Our Projects
Project Amigo collaborates with Colima area Rotary Clubs to
distribute hearing aids to needy adults and children. Hearing
aids are provided by private donations, and sometimes are
provided by funds from matching grants between US Rotary Clubs,
their Districts, and The Rotary Foundation.
Dental, Vision and Auditory Services
Project Amigo and the Rotary Clubs of Colima and Coquimatlan
collaborate to provide vision screenings and eyeglasses to
children and adults who have no other access to vision care. A
team of lay people from the US and Canada take patient histories,
review blood sugar levels and blood pressures, carry out other
initial diagnostic tests and send the patients on to the
Optometrists for review and prescription diagnosis. Others find
the glasses in inventory, and fit them to the patients. World
Community Service (WCS) is the title Rotary International
Literacy Project
Volunteers help shape the breadth and scope of Project
Amigo’s successful projects. Ten years ago, Boise Sunrise
Rotarian Bev Pressman, a child literacy expert, participated on a
winter work week. One of the activities involved taking books to
read to children in Colima area orphanages and rural schools. At
the end of the activity, volunteers gathered up the books and
returned to our headquarters. Observing that these facilities
didn’t have fun children’s books on hand. Bev asked
why we didn’t leave the books for the children to continue
to enjoy. Good question.
With that observation and question, Project Amigo added a new
focus to its third mission (To build relationships between
Rotarians from the US and Canada and Rotarians from Mexico)
– and that was a focus on literacy that Rotary Clubs could
do in collaboration and cooperation with Colima area Rotary
Clubs.
Over the years, Rotary Clubs in the US, Australia and Canada have
partnered with Colima area Rotary Clubs to contribute to Rotary
Foundation Matching Grants that purchase mini-libraries of fun
children’s books and books that the children can keep for
their very own. Rotarian and non-Rotarian volunteers work with
the Colima area Rotary Clubs to deliver the books and
mini-libraries to poor rural schools in Colima and southern
Jalisco.
Thousands of children each year experience the fun and joy of
reading; and teachers report noticeable changes in
children’s attitudes toward learning, in their creativity,
and in their vocabularies.
Casa Amiga
Casa Amiga is a boarding facility in the city of Colima for
Project Amigo’s higher education scholarship recipients.
Major donors who support Casa Amiga include: Project Amigo Board
President Catherine Munson, The GROW Foundation, Mason City
Rotary Club, and Fremont Rotary Club.
