A chance meeting of Kim Hannam, when he was a member of Rotary Club of Winnipeg West and at the same time a member of St.Andrew’s River Heights United Church, with a local Guatemalan flower cultivator, lead to a conversation of what they could do to help the local children go beyond primary school. In the following 20 years schools were built, a scholarship program was created and expanded, now all under the umbrella of the Ripple Effect Program.
With the ongoing support of our Rotary Club and fundraising and legwork by the youth of St. Andrew’ s, many dozens of Guatemala high school and a few university graduates now have hope for a brighter future. The youth from St.Andrews, on their bi-annual visits to Guatemala, have seen the smiles on the faces of the scholarship recipients and their families. As they witness the effect their contributions have made in these people’s lives, they pass the message on to the next youth groups. We are building leaders here and in Guatemala.
