Alexandra Boza is a 29-year-old Salvadoran who was impressed by the altruism and hard work of a group of nuns and therefore decided to help them. Since she began five months ago, Ale has helped the nuns make enough money to pay for one year's worth of education for two kids. The nuns run a school for underprivileged children where they charge a small tuition and sponsor those who are unable to pay.
Learning about the project
Ale, learned about the nun’s project from her Grandfather, who has known the nuns for years. Her Grandfather first met them when they cared for his mother as she recovered from pneumonia at the hospital where the nuns used to work. One day, Ale decided to join grandpa on his trip to visit his life-long friends, all the way to the “tougher side” of town, or the “Bronx of San Salvador”, as it is often called.
Ale was amazed at the project the nuns had forged with their effort and determination in the years since they moved downtown. Sister Hidalia Aguilar and Sister Dolores walked Ale and her grandfather through the school (see the facebook profile) were children, who would otherwise be out in the streets, were studying math, religion, computer skills, and ethics. For more information about the work the Missionaries in El Salvador are doing, see the project overview.
Finding ways to make the project larger
Ale noted her grandfather’s gratitude towards the nuns and was motivated by the hard work they did for the children. She wanted to help in whatever way she could.
The nun explained that they had recently started to collect plastic bottles which they sold to a plastic packaging plant which recycles them. For each pound of plastic bottles, they recieve US$ 0.08. (About 16 20oz plastic bottles make up a pound).
The money was used to sponsor new children at their school. For each child they needed $54 dollars to pay for one year.
Creating a strategy to maximize her bottle collection
Ale knew she could collect lots of bottles, but she knew that she would have to do a lot of explaining, reminding, and motivating. El Salvador doesn’t have a recycling system, and therefore people don’t know how to recycle nor are they accustomed to doing it.
So Ale decided she would ask as many people as possible to help her out:
- She emailed all her friends and relatives
- Talked to the manager of every restaurant that she went to
- Gave large bins to work places where she had contacts
Much hard work for a project she believed in
Every Wednesday, Ale makes her round. She goes from house to house, restaurant to restaurant and work place to work place, to pick up the plastic bottles collected throughout the week. On Thursdays, she makes her way to Soyapango to deliver the bottles to the nuns who take them to the recycling center, get their money and sponsor more kids.
Ale doubles the good: recycling and educating
Ale has been successful in her collection and has helped the nuns increase school enrollment. Additionally, although not her initial intention, she has recycled pounds of plastic and has initiated a number of Salvadorans in the practice of recycling.
So far, in the five months since she started, Ale has:
- Collected more than 30,000 plastic bottles
- Helped the nuns cover one year of school tuition for two kids
- Gotten five restaurants to recycle their bottles and a bakery chain that has eight stores
- Convinced about 45 friends and family member to help out
- Provided recycling bins for six work places
As a byproduct, she has:
- Motivated employees at the restaurants and offices she visits to start recycling at home
- She has started to destroy the myth that in El Salvador it is futile to recycle
- She has motivated people to donate other goods to the nuns
You can help Ale
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