of Rotary's focus areas,

economic and community development. It will seek to accomplish three of Rotary's goals for this focus area: building the

capacity of entrepreneurs, community leaders, local organizations, and community networks to support economic

development in impoverished communities; developing opportunities for productive work; and reducing poverty in

underserved communities.

Proven methods will be proactively shared with public schools and other organizations through EdMs Chispa Network.

Chispa, meaning "spark," was launched in 2015 to connect youth-focused organizations throughout Guatemala. The goal

of the Network is to share best practices, enhance credibility, create social capital among the girls, and position girl's

education on the national agenda. There are currently ten member organizations in the Chispa Network.

The primary beneficiaries of this project will be the young women themselves as they will be prepared to assume

increasingly responsible and valuable positions in the local economy. This includes current students at the CI school,

which will be the "laboratory" for implementing many of the initiatives included in this project, and recent graduates of

EdM's mentoring program who are now in universities, seeking employment, or starting their own businesses. The

families of these young women will also benefit as the young women assume a greater responsibility for providing the

income that many of these families' lack and instill in their families the appreciation for education. The communities will

benefit as these young women enter into the job market and bring much needed skills to the business sector, as well as

new services which are now totally lacking. Perhaps the largest impact will be on the greater community as the lessons

learned are shared and applied to the educational system, allowing future students to reap the benefits derived from this

project.

Areas of Focus

Which area of focus will this project support?

Basic education and literacy

Economic and community development

Measuring Success

Basic education and literacy

Which goals will your activity support?

Involving the community to support programs that strengthen the capacity of communities to provide basic

education and literacy to all;Working to reduce gender disparity in education;Supporting studies for careerminded

professionals related to basic education and literacy

How will you measure your project's impact?

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Measure Collection

Method

Frequency Beneficiaries

Number of new female school-age students --- Number of

young women accessing secondary school. The vast majority of

the school's students would have discontinued their education

upon completing primary school.

Grant

records and

reports

Every year 100-499

Other --- Number of teachers from public schools and

practitioners from organizations attending the two STEM for

Girls summit trainings that will be facilitated by Teachers 2

Teachers Global and hosted by the Colegio Impacto.

Grant

records and

reports

Every six

months

1000-2499

Other Number of female students who exceed 1 year of

academic growth in math and literacy based on semesterly

MAP and Lexile assessments.

Testing Every six

months

100-499

Other --- Number of public school teachers and NGO

representatives attending critical thinking/literacy training from

ConTextos, El Salvador. The Colegio Impacto will host these

two trainings and invite public secondary schools as well as

other youth-focused organizations operating in Sololá.

Grant

records and

reports

Every year 1000-2499

Other --- Growth in content mastery among Colegio Impacto

educators receiving content coaching in STEM-related

subjects.

Testing Every six

months

1-19

Do you know who will collect information for monitoring and evaluation?

Yes

Name of Individual or Organization

Asociación Estrella de Mar

Phone

502-7762-0842

Email

info@estrella-impacto.org

Address

Plaza Mayasersa, Ave Rancho Grande, Zona 2, Panajachel, Solola, Guatemala

Briefly explain why this person or organization is qualified for this task.

Asociaciόn Estrella de Mar has many years of experience measuring the long-term impact of its programs. It

employs measures of effectiveness in all its programs and these will continue throughout the life of this project

and beyond. It has a full-time, Guatemalan social anthropologist on staff to monitor progress and impact. It also

has a customized database developed specifically for measuring the progress and impact of its programs. Below

are a few examples of measures currently employed:

1. Economic Independence and Mobility - The number and percentage of participants with an annual income in

excess of the average income in Guatemala after completing the program. The percentage of program graduates

gainfully employed. The percentage of graduates engaged in post program studies.

2. Reproductive and Relationship Autonomy - Percent of program graduates that have delayed marriage and

family until at least age 25

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3. Life-long Learning - Percentage of participants achieving a target level of 15 years of formal education

compared to an average of 2.5 years in the indigenous adult population of Guatemala. Percentage of students

currently enrolled in university.

4. Unlocking Leadership Potential - Percentage of graduates working for NGOs, involved in community service

projects, and/or have been elected to voluntary positions of leadership

This strong track record of not only measuring but evaluating the impact of its programs makes Estrella de Mar

ideally suited to carry out this task.

Economic and community development

Which goals will your activity support?

Building the capacity of entrepreneurs, community leaders, local organizations, and community networks to

support economic development in impoverished communities;Developing opportunities for productive work;

Reducing poverty in underserved communities

How will you measure your project's impact?

Measure Collection

Method

Frequency Beneficiaries

Number of entrepreneurs supported Grant records

and reports

Every six

months

20-49

Number of youth employed in income-generating activities Grant records

and reports

Every six

months

100-499

Other ---Number of recent high school graduates acquiring

first-job experience in the formal sector through

internships.

Grant records

and reports

Every six

months

20-49

Other ---Number of emerging female leaders attending the

annual leadership training and networking event

Grant records

and reports

Every year 50-99

Other ---Number of recent high school graduate girls

successfully completing a three-day small-business

incubator program

Grant records

and reports

Every six

months

20-49

Other Number and percentage of participants with an

annual income in excess of the average income in

Guatemala after completing the program

Grant records

and reports

Every year 50-99

Other Academic success rate of first-generation female

university students. Completion of university will

significantly increase employment opportunities.

Grant records

and reports

Every six

months

20-49

Do you know who will collect information for monitoring and evaluation?

Yes

Name of Individual or Organization

Asociación Estrella de Mar

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Phone

502-7762-0842

Email

info@estrella-impacto.org

Address

Plaza Mayasersa, Calle Rancho Grande, Panajachel, Solola Guatemala

Briefly explain why this person or organization is qualified for this task.

See the above explanation for a description of Asociación Estrella de Mar's qualifications.

Location and Dates

Humanitarian Project

Where will your project take place?

City or town

Sololá

Province or state

Sololá

Country

Guatemala

When will your project take place?

2018-07-01 to 2019-06-30

Participants

Cooperating Organizations (Optional)

Name Website Location

Asociación Estrella de

Mar

www.estrellaimpacto.

org

Edificio Mayasersa, Primer Nivel, Ave. Rancho Grande

Panajachel Guatemala

Why did you choose to partner with this organization and what will its role be?

Asociación Estrella de Mar will be the principal implementing organization for this grant. It is an ideal partner

chosen for its outstanding reputation. Based in Sololá Guatemala, it is one of the few organizations in

Guatemala that is led and run by indigenous women for indigenous adolescent girls. Estrella de Mar's Colegio

Impacto represents an ideal venue to equip teachers and students with the essential competencies and skills for

the 21st century. This school, which launched in 2017, will be the primary venue for the education and economic

growth activities in this project.

Estrella de Mar's ongoing programs have been enormously successful. Today, the hundreds of beneficiaries of

their programs are evidence of the catalytic economic impact that empowered young women can have on their

communities. Academically, these "girl pioneers" have already reached unseen heights. Fifty six percent of

program graduates have continued their education beyond high school, in contrast to their mothers who average

only two years of schooling.

The leadership of this organization is one of its defining attributes. Director Norma Bajan has been invited by

two different Administrations to visit the White House to honor her commitment to women in Guatemala. Her

team possesses the critical context and language skills to align educational innovations to rural Guatemala.

Ninety five percent of the staff of the organization is female and indigenous, an attribute which allows them to

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understand the issues the students face because they have experienced these issues themselves. It also allows

them to identify with and relate to the parents of students who are critical to their continued education.

Estrella de Mar has a proven track record with respect to grants and has evidenced its ability to successfully

execute projects of this scale. It has successfully managed two other global grants with Rotary and has a deep

relationship with a wide variety of Rotarians both in Guatemala and abroad. A 2015 inspection by a member of

the Rotary Cadre of Technical Advisors, Cecelia Babkirk, provided the following testimony after visiting Estrella

de Mar: "I have to say that of all the Cadre site reviews I have done, this was absolutely my favorite. What a job

they are doing here. Best of all, while it would seem from the grant application and other documents that the

benefit would be delayed while the young women attend school, they are not. The project is making a big,

immediate difference in the lives of these women and their families. What a delight and honor to get to see this

project."

Most importantly, Estrella de Mar's has an efficient and transparent financial system. Annually there is an

external audit of all financial activities. This is expected to make for a streamlined reporting process.

Partners (Optional)

List any other partners that will participate in this project.

This project will evidence best-educational practices and is designed to be accessible for local adaptation from

other organizations and public schools. In 2017, Estrella de Mar facilitated access to innovation for 20 schools

and organizations. This project will build upon that platform to continue to share contextualized best practices

among other youth-focused organizations and schools.

This project will also serve 8-10 girl-focused programs operating throughout Guatemala who will send delegates

to the annual Chispa networking and social capital gathering.

Volunteer Travelers (Optional)

No. Name Email

Describe this person's role in the project.

Host sponsor confirmation of volunteer travelers

Rotarian Participants

Describe the role that host Rotarians will have in this project.

The Rotary E-Club Lake Atitlan (RECLA) is a small club with a high degree of geographic diversity around

Lake Atitlán as well as around the world (it is an E-Club). While these characteristics of the club do represent

some challenges, this project will maximize one of RECLA's assets as a club: it's high prevalence of diverse

entrepreneurs. The club features several members who reside in Panajachel (near the primary

implementation location of this project), and will engage them as entrepreneurship coaches for emerging girl

leaders. For young women whose families have always survived in the informal economy, the professional

perspectives of local Rotarians represents an invaluable knowledge base. Among these coaches are the

following individuals:

Mayra Tobias, a female attorney who runs her own law practice

Emilio Crespo, a manager of a successful hotel catering to international tourists

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Vivian Harvey, an English language instructor and tour guide

Dr. William Bogel, the primary contact for the host club and Founder of Opal House Guatemala serving the

area

Eliza Strode, Founder of a Thread of Hope cooperative of weavers

The proximity of these entrepreneurship experts to the Estrella de Mar program allows for structured

presentations (interventions during entrepreneurship class) as well as informal opportunities (RECLA

members will be invited to have lunch with students and to lead conversations around entrepreneurship).

This project also considers professional internships in Antigua, Guatemala where the Antigua Rotary Club

would serve as a primary networking space to connect Girl Pioneers with established business leaders. These

Rotarians would host short-term (3 month) interns in their businesses.

In addition to their role as entrepreneurship coaches and providing internships as described above, RECLA

will be intimately involved in financial and program oversight of this project. Its role, as well as the role of the

international sponsor, are further described in the next section.

Describe the role that international Rotarians will have in this project.

Rotarians from the US and Guatemala have been a part of Estrella de Mar's impact since the organization

was founded in 2010. In 2015, Estrella de Mar opened an office in Antigua, Guatemala to conduct more

outreach to business leaders, including those in the Rotary community, to engage them in the design of the

Colegio Impacto. Since 2010, over 150 Rotarians (from Colorado, Minnesota, California and Washington)

have visited the Estrella de Mar project.

Rotarians Ted Ning, Al Steger and other representatives from the Evergreen club will conduct field visits to

monitor the advances of this project. One or both of them will conduct semi-annual trips to Estrella de Mar to

monitor the progress of the organization, particularly among the recent graduates of high school. Over 15 RC

Evergreen Rotarians and their families have visited this program since 2010. Al and Ted will lead a delegation

from the Evergreen club in early 2019. During this visit, International Rotarians will experience firsthand the

impact of this project while also providing professional career insights to Girl Pioneers.

In addition to their role in providing program oversight, the members of the Rotary Club of Evergreen will

provide financial oversight of this project. Its role, as well as the role of the host sponsor, are further described

below.

Financial and Program Oversight Procedures:

1. The international club, Rotary Club of Evergreen (RCE), will collect the funds from all participating clubs

and districts (except the host club) after application approval. These funds will be deposited in a separate

holding account maintained by the Evergreen Rotary Foundation until all funds have been accumulated, at

which point they will be transferred to the host club.

2. The host club, RECLA, will deposit all project funds in a separate account and will be responsible for all

disbursements. Funds will be disbursed monthly.

3. If an advance of funds is needed for any month, the implementing organization, Estrella de Mar (EdM),

will submit a request to the RCE detailing the work to be done and reasons for the advance. RCE will review

the request for consistency with grant agreement and recommend to RECLA approval or denial of the

request. If found acceptable, RECLA will approve the request and disburse the funds. An initial request may

be made for the first month of the project. For subsequent months, a request may only be made concurrently

with submission of the monthly accomplishment report (see step 4).

4. EdM, in consultation with the RCE, will be responsible for the preparation of all reports. A report will be

prepared at the end of each month detailing the tasks completed during the preceding month. The report will

be transmitted to the RCE together with copies of invoices and receipts supporting charges. RCE will be

responsible for first level oversight of work accomplishment.

5. When the RCE is satisfied with a monthly report, it will forward it to the RECLA with a recommendation

for approval and payment, less any advances.

6. RECLA will perform second level oversight of the monthly accomplishment report and request for advance

of funds. Upon acceptance, it will disburse funds for work completed and advances for the upcoming month.

8. Upon completion of all work under the grant, the RCE and EdM jointly will prepare the final report. The

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final report will be reviewed by the RECLA and endorsed before final submission to The Rotary Foundation.

Budget

What local currency are you using in your project's budget?

The currency you select should be what you use for a majority of the project's expenses.

Local Currency U.S. dollar (USD) exchange rate Currency Set On

GTQ 7.4 06/12/2017

What is the budget for this grant?

List each item in your project's budget. Remember that the project's total budget must equal its total funding,

which will be calculated in step 9. Every global grant includes a match of at least $15,000 from The Rotary

Foundation's World Fund. Project budgets, including the World Fund match, must be at least $30,000.

# Category Description Supplier Cost in

GTQ

Cost in

USD

1 Training Training of middle school

entrepreneurship educator. Weekly

one-on-one coaching of Colegio

Impacto teacher to help her design and

implement the most effective activities

to hone small business skills. Some inperson,

but the majority will be on-line

via Skype.

Pomona

Impact Social

Investment

Firm

11100 1500

2 Training Accelerator for aspiring small business

owners. A three day intensive

accelerator to help young women

narrow their entrepreneurship concepts

to create a business plan.

Pomona

Impact Social

Investment

Firm

7400 1000

3 Training 20 internships for recent high school

graduates to gain first-job experience.

Local

businesses

66156 8940

4 Training Weekend and evening English training

for recent HS grads to increase

employment prospects

ACCESS

English

62900 8500

5 Training Summer academic tutoring for

university students to ensure continued

academic success

Local tutors 25900 3500

6 Travel Two round trips from Panajachel to

Guatemala City for 12 girls to

participate in mentoring sessions (see

item 7)

Salvador

Raxtun

3700 500

7 Training Meals and venue for two mentoring 1001 Noches 3700 500

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sessions for 12 girls with female

professionals in Guatemala City.

8 Training Tutoring for university students

throughout the year. These will be

afterschool sessions with independent

tutors in Santiago, Xela and

Panajachel.

Local tutors 25900 3500

9 Training One-on-one coaching for 4 STEM

focused educators by external coaches

to ensure that each educator knows her

content. Coaching will be done online

via skype on a weekly basis.

Teachers 2

Teachers

59200 8000

10 Training Training in basic computer skills for

Colegio Impacto and university

students

Local

technology

consultant

59200 8000

11 Equipment 50 Laptop computers to equip

computer lab (2) for IT training in the

Impact School

SEGA SA 185000 25000

12 Equipment Surge protectors for 50 computers SEGA SA 2590 350

13 Equipment Classroom projectors (4) SEGA SA 14800 2000

14 Equipment Software (Microsoft Office) and

antivirus (Norton) for 50 computers

Techsoup 14800 2000

15 Equipment Charging stations- laptops SEGA SA 14800 2000

16 Equipment Printers (4) SEGA SA 7400 1000

17 Supplies School library to foster critical thinking

and literacy

ConTextos, El

Salvador

148000 20000

18 Training Training of Colegio Impacto educators

and staff of eight other youth-focused

organizationson and public schools on

instructional techniques to foster

critical thinking skills through literacy

and classroom management techniques.

ConTextos 88800 12000

19 Training Two multi-day conferences to

introduce cutting edge STEM teaching

methods to the Impact School as well

as to the faculty of 10 public secondary

schools

Teachers 2

Teachers

66600 9000

20 Monitoring/evaluation Assessment systems for Colegio PowerSchool 47665 6441

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Impacto students to support tracking

and manage formative evaluation of

each student

21 Monitoring/evaluation Standardized assessment of math

proficiency to monitor student growth

Achieve 3000 33720 4557

22 Monitoring/evaluation Standardized assessment of literacy

proficiency to monitor student growth

MAP Growth 17294 2337

23 Accommodations Housing for three-day social capital

summit for 50 female pioneers from

across Guatemala. Connects adolescent

girls from 6-8 girl focused organizations

during a three-day leadership summit

to focus on community development.

This is an opportunity for local and

national Rotarians to engage with this

audience

Eagles Nest

Retreat

Center, Solola

29600 4000

24 Travel Transport for participants on four daytrips

during the summit

Flor de Paisaje

Transportes

1480 200

25 Supplies Materials for use during the Summit Libreria El

Progreso

2220 300

26 Project management 15% standard overhead for

administration

Asociacion

Estrella de

Mar

149991 20269

27 Project management 5% for contingencies Asociacion

Estrella de

Mar

49994 6756

Total budget: 1199910 162150

Funding

Tell us about the funding you've secured for your project. We'll use the information you enter here to

calculate your maximum possible funding match from the World Fund.

# Source Details Amount

(USD)

Support* Total

1 Cash from Club Evergreen 10,000.00 500.00 10,500.00

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2 Cash from Club Denver 3,000.00 150.00 3,150.00

3 Cash from Club Westminster 7:10 2,000.00 100.00 2,100.00

4 Cash from Club Westminster 1,500.00 75.00 1,575.00

5 Cash from Club Mountain Foothills of

Evergreen

2,000.00 100.00 2,100.00

6 Cash from Club Golden 2,000.00 100.00 2,100.00

7 Cash from Club Conifer 3,000.00 150.00 3,150.00

8 Cash from Club Parker 1,000.00 50.00 1,050.00

9 Cash from Club Highlands Ranch (Littleton) 2,000.00 100.00 2,100.00

10 Cash from Club Denver Tech Center 1,000.00 50.00 1,050.00

11 Cash from Club Boulder 2,000.00 100.00 2,100.00

12 Cash from Club Littleton 1,000.00 50.00 1,050.00

13 District Designated Fund

(DDF)

5450 36,750.00 0.00 36,750.00

14 Cash from Club Greeley (Centennial) 2,500.00 125.00 2,625.00

15 Cash from Club Fort Collins-Breakfast 2,500.00 125.00 2,625.00

16 District Designated Fund

(DDF)

5440 5,000.00 0.00 5,000.00

17 Cash from Club Billings 4,000.00 200.00 4,200.00

18 District Designated Fund

(DDF)

5390 4,000.00 0.00 4,000.00

19 Cash from Club Lacey 3,000.00 150.00 3,150.00

20 District Designated Fund

(DDF)

5020 3,000.00 0.00 3,000.00

21 Cash from Club Novato 500.00 25.00 525.00

22 Cash from Club E-Club of Lake Atitlán-

Panajachel

100.00 5.00 105.00

*Whenever cash is contributed to the Foundation to help fund a global grant project, an additional 5 percent

is applied to help cover the cost of processing these funds. Clubs and districts can receive Paul Harris Fellow

recognition points for the additional expense.

How much World Fund money would you like to use on this project?

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You may request up to 70,300.00 USD from the World Fund. 70300

Funding Summary

DDF contributions: 48,750.00

Cash contributions: 43,100.00

Financing subtotal (matched contributions + World Fund): 162,150.00

Total funding: 162,150.00

Total budget: 162,150.00

Sustainability

Humanitarian Projects

Project planning

Describe the community needs that your project will address.

This project will address three critical needs: academic access, educational quality, and pathways to economic

participation by females.

Academic access - Improving academic access for young females in rural Guatemala requires an

understanding of the obstacles. A major obstacle is economics. Through 6th grade, public education in

Guatemala is free and more accessible since schools tend to be nearby. Secondary school gets significantly

more difficult since materials and transport expenses increase, as does the pressure for young women to work.

As a result, many youth, especially girls, are not educated beyond the primary grades. Most families subsist

below the poverty line and are unable, even if they wanted, to provide further education for their daughters.

An equally great obstacle is the macho culture that exists in Guatemala. If children are educated beyond 6th

grade, it is much more likely to be the males in the family. A girl's place is generally considered to be in the

home, cooking, doing household chores, and taking care of younger siblings. In fact, girls are often needed to

perform these functions due to the large family sizes and sometimes poor health of the mothers. This demand

weighs heavily on the decision to limit the educational opportunities for girls. To further compound this

problem, when girls reach their mid-teenage years, there is often pressure within the family for them to marry

because of the relief it will give the family in providing for them financially.

Recognizing these obstacles, Estrella de Mar has implemented measures to increase the likelihood of success.

First, girls are selected based on a rigid screening process involving interviews to gauge motivation and

academic capability. Home visits and interviews with the family members are also conducted to evaluate

family support. Families must "buy in" to their daughters continued education and agree to provide a home

environment conducive to study. Those who pass the selection criteria earn a full scholarship to attend the

Colegio Impacto school. (No grant funds will be used for scholarships.)

Educational Quality - The quality of education in Guatemala is abysmal. According to 2010 Ministry of

Education data, 50% of third graders reach national standards in mathematics and just over 50% reach

national standards in reading. Even when students are able to complete primary school, many do not acquire

the necessary skills to advance. In 2017, 9% of high school students nationally were considered proficient in

math, and 30% in literacy. Furthermore, while there are nominal national differences in school enrollment

between boys and girls, the enrollment gap between rural and urban areas is significant.

In Guatemala, more than two million out-of-school youth between the ages of 15 and 24, including 600,000 in

the Western Highlands, do not have basic life or vocational skills to enter the workforce. Youth face

increasingly difficult conditions, including high levels of unemployment, social and economic marginalization,

rapid urbanization, increasing crime, and lack of basic services. Long-term, sustainable development and

improved equity in Guatemala will only be possible if education of children and youth continues to improve.

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In contrast to the public schools, Colegio Impacto provides content and instruction aligned with the needs of

the 21st century. Emphasis is placed on such things as critical thinking, STEM, and use of information

technology to better prepare students to meet the needs of the modern economy.

Pathways to economic participation - This project addresses one of Guatemala's most glaring challenges: the

lack of economic participation among its female population. With the hemisphere's worst gender equity gap

(an annual study conducted by the World Economic Forum of women's economic and political participation

as well as their access to health and educational services), Guatemala's fragile economy struggles to thrive

with large portions of its female population residing outside the margins of the formal economic sector. In the

Department of Sololá, where this project is focused, the census reveals that the population is 96% indigenous

and 81% of youth reside in poverty. In Sololá, almost 60% of girls aged 15-19 are married or mothering.

Nationally, 73% of economically active citizens are trapped in the informal economy where they have no legal

protections, cannot pay taxes, and have no set wages. In the rural villages, the limited access and abysmal

quality of education impede young women from being able to access the economic opportunities that are

emerging in the 21st century. Without the knowledge and know-how to compete, they remain trapped in the

long-established cycles of inter-generational poverty.

Through combining rigorous academic preparation for future high school graduates with "first-job"

internships, opportunities to extend their education at the university level, entrepreneurship training to begin

their own businesses, and contacts through networking with organizations and successful individuals in the

economic sector, a generation of girls will know how to navigate and engage with the current economic

landscape of opportunities.

Citations:

Global Gender Gap 2017: https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-gender-gap-report-2017

Population Council "The Adolescent Experience In-Depth: Using Data to Identify and Reach the Most

Vulnerable People" http://www.popcouncil.org/uploads/pdfs/PGY_AdolDataGuides/Guatemala2002-06.pdf

Council of the Americas: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/weekly-chart-latin-americas-informal-economy

UN Women: http://lac.unwomen.org/en/donde-estamos/guatemala

Prenza Libre, http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/comunitario/mineduc-presenta-resultados-deevaluacion-

nacional-de-graduandos-2017

USAID, Education situational analysis https://www.usaid.gov/guatemala/education

How did your project team identify these needs?

These project needs were identified mainly through direct observation and extensive consultation with

community leaders, including both indigenous members and local business members. Much of this effort is the

work of Dr. Ted Ning, a member of the Rotary Club of Evergreen. He has been spending time in Guatemala

for over 20 years and owns a home in Sololá where this project is based. He is well known in Guatemala and in

Colorado for his service. As founder of Starfish-One-by-One, the U.S. affiliate of Estrella de Mar, he has

worked directly with the indigenous educators, mentors, and staff of Estrella de Mar learning first-hand of the

challenges and needs of the area. He is also well connected with the Rotary community in both Guatemala

and in his home state of Colorado.

During this time, he has been connecting the Rotarian community with various women's empowerment

initiatives, including Friendship Bridge and Asociaciόn Estrella de Mar. His son, Travis, is a founding member

of RECLA, the host club, and Ted has enjoyed deep friendships with several of the members of the club. In

conversations with both host and international clubs involved in this project, Ted noted a shared enthusiasm

to support a program to stimulate the local economy through addressing the systemic challenges that keep

young women from becoming agents of economic change.

In recent years, Ted has been joined by Al Steger, a member of the Evergreen Club and the primary contact

for this project. They have personally led several Rotary insight trips to rural Guatemala over the past seven

years, introducing at least 15 Rotarians and their family members from the U.S. to the problems and issues

surrounding this project. Together, they have participated in numerous first-hand interviews of young women

and their families. In the course of these interviews, one theme always emerges: the families, especially the

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mothers, want a future for their daughters that is better than the lives they have experienced. They see

education as the means to escape poverty.

This extensive contact with the girls and their families, as well as the interaction with the business,

educational, and Rotary community in Guatemala and the U.S. are clear indication that the community has

been involved in identifying the needs for this project.

How were members of the benefiting community involved in finding solutions?

This project serves young women and families in rural villages around Sololá. Members of these same

communities collaborated in the design of the project, primarily through exhaustive consultation with the

team and beneficiaries of Estrella de Mar. This unique organization is led and run by women from the

communities targeted by this project. As an intervention co-designed by members of the communities, this

project possesses a unique level of culturally attuned involvement at every stage of planning and

implementation, and thus a very high likelihood of success.

How were community members involved in planning the project?

The key to involvement of community members in planning the project was the selection of Estrella de Mar as

the implementing organization. Estrella de Mar is an organization led and staffed by community members

with 95% of its employees of indigenous descent from the communities they serve. Integrated into its staff are

graduates of the program, with approximately 20% of current staff being graduates of its successful

mentorship program who continue to reside in their communities. Its Board of Directors includes local Mayan

leaders and business leaders from Guatemala City. Estrella de Mar is thus uniquely situated to navigate the

very challenging cultural boundaries and beliefs that accompany girl-focused empowerment programs in

Guatemala.

These individuals were consulted regarding every aspect of this project. Most of the activities included in the

budget were identified by Estrella de Mar staff as needed enhancements to their ongoing program, or

activities that would accelerate the pace of implementation. No activity has been included in the budget that

does not have the full support of these community members. Estrella de Mar staff were also involved in

costing each item in the project budget, relying on local vendors and suppliers, thus ensuring reasonable cost

estimates consistent with local market conditions.

Project implementation

# Activity Duration

1 Weekly content coaching for Colegio Impacto's entrepreneurship

educator

July 2018 - June 2019 (12

months)

2 Small business incubator program for recent high school graduate girls

to formalize concepts into formal business plans

August 2018

3 Three-month internships in Sololá with formal businesses and NGOs

(recruitment for host companies and organizations will center on

Rotarians)

July 2018 - June 2019 (12

months)

4 Employment-focused English language training for recent high school

graduates

July 2018 - June 2019 (12

months)

5 Afterschool academic tutoring for first-generation university students to

ensure success

July 2018 - Oct 2018 (4

months), Jan 2019 - June

2019 (6 months)

6 Weeklong intensive Spanish language and math academic reinforcement Nov 2018

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classes for first-generation university students during school break

7 In-person professional mentoring sessions matching recent high school

graduates with female business leaders in Guatemala City (recruitment

for mentors will center on Rotary clubs)

Nov 2018 and June 2019

8 Weekly, online content coaching from Teachers 2 Teachers Global of 4

STEM-focused educators at the Colegio Impacto

June 2018 through May

2019

9 Technology consultant uses computer lab to provide daily training to

students of the Colegio Impacto

June 2018 through May

2019

10 Technology consultant provides weekly training on IT workplace

readiness for recent graduates of high school

June 2018 through May

2019

11 Provision of 50 laptop computers (and related accessories) for the IT

training in the classroom

July 2018

12 Purchase of books for critical thinking, literacy and STEM

reinforcement resources in the school library

July 2018

13 Training of Sololá-based schools and organizations on classroom critical

thinking techniques (training privided by ConTextos, El Salvador)

July 2018 and Feb 2019

14 Two "STEM for Girls" summits focused on Sololá-based schools and

organizations (facilitated by Teachers 2 Teachers Global)

Nov 2018 and June 2019

15 Social capital/network summit to build female leadership and

connectivity

November 2018

16 Monitoring and evaluation of student progress in Colegio Impacto July 2018 - June 2019 (12

months)

17 Administration and project management July 2018 - June 2019 (12

months)

Will you work in coordination with any related initiatives in the community?

Yes

Briefly describe the other initiatives and how they relate to this project.

This project leverages several powerful partnerships that provide additional training to young women. These

include the Universidad del Valle's ACCESS English program (supported by the US Embassy) that will

provide English-language training to the young women in this program.

Please describe the training, community outreach, or educational programs this project will include.

This program features several training elements. They are:

1) Content coaching for local, indigenous women who educate adolescent girls in the Colegio Impacto. These

trainings occur throughout the year on a weekly basis via individual skype calls. Asociación Estrella de Mar

will leverage its network of contacts to identify culturally-attuned content experts in the fields of math, science

and entrepreneurship to secure these training relationships.

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2) A training for recent high school graduates (from Pomona Impact, a social-investment firm based in

Guatemala) will be an incubator program for young women already with small enterprise concepts. As a

result, each will have access to a mentor, the guided development of a business plan, and a clear financial plan

to launch and operate her enterprise.

3) The project features a structured internship-focused concept for recent high school graduates. These

internships support girls' as they gain invaluable first-job experience in structured, supportive environments in

Sololá. The project will engage Rotarians from the nearby communities to create these training opportunities

for the beneficiaries.

4) Technology is a critical skill in the modern economy, and this project supports an IT consultant who

provide training for 150 girls in middle school as well as fifty recent high school graduates. This consultant will

also provide training to Asociación Estrella de Mar staff on the topic of proper care of hardware.

5) The program features a training of Asociación Estrella de Mar staff on the subject of integrating critical

thinking techniques into the classroom. This will train approximately 12 school educators to identify and

maximize opportunities to create deliberate critical thinking practice in lesson planning and classroom

management.

6) This project also features two STEM conferences/trainings targeting 70 public school teachers. Teachers 2

Teachers Global (who will provide the yearlong STEM content coaching in item 1 of this section) will

introduce best-practices for including and educating girls in STEM-focused classrooms.

Community Outreach

1) This program reaches out to an additional 10 girl-focused organizations for the social capital/networking

event that will gather 50 female leaders from around Guatemala, including Sololá. This event identifies and

connects high-potential girl leaders and builds rapport and specific communication platforms where each can

access a supportive, safe environment. As these young women increase in economic activity, this space will

become a useful venue for business networking and personal support.

2) Young women served by this project are found through rigorous promotion in rural villages in Sololá. This

campaign is conducted by two Kachiquel women who consult village councils, church leaders and families who

are fully aware of the projects goals.

Educational Programs

1) The bulk of this program is built around the Colegio Impacto, a middle school designed specifically to

foster the full participation of young women in the 21st Century.

How were these needs identified?

Both International and Host clubs consulted Asociación Estrella de Mar's staff and graduates to identify the

most high-impact, culturally-attuned ways to unlock the economic capacity of young women. The activities

outlined reflect the input of women and young women from the communities this project serves. Estrella de

Mar conducts rigorous and continual consultation with village elders, religious leaders and families in the

communities served by this project.

What incentives (for example, monetary compensation, awards, certification, or publicity), will you use, if

any, to encourage community members to participate in the project?

The young women served by this project have either received or are receiving a scholarship to attend

secondary school. Upon graduating, they will receive diplomas. Those attending formal trainings on

entrepreneurship will receive certificates.

The educators and public school teachers who receive formal training via this project will receive formal

certificates of participation.

List any community members or community groups that will oversee the continuation of the project after

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grant-funded activities conclude.

Sustainability is a core pillar of this project's design. Investing in local, Mayan educators ensures the long-term

impact of this project. For this reason, the bulk of this project centers on training and knowledge-transfer into

local hands. This knowledge will be systematized to be offered continually to future generations of young

women coming through the Colegio Impacto, eventually serving thousands of girls who would otherwise

remain economically marginalized.

Budget

Will you purchase budget items from local vendors?

Yes

Explain the process you used to select vendors.

Whenever possible, this project will invest in the local economy. Within the internal controls of Estrella de

Mar, expenses in excess of Q3,000 (roughly $400) require three bids to ensure the most competitive price.

Did you use competitive bidding to select vendors?

Yes

Please provide an operations and maintenance plan for the equipment or materials you anticipate

purchasing for this project. This plan should include who will operate and maintain the equipment and

how they will be trained.

This project includes the purchase of computer equipment. The technology consultant (also a part of this

project) will train the staff of Asociación Estrella de Mar on the proper maintenance of this equipment. Major

maintenance will be provided by local vendors.

Describe how community members will maintain the equipment after grant-funded activities conclude.

Will replacement parts be available?

Asociación Estrella de Mar will continue to provide computer maintenance as a part of its school operations.

Major maintenance will be performed by local vendors who are staffed and equipped to do so.

If the grant will be used to purchase any equipment, will the equipment be culturally appropriate and

conform to the community's technology standards?

Yes

Please explain.

One of the stated goals of this project is to provide adolescent girls with access STEM knowledge and skills.

This intervention is designed by women from the communities targeted by this project and is therefore aligned

with cultural realities of this context.

After the project is completed, who will own the items purchased by grant funds? No items may be

owned by a Rotary district, club, or member.

Asociación Estrella de Mar will retain ownership of any supplies and equipment resulting from this grant.

Funding

Have you found a local funding source to sustain project outcomes for the long term?

Yes

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Please describe this funding source.

Asociación Estrella de Mar receives funding from a variety of sources, including donors in Guatemala, the US

and Europe. Additionally, the organization receives institutional support from the US Embassy as well as

several international foundations. Estrella de Mar has a small revenue-generation program that also produces

income via a variety of initiatives. It is anticipated that beneficiaries of this program will themselves become

donors as they become established in the local and national economy. The vision for Estrella de Mar is to

become independent of international donors.

Will any part of the project generate income for ongoing project funding? If yes, please explain.

No.

Authorizations

Authorizations & Legal Agreements

Legal agreement

Global Grant Agreement

I confirm and agree to the following:

1. All information contained in this application is, to the best of our knowledge, true and accurate.

2. We have read the Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation District Grants and Global Grants ("Terms

and Conditions") and will adhere to all policies therein.

3. The grant sponsors ("Sponsors") shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Rotary International (RI) and

The Rotary Foundation (TRF), including their directors, trustees, officers, committees, employees, agents,

associate foundations and representatives (collectively "RI/TRF"), from and against all claims, including but

not limited to claims of subrogation, demands, actions, damages, losses, costs, liabilities, expenses (including

reasonable attorney's fees and other legal expenses), awards, judgments, and fines asserted against or

recovered from RI/TRF arising out of any act, conduct, omission, negligence, misconduct, or unlawful act (or

act contrary to any applicable governmental order or regulation) resulting directly or indirectly from a

Sponsor's and/or participant's involvement in grant-funded activities, including all travel related to the grant.

4. The failure of the parties to comply with the terms of this Agreement due to an act of God, strike, war, fire,

riot, civil unrest, hurricane, earthquake, or other natural disasters, acts of public enemies, curtailment of

transportation facilities, political upheavals, acts of terrorism, or any similar cause beyond the control of the

parties shall not be deemed a breach of this Agreement. In such an event, the Agreement shall be deemed

terminated and the Sponsors shall refund all unexpended global grant funds within 30 days of termination.

5. TRF's entire responsibility is expressly limited to payment of the total financing amount. TRF does not

assume any further responsibility in connection with this grant.

6. TRF reserves the right to cancel the grant and/or this Agreement without notice upon the failure of either

or both of the Sponsors to abide by the terms set forth in this Agreement and the Terms and Conditions.

Upon cancellation, TRF shall be entitled to a refund of any global grant funds, including any interest earned,

that have not been expended.

7. The laws of the State of Illinois, USA, without reference to its conflicts of laws principles, shall govern all

matters arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including, without limitation, its interpretation,

construction, performance, and enforcement.

8. Any legal action brought by either party against the other party arising out of or relating to this Agreement

must be brought in either, the Circuit Court of Cook County, State of Illinois, USA or the Federal District

Court for the Northern District of Illinois, USA. Each party consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of these

- Page 19 of 22 -

courts, and their respective appellate courts for the purpose of such actions. Nothing herein prohibits a party

that obtains a judgment in either of the designated courts from enforcing the judgment in any other court.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, TRF may also bring legal action against Sponsors and/or individuals traveling

on grant funds in any court with jurisdiction over them.

9. This Agreement binds and benefits the parties and their respective administrators, legal representatives,

and permitted successors and assigns.

10.If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the remaining

provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

11.Sponsors may not assign any of its rights under this Agreement except with the prior written consent of

TRF. Sponsors may not delegate any performance under this Agreement without the prior written consent of

TRF. Any purported assignment of a Sponsor's rights or delegation of performance without TRF's prior

written consent is void.

12.TRF may assign some or all of its rights under this Agreement to an associate foundation of TRF. TRF

may delegate any performance under this Agreement to an associate foundation. Any other purported

assignment of TRF's rights or delegation of performance without the Sponsors' prior written consent is void.

13.Sponsors will comply with all economic and trade sanctions, including those implemented by the Office of

Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of Treasury, and will ensure that they do

not support or promote violence, terrorist activity or related training, or money laundering.

14. This Agreement constitutes the final agreement between the parties. No amendment or waiver of any

provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in the form of a writing signed by the parties.

15. Rotary International (RI) and TRF may use information contained in this application and subsequent

reports to promote the activities by various means such as The Rotarian, Rotary Leader, rotary.org, etc.

Unless indicated otherwise in writing, by submission of the photos, the parties hereby grant to RI and TRF

the worldwide right to publish and use the photos, including but not limited to, in RI and TRF publications,

advertisements, and Web sites and on social media channels and to license use to others, including, but not

limited to, media outlets and its partners and through RI's online image database, for the purposes of

promoting Rotary. By submitting the photos, the parties represent and warrant that all persons appearing in

the photos have given their unrestricted written consent to use their likenesses and to license use to third

parties.

16. The Sponsors agree to share information on best practices when asked, and TRF may provide their

contact information to other Rotarians who may wish advice on implementing similar activities.

17. The Sponsors will ensure that all individuals traveling on grant funds have been informed of the travel

policies stated in the Terms and Conditions and have been made aware that they are responsible for obtaining

travel insurance.

Primary contact authorizations

Application Authorization

By submitting this global grant application, we agree to the following:

1. All information contained in this application is, to the best of our knowledge, true and accurate, and we

intend to implement the activities as presented in this application.

2. The club/district agrees to undertake these activities as a club/district.

3. We will ensure all cash contributions (as detailed in the grant financing) will be forwarded to The Rotary

Foundation (TRF) or sent directly to the global grant bank account after Trustee approval of the grant.

- Page 20 of 22 -

4. Rotary International (RI) and TRF may use information contained in this application to promote the

activities by various means such as The Rotarian, the RI international convention, RVM: The Rotarian Video

Magazine, etc.

5. We agree to share information on best practices when asked, and TRF may provide our contact

information to other Rotarians who may wish advice on implementing similar activities.

6. To the best of our knowledge and belief, except as disclosed herewith, neither we nor any person with

whom we have or had a personal or business relationship are engaged, or intend to engage, in benefiting from

TRF grant funds or have any interest that may represent a potential competing or conflicting interest. A

conflict of interest is defined as a situation in which a Rotarian, in relationship to an outside organization, is in

a position to influence the spending of TRF grant funds, or influence decisions in ways that could lead directly

or indirectly to financial gain for the Rotarian, a business colleague, or his or her family, or give improper

advantage to others to the detriment of TRF.

All Authorizations & Legal Agreements Summary

Primary contact authorizations

Name Club District Status

Alan Steger Evergreen 5450

William Boegel E-Club of Lake

Atitlán-Panajachel

4250

District Rotary Foundation chair authorization

Name Club District Status

Gail Lehrmann Parker 5450

Julio Villalta

Rivera

Real de Minas-

Tegucigalpa

4250

DDF authorization

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Name Club District Status

Abbas Rajabi Denver Southeast 5450

Gail Lehrmann Parker 5450

James Epstein Loveland 5440

William Emslie Fort Collins After

Work

5440

Sue Carstens Whitefish 5390

Joseph McBride Butte 5390

Judith-Ann Byron Sidney By The Sea 5020

Thomas Carroll Gateway-Thurston

County

5020

Legal agreement

Name Club District Status

William Boegel E-Club of Lake

Atitlán-Panajachel

4250

Laurence Caine Evergreen 5450

Bank Information

- Page of 22 -

Primary Host Partner

District: 5450

Rotary Club of: Evergreen

Primary Contact: Alan Steger

Email: alan.steger@gmail.com

Primary International Partner

We are looking for a Club partner. Click here to pledge support for this project. Recording a pledge will make you the Primary International Partner for this project.

Project Status

Dropped
This project has been "Dropped". Check the history log entries to see why it was dropped.

Project listed for the 2018-19 Rotary Year.

Proposed Financing

Existing Contributions Towards This Project

Date

Cash

DDF

Total

There are no contributions yet for this project.

Remaining Amount to Raise

Additional Club Contribution (Needed) - Add a contribution

$108,100

-

$108,100

Amount Requested from The Rotary Foundation

$54,050

$0

$54,050

Total

$162,150

Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.

Project Supporting Documents


There are no documents yet for this project.
Go to the administration page to upload documents.

Project Photos


There are no photos yet for this project.
Go to the administration page to upload photos.

History Log Entries

12-Apr-18

by Tom Dunn

System Entry: Creation of project page.

2-Sep-19

System Entry

System Entry: Project dropped per lack of response to the carry-over notification emails.

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