The CEVER Project

*ABOUT THE CEVER PROJECT*
The Project has five main objectives: The CEVER Project has five main objectives: 1) To support the existing and thriving institution of CEVER in its mission to provide vocational education to students in the Yoro valley. 2) To create a community and discussion forum in Maine that facilitates conversation around what it means to "leverage wealth", how to work for justice in our society, our hemisphere, and our world, alternatives to charity, and our role in the global economic system. 3) To foster intercultural relationships that work towards equal partnership, and raise provocative questions about our responsibilities as global citizens (in Honduras and the US).
4) To support CEVER spiritually, financially, and emotionally in its goal of becoming an independent and self-sustaining institution. 5) To be in partnership with CEVER students as they work towards their own goals of owning their own businesses.
We hope that you will consider supporting the CEVER Project through coming into partnership with a CEVER student, or contributing to the project's discretionary fund!

There are four phases to the CEVER Project:

1) Immediate Financial Relief

2) Construction of Fair Trade Production Center

3) Addition of Faculty/Courses in Business Administration

4) Microenterprise Fund

Using grant funding, continued loan support, and the financial support of those who are in partnership with CEVER students, CEVER Vocational School will construct a Fair Trade Production Center. The Center will employ CEVER graduates who wish to stay in Yoro near their families and it will apprentice student who wish to learn advanced production skills and business administration. The revenue from the sale of these fairly traded products in the United States will eventually be enough for CEVER to sustain itself as well as to establish a microenterprise fund for students. As CEVER students receive practical training in running a business through the Center, they will have elective classroom time added as well to build their skills in business administration. Upon graduation, the students will submit the log of their production center hours along with a business plan for their own small business. If approved, the student will receive a stipend from the microenterprise fund to alleviate the start-up risks for their own shop. This fund inherently provides incentives for cooperatively owned businesses. It also encourages an active alumni network.

The CEVER Project stems from the long-standing partnership between the Evangelical and Reformed Church of Honduras (AIEH) and the Maine Conference United Church of Christ.

All photos by Henry Hoffman

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