News

Dear Friends,

There is much news about Bolivian Quaker education and BQEF. Next week BQEF will take two big steps forward—putting out our first newsletter, and filing IRS Form 1023, the application for 501(c)(3) status. You will get a copy of the newsletter if you are on our skimpy mailing list, and copies will be available at several Friends gatherings this summer, beginning with FAHE/FCE at Swarthmore and Pendle Hill this month.

BOLIVIAN QUAKER EDUCATION FUND—BQEF

11253 Boston Road
East Concord NY 14055
BolEdFund@aol.com

May 16, 2003

15 young Bolivian Quakers (8 men, 7 women—from both INELA and Santidad) are pursuing post-secondary studies with scholarships from BQEF.

At the end of March the first scholarship payments ($50/mo) were distributed at the BQE-Bo office at 747 Calle Illampu in La Paz, inaugurating the office.

Dear Friends,

I believe that I wrote you fourteen months ago about possible follow-up from the visit of Loida Cutipa and Cecilia Paco. There have been further developments - exciting ones. Please excuse my long delay in keeping you informed. I have been distracted, among other things by the climate of fear that surrounds us. BQEF does not address those fears but nurtures hopes, and I trust that you will agree that nurturing hope is one of the things we must continue to do in times of fear.

Dear Friends,

Most of you know that two young Bolivian teachers, Cecilia Paco and Loida Cutipa, visited US Friends for more than seven weeks this summer. They spoke to more than half a dozen groups, as well as numerous individuals, about Friends and Friends schools in Bolivia. Their trip was financed through a number of sources, the largest bulk channeled through the Bolivian Fund at Pendle Hill. Each of them has written a report of her trip (in Spanish), which they delivered to me in person when I saw them in Bolivia in November. I will be glad to send you a copy.