The Philanthropy
Just beyond the plantains, at the bottom of the hills, lies the tiny village of Puerto Alejandria. Here, most men earn a living by shoveling sand from the river to make concrete. This small community has a school with 10 children (Kindergarten through 8th grade), funded by the World Bank in the early ’90s. Marta, one of our investors, worked for the World Bank for over 20 years and was part of the team that funded the school construction project.
As the three owners of Casa de los Sueños, we believe in building this dream not just for ourselves, but also to help others. A portion of our revenue will support the students at the nearby school. Initially, donations will go towards school supplies, but we will continue to reassess needs and opportunities for the future.
Philanthropy Updates
February 2025: As a result of our January fundraiser, we were able to raise $2,308.70, which was more than double our original $1000.00 goal. With that money, we were able to replace the old desks and chairs, remove the old, rusted playground and replace it with a new safe playground. We also fixed two sinks and one toilet in the bathroom, which are shared by the boys and girls at the school.
Our future goals include doing additional repairs to the actual structure of the school. We would like to buy “paint” to create a moisture barrier on the building and repainting the outside. That moisture can create mold and an unhealthy space for the children to be in. We want to create a bright, beautiful learning environment to inspire these kids.
If you’re interested in supporting those endeavors, please use the QR codes below to donate.
January 2025: We are so close to finishing construction on the big house and are doing final touches on doorways, landscaping, etc. As we end the chapter of construction and look ahead to the business side of the house, we are also eager grow our support for the school and the students.
In January we are fundraising to buy eight tables, 16 chairs and two refurbished / basic laptops. Our goal is to raise $1000.00 for these items and any funds additional funds raised will be utilized to work on some of the outside spaces, e.g., the playground and green spaces.
We will be doing a final inspection of the house in mid-February and hope to deliver the new desks, chairs, and computers then and whatever else we are able to fundraise for.
As of January 28th, we have raised $2,288.70, more than doubling our original $1,000.00 goal. We will be ordering the new desks and playground the week of February 3rd for delivery the week of February 16th! Stay tuned for photos and updates! If you’re still interested in donating, you may do so using the QR links below. Money will go towards updating the exterior of the school.
November 2024: Although still in construction, we were eager to begin making an impact. We connected with the school Director, Martha, and shared the idea of raising funds for a mini library and books to fill it, which she welcomed. A local artist painted the library with the slogan “dream until you reach the sky” and adorned it with plants and animals native to the region.
We received donations from family and friends and installed the mini library in early November. The children were thrilled and immediately wanted to read all the books.
We plan to use funds from the house and donations to regularly update the book collection.
If you’d like to make a direct donation, please reach out to us at CasaDeLosSuenos.Co@gmail.com to ask about deposit information or you can use the QR codes - just be sure to mention it’s a donation for the school. We are also happy to add you to our newsletter distribution list for periodic updates related to the donations and school - just let us know (you can opt out at any time).
