Apoyo has been actively engaged in providing business training and non-interest-bearing loans to future entrepreneurs -- primarily from the countryside -- for more than 20 years! More than 1,200 persons -- primarily women who head their households in rural villages -- have attended Apoyo’s business training, seminars and workshops over the past 10 years.

The Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday has been partnering with Apoyo for the past five years via Apoyo’s microlending program. The Club has now obtained a Rotary Foundation Global Grant to partner with Apoyo to expand their vocational training program in order to increase the number of graduates in an increased number of vocational training areas. 

Graduating on August 21 from Apoyo’s vocational training program were about 25 new plumbers, graphic art designers, customer relations professionals, and business entrepreneurs.  Some of the graduates graduated from more than one course! “It was a very moving experience to see how proud the graduates and their families were,” said Rotary Member Pat Laird, who interviewed three of the graduates.  

Marisol Gonzalez is a single mother who works as a cook and baker in a restaurant and is in the process of having a house built. She completed the course in plumbing although she does not plan to be a plumber.  “I wanted to understand the processes and materials needed to build my house so I might better communicate with the workers,” said Gonzalez.

A happy result of the course is that she learned to fix things around her house.  Gonzalez felt a huge sense of empowerment recently when the pump on her water tank broke and she repaired it.  She is considering taking more business courses and is thinking of consulting, supervising and becoming a property manager in the future.  

Mayra Hernandez is an elementary school teacher and artist.  She has a side business face painting.  She completed a graphic design course to increase her art income and teach art to her students.

Mia Hernan took the graphic design class to help promote her business selling kitchen supplies.  She runs a Saturday popup store near the Don Volente restaurant. “Mia’s  posters are impressive,” said Laird. Hernan also makes lovely dolls. 

Congratulations to all the graduates, and deep thanks to all the Rotarians here and elsewhere who made these successes possible! If you know someone who might be interested in one of Apoyo’s free courses, direct them to Apoyo’s Facebook presence.

Past President Lee Carter and Co-Vice President, Projects, Carla Cadena will host the first Hospice health fair Thursday, August 28 at the Lee Carter Center at Prolongacion Cuesta de San Jose 93 (MAP) from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. with a variety of services, including: 

• ​ Aromatherapy
•  Guided tours
•  Instant HIV testing
•  Massages
• Mental health screenings for:
  • Addictions
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Suicide risk
  • Violence
•  Municipal Institute for Women’s Support (IMAM) Services
•  Oral health

• Risk factor screenings for:
  • Blood pressure
  • Glucose
•  San Miguel de Allende Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center (CRISMA) Services
•  Thanatology (grief and loss with emotional support)
•  Traditional medicine
•  Vaccination station for people aged 20 to 60
•  Vision and optical health (Prescription lenses)
•  Weight and height

Requirements include:

• Official ID
• Vaccination card (You can get one during the event.)

Hope to see you there!

Twenty seven​ local nurses and caregivers attended a training on Essential Competencies in Palliative and Hospice Care for Nursing Staff hosted by our Midday Rotary Club’s partner Mitigare Cuidados Paliativos A.C., in the Lee Carter Center in August.
 
Dr. Lulu Tejeida of Hospice helped them strengthen knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide comprehensive, humane, high-quality care to patients with advanced illnesses and to their families. 
 
The training addressed key topics such as the role of nurses in palliative care, empathetic communication, pain and symptom management, and the differences between the palliative care model and the hospice approach. In addition, teamwork was encouraged, and participants reflected on the importance of dignity and accompaniment at the end of life. 
 
With initiatives like this, Mitigare reaffirms its commitment to promoting continuous education for healthcare professionals, ensuring that every patient and family receives compassionate and professional care during the most sensitive moments of their life journey. 

​Dra. Lulu’s class for 27 nurses and caregivers

by Robin Loving

The most pressing ecological needs in our area evolve around water scarcity and contamination, deforestation, and waste management. These issues are interconnected and exacerbated by factors like agricultural practices, urban development, and climate change. 

Enter our Rotary Club with its first eco program helping solve these problems in a sustainable way. Member Evelyn Grewal took over our Watershed Education Program after two other members had to pass the baton due to life events like a job change. Under her leadership, we have an outstanding program that is being submitted for a Rotary Global Grant because its results have garnered support from other Rotaries.

Why we are undertaking an environmental project is not surprising, but the possibility of funding for it has grown as various leaders have identified the needs, the solutions, and the results of implementing those solutions. In short, this is a vibrant program that will have long-lasting, dramatically positive results for our region. Why? Because it will be carried on by our youth.

Working with our indispensable partner, Salvemos el Rio Laja (Save the Rio Laja), and our champion there, Jalil Aragon Martinez, who has created an education nonprofit to assist with this -- the project includes hands-on solutions implemented by teachers in 21 elementary, secondary and preparatoria schools as well as two universities, and various community members.

Together, they are learning about nature-based solutions such as composting, soil creation, and natural fertilizers. Along the way they are using rain water capture, erosion mitigation, and greenhouses to improve the lives in various communities.
Those include San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo, San Felipe, San Franco and San Luis de la Paz.

Thanks to our partners including our Rotary District 4140, clubs in California and local partners such as the Audubon Society, we have attracted around $84,000 USD for this impactful project that could be matched by a Rotary Global Grant! Heartiest thanks to California’s clubs, San Diego and the Nevada City 49rs. called the 49ers, which are sending delegates here for a site visit October 17. Please help us welcome them!

They, like Salvemos, Jalil’s organization, and Rotary, realize that we need an holistic approach to address problems and create sustainable solutions via citizen engagement – especially in our youth! Integrative education: connecting knowledge and experiences across various disciplines and contexts to create solutions!

But they can’t do it alone! If you are interested in furthering this effort which will sustain our precious region “for all concerned,” please complete the request below.

​Rotarian Project Leader Evelyn Grewel, President Andrea Spessard, members of Project Partner Salvemos al Rio Laja, children, and Past-President Lee Carter share a vision of a more ecologically sustainable future for San Miguel.

More than 35 people including families, Red Cross SMA Youth, our club, Rotaract, friends, and other volunteers joined forces for environmental sustainability recently in the first reforestation and cleanup of Landeta Park.

The team cleaned, inspected trees, and planted 47 native trees, sowing the future of a greener, healthier San Miguel. Thanks to President-Elect Jose de Anda for his leadership!

Sponsoring new members is at the heart of the Rotary experience. Sponsors play a critical role in supporting Rotary‘s ideals of service, leadership, and positive change in the world by sponsoring, empowering and supporting new members.

Select people to sponsor with our needs in mind: people with skills in finance, organization, social media and technology. Then, educate prospective member(s) about Rotary, emphasizing our commitment to active participation in our club and its projects. Next, guide your prospective member through the pre-application and application processes.

The pre-application process involves attendance at some of our meetings, familiarity with both our and Rotary International’s websites, and participation in three of our service projects. Once the pre-application is approved by the Membership Committee, the application process includes gathering basic biographical data, how the prospective member wants to serve Rotary, and a headshot photo.    

When a new member is inducted, sponsors guide them through their early days to inspire active, long-term membership. Make your new member feel included and valued by fostering relationships, building a sense of belonging through consistent engagement in activities, and serving as a resource to clarify expectations and answer questions. 

What sponsoring a new member will do for you is inspire you; for as with so many acts of service, the giver benefits at least as much as the recipient. While sharing Rotary’s history, mission, and values with our prospective member, it is likely you will remember your Rotary Moments!

By engaging with your new member, you will develop a long-term relationship that will endure far beyond Rotary. In helping your new member form relationships within our club, you will reinvigorate your own relationships with fellow Rotary members. 

By motivating your new member’s participation in meetings, projects, and events, you will become recommitted to our important work and its impact. And, by answering your new member’s questions and clarifying their expectations, you will be reminded that you are a crucial resource within our club. 

by Robin Loving​

Healthier facilities, safety, and dignity all accrued to the rural El Toboso community in June when they dedicated one of their dozen new dry-composting toilets that each serve one family. On hand were a number of Rotarians from our club since this was the result of one of our many projects in conjunction with the Rotary Foundation.

In addition to this important facility, the community received education, training in new skills and confidence through this collaborative opportunity in which we provided the funding, CEDESA provided the training, and the community provided the labor.

Because water is scarce here in the high desert of Central Mexico, the Toboso toilets are dry composting, which saves water and diverts what they receive into separate sections that later are used by the citizens as fertilizer to help sustain various their plants.

Funding for this project paid for the education and training of people In El Toboso so that they could construct them. Our club has supported the construction of 150 so far in various campo communities. 

The certificates received by the community leaders on this project tout their new skills. What was evident at the inaugural celebration was their pride.

Steve Schwartzman attended the celebration with half a dozen of our members and took the following photos. Thank you, Steve, and thanks to all who contributed to this enhancement of a small campo community!

​Past President Lee Carter (left), CEDESA Leader Mercedes (upper center), and Co-Vice-President of Projects Carla Cadena (right) join a member of the El Toboso team in celebratory pride. 

​Past-President Lee Carter and Member Kerry Fautsch join three members of the El Toboso community at the ribbon cutting.

​This meaningful award is a direct reflection of the success of the school and your continued belief in our mission. We couldn’t have achieved this recognition without you, thank you.

At EEESMA, we believe that understanding Deaf culture is essential to building a more inclusive and compassionate community. That’s why we are proud to announce plans for the San Miguel Deaf Culture Centre, a space inside the current school building dedicated to sharing the richness of Deaf identity, language, and creativity with the wider public. Once the official opening takes place, we hope you will come visit this Centre and support the children who speak with their hands and their hearts. 

To enable us to continue to develop the school over the years ahead, as well as to keep raising the bar of improving Deaf Education for these special children and young people, we truly need and count on your help!

EEESMA has reached the level we are at because of extraordinary support and kindness from many friends and supporters who are truly extraordinary folks. Your remarkable past support has helped us get to where we are today and means the world to the students and staff at EEESMA School for the Deaf.

With gratitude,
John Doherty
President of the Board of Directors
EEESMA School for the Deaf
http://www.eeesma.com