SIFE Volunteers

We are excited to welcome 4 volunteers from the SIFE chapter of the University of Valdosta, Georgia ... Cameron Hoopes, Scott Manley, Jeffrie Shipley and Nikki Mitchell.

SIFE is an international non-profit organization that works with leaders in business and higher education to mobilize university students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders. Participating students form teams on their university campuses and apply business concepts to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. An annual series of regional and national competitions provides a forum for teams to present the results of their projects, and to be evaluated by business leaders serving as judges. National champion teams advance to the prestigious SIFE World Cup. In addition to the community aspect of the program, SIFE’s leadership and career initiatives create meaningful opportunities for learning and exchange among the participants as well as the placement of students and alumni with companies in search of emerging talent."

The group, consisting of two students and two faculty advisors, has come to El Remate as an "outreach project" to teach us to market ourselves, both as individual entities (beginning with Gringo Perdido and Project Ix-canaan) and as a village that has a lot to offer as a tourist destination.

Over the past week, the group has spent a lot of time familiarizing themselves with Gringo Perdido and Project Ix-canaan ... here you see them checking out the new experimental water collection system at the Women's Center ...

And they have been visiting local points of interest, like the Ruta del Mono Canopy tour, to collect marketing information.

They have also spent a lot of time in the Ix-canaan library,

putting together a new website for Gringo Perdido (I'll let you know when its online!) and preparing for what could be a huge seminar this afternoon, to which they have invited all the hotel owners of the village.  The seminar will be in two parts ... Nikki is going to teach part 1 and Scott will teach part 2.  Tune in later to find out all about it.