On the 10th anniversary of The Tandana Foundation, the dream of an exchange program from Ecuador to the United States was born. A group of university students at that time requested the opportunity to participate in a cultural exchange and share their culture.
Continue reading “A dream come true: The Eagle and the Condor exchange”
I want to focus this blog on telling one of the most important experiences of my life, something that marked my heart forever: my participation in the first cultural exchange between Ecuadorian students to the United States, which was organized by The Tandana Foundation.
Continue reading “A journey that transformed my life: Cultural exchange in the U.S.”
This trip to the United States was much more than a simple academic or cultural experience: it was an adventure of the soul. During my stay, I had the opportunity to live moments that deeply sparked my emotions, learning and encounters that took my heart to different corners of that country. I want to share the most significant and emotional moments of this intercultural experience. These are moments that inspired me, made me reflect, and reminded me who I am and where I come from.
Continue reading “What I learned during my trip to the U.S. through the Eagle and Condor program”
My name is Joselyn Perugachi. I am a Kichwa woman from Otavalo and I live in the community of Cachicullá, which is part of the beautiful canton of Otavalo. I study agricultural engineering and I am one of the scholarship recipients of The Tandana Foundation.
Continue reading “My journey through culture: a journey between traditions and discoveries”
Hello, my name is Fredy Xavier Panama, and I am 22 years old. I belong to the community of Padre Chupa, and I live in Quichinche. I study agricultural engineering at the Technical University of Cotopaxi. I am a scholarship recipient of The Tandana Foundation. Thanks to this scholarship, I had the opportunity to experience something I will never forget: traveling to the United States to participate in a cultural exchange that allowed me to learn, share, and grow in many ways.
Traveling to the United States was a dream come true. This trip was not only my first trip abroad – it was also an unforgettable experience thanks to the cultural exchange organized by The Tandana Foundation. I went on this unforgettable adventure with a group of colleagues who belong to this prestigious foundation. During the trip, we visited places steeped in history, culture, and unique landscapes: Durango, Mancos, Zuni, and Arizona. Each place left me with profound lessons and memories that I will treasure forever.
Continue reading “My first trip to the U.S.: A cultural exchange experience”
Last month at the Sunflower Theatre in Cortez, Colorado, The Tandana Foundation hosted an exciting event – The Eagle and the Condor Flying Together – that immersed attendees in the indigenous Kichwa Otavalo culture of Ecuador. The Kichwa Otavalo are one of Ecuador’s indigenous groups most successful at maintaining their cultural identity and traditions.
Continue reading “Showcasing the indigenous Kichwa Otavalo culture at immersive event in Colorado”
I’m Aminata Wodiou, from Idieli Douh, in the township of Dourou. My father is a local mason and my mother is a housewife.
Continue reading “Through perseverance, a scholarship recipient is supporting her community’s tailoring needs”
Fatoumata Ambapil, who received support through The Tandana Foundation’s Ash B. Varma Scholarship Program in Mali, wrote a letter to share her academic success and express her gratitude for the financial assistance.
Continue reading “A letter of thanks for scholarship support in Mali”
Through the Dr. Ash B. Varma M.D. Scholarship Program, The Tandana Foundation has supported 41 students in rural Mali to attend professional school. The program is a win-win: the scholarship recipients are able to pursue their educational goals while their communities benefit from the skills they gain.
Continue reading “A new tailor becomes an entrepreneur, bringing much-needed services to his village”
The Tandana Foundation has supported dozens of aspiring health professionals and tailors in Mali to attend professional school through the Dr. Ash B. Varma M.D. Scholarship Program. The recipients have gone on to obtain degrees and certifications in fields most-needed in their rural communities.
Continue reading “The latest from Tandana scholarship recipients in Mali”
The following blog shares a letter written by Ivan Cachimuel, who received a scholarship from The Tandana Foundation to attend university. Read on to hear what Ivan studied last year, learned through his internship as a teacher, and why he’s thankful for the academic support from Tandana.
Continue reading “A scholarship student learns what it means to be a teacher”
On Nov. 8, around 450 people from all over the world attended The Tandana Foundation’s Legacy of Hope Celebration to honor the nearly two decades of service of Hope Taft to the organization and to mark her 80th birthday.
Continue reading “Tandana’s family and friends celebrate the Legacy of Hope”
As more communities request support, The Tandana Foundation has allocated over $700,000 since 2006 to its scholarship programs, which have already offered hundreds of students in Ecuador and Mali the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams.
Continue reading “Leaving a Legacy of Hope: The gift of scholarships”
Tandana Foundation sponsor,
It is a great pleasure for me to address you, my sponsor, and send you a cordial greeting. In this letter, I also want to share a summary of the educational experience that I have had during my fourth semester at the university.
Continue reading “A future businesswoman setting a strong example for her son”
A very warm greeting,
It’s been almost a year since I wrote to you and I’m sending you a letter again to tell you how this semester went and to thank you for your support because thanks to you I’m achieving one more goal in my life.
Continue reading “Charging ahead toward a career in electric vehicles”
After receiving a scholarship from The Tandana Foundation and seeing the impact of the organization’s work in the Wadouba Township of Mali, Ambaobou Dougnon was inspired to write a song about Tandana to tell others about Tandana and his experience with them.
Continue reading “A song for the organization helping make his dreams come true”
Dear Tandana Foundation,
I am an agronomic engineering student at the Technical University of Cotopaxi. I come from the Padre Chupa community. My full name is Fredy Xavier Panamá Fuerez, and I am 20 years old. At a young age, I had to witness the separation of my parents, after which a family took me in since we did not have sufficient financial resources.
Continue reading “I now have a third family in Tandana to work for”
Interculturality gives us the opportunity to know other people better.
And in fact Ecuador is made up of different cultures which gives us the opportunity to enjoy a cultural diversity.
First, I want to say that I am almost finished with school. I’m in the last semester, and after several introductory workshops on painting, drawing and sculpture, I finally decided to focus more on painting since I like it better.
Continue reading “Painting a bright future for herself and her community”
In this video, Oumou Pamateck, a beneficiary of the Dr. Ash B. Varma Scholarship Program in Mali, shares her appreciation for the opportunities the scholarship provided her.
Continue reading “‘I’m very, very happy thanks to my studies’”
Dear members of The Tandana Foundation,
The purpose of this letter is to thank you for the university scholarship that I received. I felt very happy and grateful to know that I was selected as a beneficiary of the scholarship.
Continue reading “At 36, I’m finally achieving my dream of being a teacher”
I received a university scholarship from The Tandana Foundation that included 50% of financial aid to cover the costs of academic materials, transportation, and in the last semester, with half of my rent payment. In order to receive this aid, I shared the receipts or invoices for the expenses with Tandana, and they helped me with half of them. These expenses were generally for books and a new laptop that I purchased, among others.
Continue reading “From scholarship student in Ecuador to Fulbright teaching scholar in the U.S.”
In the letter below, Alexander Tuquerres shares about his academic journey and expresses his gratitude for The Tandana Foundation scholarship, which he writes has given him the potential of a very bright future.
Continue reading “A future full of possibilities”
Staying in school and obtaining a professional career is not easy in Mali, and it’s even harder for girls. A combination of the country’s financial, political, and food instability as well as gender inequalities have caused enrollment and literacy rates to be among the lowest in the world.
Continue reading “Meet Tandana’s scholarship coordinator who herself experienced the challenges of pursuing education in Mali”
They may live in vastly different countries, oceans apart, but the post-secondary students soon found out they had much in common, including motivation, perseverance, and ambitious goals for what they wanted to achieve in life.
Continue reading “Tandana scholarship students in Ecuador and Mali sow seeds of intercultural friendship”
For Cindy Belén Perugachi Sinchico, the story of her education begins years before she was even born. Cindy’s parents, Rodrigo and Olga, married when they were 15. Immediately, they had to work to support themselves.
Continue reading “For a better future”
The opportunity to pursue higher education can be an important factor in whether people are able to pursue their dream jobs. That opportunity has been a long-time in the making for 35-year-old Elvia Magdalena Muenala López, a recipient of a scholarship from The Tandana Foundation in Ecuador.
In the letter below, hear from the nontraditional university student about how the scholarship is opening doors to landing her dream career as an educator in her community.
Continue reading “This scholarship student proves it’s never too late to achieve your dreams”
In exchange for financial support for their education, recipients of The Tandana Foundation’s post-secondary scholarships are required to contribute their skills in the form of service to benefit their community. For scholarship recipient Fernando Lascano, community service is at the forefront of his mission to become a lawyer.
In the letter below, Fernando shares about his University journey, along with thanking Tandana and his sponsors for enabling him to pursue his dreams through education.
Continue reading “This scholarship student and soon-to-be lawyer is ready to help his community”
Helping to fill a void for trained healthcare providers in rural Mali, several students in the Ash B. Varma, M.D. Scholarship Program are well on their way to becoming needed medical professionals. Thanks to the scholarship support, the students, who are enrolled in professional training programs, are learning important skills and gaining experience caring for patients.
Continue reading “Four Ash B. Varma, M.D. scholars report on their experiences over the past year”
In recognition of The Tandana Foundation’s 15th anniversary, we are creating 15 videos featuring cherished members of the organization’s global family. Published in a series of 15 posts on this blog, these videos will highlight key aspects of Tandana’s philosophy, community partnerships, and impactful work that has been done, along with projects still in progress. The videos will serve as a meaningful way to reflect back on what has been accomplished in 15 years as well as provide insight into the Tandana’s future in the next 15 years.
Continue reading “Celebrating 15 Years of Intercultural Friendship: Meet Ñusta – A Tandana Scholar”
Last year, The Tandana Foundation welcomed 18 motivated and inspiring students into its first cohort of students in the Dr. Ash B. Varma, M.D. Scholarship Program in Mali. Made possible by a generous gift from Dr. Ash B. Varma, M.D., the new scholarship program helps students from rural Mali learn professions that are very needed in the rural communities, such as healthcare and agrofrestry.
Continue reading “Hear from six more Dr. Ash B. Varma, M.D. Scholarship students”
My full name is Cindy Belen Perugachi Sinchico, and I am from the community of Yambiro. I am studying advertising at the Tecnica del Norte University in Ibarra. I am 19 years old, and I am of indigenous nationality (Kichwa). With all my heart I hope that you and your whole family are doing very well, and also that all your dreams and goals become possible because with the help of God everything is possible.
Continue reading “A scholarship recipient who is determined to be a prestigious businesswoman”
Lady Pazmiño, a university student who received a scholarship from The Tandana Foundation, wrote the following letter. In the letter, Lady describes what she accomplished during a semester last year, including an impactful new role she took on as a teacher for children with learning disabilities, and shares her thanks for the support of her academic journey.
Continue reading “A scholarship student advances her learning – and helps others learn too”Hello everyone, I am happy to say hello in this new year. I want to say that I have been studying virtually for three semesters, that is, since the pandemic began. It has not been easy at all, but I have gotten used to it. In 2021, I finished one semester in April and started a new one in June.
