Dear Friends and Family,

On behalf of the Gender and Development (GAD) Committee of Peace Corps Ecuador, we would like to invite your support in our annual raffle, proceeds for which help further educational opportunities for Ecuadorian high school girls and support other GAD activities.

One of GAD's primary objectives is to provide three-year scholarships for young financially underprivileged, yet highly motivated Ecuadorian women so that they can finish their high school education. Working in partnership with Club Kiwanis Chuquiragua in Quito, Ecuador's scholarship program is one of only a handful worldwide. The financial assistance that we provide for these young women is vitally needed: a mere 56% of Ecuadorian women receive their high school degree. The scholarship recipients reflect the rich ethnic diversity of the country, including representatives from Afro-Ecuadorian and indigenous communities.

This year's raffle, scheduled for July 17, 2007, will help to provide scholarships for around 80 young women, as well as funding for our annual leadership conference of scholarship girls and Camp ALMA (Activism and Leadership for Ambitious Women), a five-day leadership camp giving young women the opportunity to test their potential and gain valuable self-esteem as they take part in rigorous outdoor adventures.

Prizes for the raffle include one round-trip plane ticket good for travel between the continental United States and Ecuador, as well as other prizes such as gift certificates to restaurants and hotels. Each ticket costs only $1.50. If you buy 100 tickets, you will automatically sponsor a woman's education for a full year and become amember of the GAD 100-Club, receiving a photograph and information regarding the young woman whom you are sponsoring.

Donations are tax deductible!!

Options to donate:

1. We encourage you to donate on-line through the Friends of Ecuador website. Log on to http://www.friendsofecuador.org/ and click on Donate to make a general donation to the GAD committee or to make a specific donation to the GAD raffle.

2. Checks can be made to: Club Kiwanis Chuquiragua Please write GAD Rifa in the Memo of the check and mail to: Attn: GAD, Casilla 17-08-8624, Cuerpo de Paz/Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador, South America

Your contribution is greatly appreciated!

With love,

The Peace Corps GAD Committee

In August GAD held the annual scholarship leadership conference in Quito. 60 high school girls, composed of Kiwanis girl’s and GAD scholarship recipients from all areas of Ecuador, participated in the four day conference. The focus of the conference “Mi Vida Brilla” was introducing the girls to positive women role models and inspiring leadership within the young participants.

A young woman political leader spoke to the girls about the realities of being a professional woman in Ecuador and challenged them to become leaders within their communities, in addition an indigenous woman studying to be a lawyer and a women leader of an ecological foundation talked to the girls.

The conference also aimed to provide the participants with practical skills to empower themselves. The income generation component included the basics of personal financing, budgeting, and beginning a small business. Members of the youth group NeoJuventud provided a real-life example of youths running small business projects. While taking a guided tour of the plazas and churches in Quito the girls learned about the history of Quito and Ecuador.

A highlight of the conference was the chance for 14 participants from last years conference to try out there leadership skills by helping to facilitate four workshops. The girls all had a wonderful time and left with new friends, redefined goals, renewed hope, and self-confidence to become leaders.