Since I started Make Money Your Way in mid-2013, I’ve committed to donating 10% of my blogging income to support children’s education in my village. As mentioned in a previous update, I awarded scholarships to the two best middle school students so they could attend high school 150 miles away for the next three years.
The annual cost for boarding school is about $2,500 per child, totaling $15,000 over three years. This means I need to generate $150,000 through blogging.
In my last update, I had $490 left after summer projects. With $574 from September’s income, I now have a total of $1,064.
COMPUTER AND READING PROJECT
The Spanish girl who teaches the computer classes used to be my cleaner. When she quit, I was worried she’d abandon the computer project too, but she thankfully continued. I used to enjoy teaching in Europe, but my patience has waned. If she ever stops, I’d step in to teach, even though I’m not keen on spending five hours in a humid classroom three times a week. I did it a few times when my brother visited. The kids are great; they listen intently and are eager to learn. They even drop everything to get their weekly hour of internet access.
To accommodate more students, we recently rotated the groups. Now, about 70 kids get an hour of computer time each week. A reader’s donation of another computer has enabled us to reach even more kids.
Teacher salary and internet data plan: $205
BOARDING SCHOOL KIDS
After about eight months, I finally visited the boarding school. It’s a beautiful place with well-maintained buildings and self-sustaining land with animals and produce.
Each student contributes three hours daily to the school. Agronomy students wake up at 4 am to milk cows, while others walk nearly three miles to harvest tomatoes. When I visited, my students were assigned to kitchen and cleaning duties. They earn a small wage of $0.15 per hour, which they use to buy sweets from the school’s shop on weekends. They return to the village once a month.
Both students seem happy and showed me their rooms, which are simple with just a bed, desk, and drawer. The girl has a private bathroom shared with three others, while the boy shares showers with the whole room.
They are doing well academically and work hard. Their day starts at 5:30 am with a church service, followed by breakfast, six hours of classes, lunch, community service, then more studying in the afternoon and evening. Boys and girls attend classes together but eat separately and only mix when a teacher is present. Their weekends include joint activities like theater, music, and computer classes.
They are impressed that classes are never cancelled and that teachers hold meetings at night to avoid disrupting studies, unlike the village school where frequent strikes and disturbances occur. The girl even received an award for academic merit and good behavior, making me proud. She also sent me an email with a picture attached, showcasing her newly learned computer skills.
I pay $478 per month for both students.
FINANCIAL UPDATES
As mentioned before, my monthly expenses for boarding school and computer classes total over $680, which exceeds 10% of my blogging income. Some readers have asked if I’d drop the support if I stopped making enough money. Absolutely not. If donations and contributions stopped and I made only $1,000 a month, I’d still ensure the kids graduate. Unless they get expelled, they are guaranteed a full ride for three years. The first year ends in early November, with two more to go.
I hope my blogs will continue to generate enough revenue to support these costs. Thank you for reading and making this blog popular; you’re indirectly aiding my project. If you want to help directly or donate an old laptop, please email tdmpauline@gmail.com.
Total spent: $683
Total left: $381
I’m almost in the red, so let’s make more money!