The Official BECA Blog

July Newsletter from BECA

2011-07-01T04:51:00.000-06:00

is now available for viewing.

Enjoy.

The Best Way to Keep up to Date with BECA

2011-06-30T06:03:00.002-06:00

We have been regularly updating our Facebook page to update people on our activities in Nicaragua. As a result, we are planning to phase out the English version of the BECA Blog.

Don't forget BECA the Spanish version of Facebook too!

BECA June Newsletter is here!

2011-06-01T21:55:00.000-06:00

Clic HERE to read the BECA June 2011 newsletter!

BECA (Tries to) Expand to Two More Cities

2011-05-31T05:28:00.000-06:00

BECA Marketing efforts are underway in Matagalpa and in Esteli.

Our goal is to run pilots of the BECA program in 2011 in each municipality. If they are successful, we will remain and continue to work in those cities.

To follow along, check out the (Spanish) blogs of the coordinators: Melida Madrigal (Esteli) and Rosa Mendoza (Matagalpa). The BECA Nicaragua facebook page also carries regular updates.

BECA May Newsletter is here!

2011-05-01T12:21:00.000-06:00

Clic HERE to read the BECA May 2011 newsletter!

Community Service

2011-04-29T21:38:00.000-06:00

Just check out the lastest volunteers activities we did this month:

1. Painting a school
2.Donating blood.

BECA April Newsletter is here!

2011-04-01T14:54:00.002-06:00

Clic HERE to read the BECA April 2011 newsletter!

Welcome Ms. Melida Madrigal

2011-03-06T10:43:00.000-06:00

BECA is proud to announce the appointment of Nicaraguan Melida Madrigal to the position of Assistant Director BECA.org, Nicaragua.

Congratulations, Melida.

Melida is from Estelí. You can catch her blog here.

BECA March Newsletter is Here!

2011-03-01T14:03:00.000-06:00

Click here to read the BECA March 2011 newsletter.

In Case You Missed It - new BECA Spanish Facebook Page

2011-02-13T16:32:00.000-06:00

In case you missed it, a couple of months ago BECA created a second Facebook fan page.

It's in Spanish, it's called "Amigos de BECA"

It's worth following if you have a decent handle of Spanish.

Why?

All of the blogs of all BECA staff members in Nicaragua are automatically posted there.

BECA Newsletter - February 2011

2011-02-01T06:36:00.000-06:00

Click here to read the BECA Feb 2011 newsletter.

Where is Spain?

2011-01-22T11:26:00.000-06:00

BECA now has donors from 13 countries.

In alphabetical order: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Ireland, Kuwait, Netherlands, Nicaragua, United Arab Emirates, United States.

One glaring omission. Where the heck is Spain?

BECA really wants to know.

We think that if someone from Spain doesn't chip in soon, we should change the symbolic flag on our website that indicates the Spanish language option.

And if you know someone from Spain, tell them to lob a couple of Euros this way. And preserve their flag.

BECA Welcomes Ms. Nubia Granja

2011-01-15T08:21:00.000-06:00

BECA.org Nicaragua is happy to welcome Ms. Nubia Granja, Director of Institutional Relations, to its team.

Huh? Why does BECA need someone like that?

BECA's mission is to create opportunities for Nicaraguan high school grads who can't afford to keep going to school.

It has become obvious to us that after almost three years toiling away on the program, we need to do more to make an impact.

In other words, other things have got to change around here. Things like - transportation policy.

Students should pay less for public transport in Nicaragua. But they don't.

As a result, in 2011 transportation costs eat up almost 60% of every BECA.org scholarship dollar.

Enter Ms. Granja. She's gonna be busy with this and other projects, mostly pertaining to stuff outside of the scholarship program.

Oh yeah. She has a blog, in case you're interested.

Thanks for joining us, Nubia. We're very happy to have you.

BECA Welcomes Kuwait

2010-12-28T08:18:00.000-06:00

BECA would like to welcome its first sponsor from Kuwait.

He/she has requested to remain anonymous.

Nevertheless, we know that won't stop BECA

student Johana Salinas from saying "Shokran."

That makes 13 countries (and counting).

15 Last Minute Christmas Ideas

2010-12-22T06:56:00.002-06:00

Give the Gift of Education this Holiday Season

Thank you Arnold, Eugene, and Suzy/Brock

2010-12-15T09:27:00.000-06:00

May the BECA "Sponsorship Season" begin.

Two more students have been sponsored for 2011.

15 students to go!

Thanks to Suzy, Eugene, and Arnold for getting us started.

BECA Launches "Give an Eggnog Latte" Fundraising Campaign

2010-12-10T08:02:00.000-06:00

"A fun, funky campaign . . . and a great way to create awareness." (New York Times, 10 December 2010)

"Amazingly creative." (The Globe and Mail, 9 December 2010)

"I only wish I would have thought of that." (Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 2006)

Well, not quite. BECA could only dream for mentions like that.

The official campaign web page: www.beca.org/latte.html

The official campaign video:

Where is Walter?

2010-11-26T11:58:00.000-06:00

or his blog, at least?

BECA shuffled its blogs around a couple of months ago.

A couple of you have written in looking for (BECA founder) Walter's blog. (God only knows why!)

The "Official BECA Blog" is now this one. Walter has been, hmmm, demoted to second tier status, but remains at the top of the BECA Blogs directory -- at least for now.

So . . . if you want to stay up to date with the latest breaking exciting news and developments about BECA, come back and visit us here.

And . . . if you want to read about chickens, you can stick with Walter here.

P.S. Yep. Walter actually is in the graphic above.

BECA Now Has Two Donation Options

2010-11-16T13:49:00.000-06:00

Over the last year, we received a few complaints about Google Checkout.

It's the way people donate to us online.

It turns some people off that they have to set up a Google Account to donate to BECA. And that is understandable.

Well we listened and have set up a second option. On those donations, we have to pay a 3% commission.

Nevertheless, paying 3% is better than scaring away potential donors.

If you are one of those people that has access to both, please continue with Google. They don't charge BECA anything.

Nueva Página de FACEBOOK para Nicaragüenses

2010-11-06T07:26:00.000-06:00

A BECA le gustaría anunciar a un nueva página de FACEBOOK para nicaragüenses: http://www.facebook.com/BECANicaragua

Queremos construir a una comunidad nacional de personas de modo de pensar similar.

Las personas que creen en nuestra misión que cada serio bachiller nica vale una oportunidad para mantenerse estudiando.

Moreoever, la página estará en español y presentará las entradas del blog de Antonio Rodriguez, Director de BECA Nicaragua.

Por favor únase a nosotros. Juntos podemos hacer una diferencia.

* * *

BECA would like to announce a new Facebook page for Nicaraguans: http://www.facebook.com/BECANicaragua

It is in our interest to build a national community of like-minded people.

People who believe in our mission that every serious Nicaraguan high school graduate deserves an opportunity to keep studying.

Moreoever, the page will be in Spanish and will feature the blog posts of BECA Director, Antonio Rodriguez.

Please join us.

2010 BECA Student Survey Results

2010-10-24T16:27:00.000-06:00

BECA recently polled its active students -- via an anonymous online survey -- about their experience this year with BECA. The response rate was pretty good, about 84%.

If you understand Spanish, the results are here for all to see.

Click the image to be directed to the Survey results page

He Came, He Chatted, He Went

2010-10-14T15:44:00.000-06:00

BECA had the pleasure of a visitor in September.

Mr. David Ward from the United States came to check BECA out. We took advantage of the situation by introducing him to two BECA students who speak decent English: Nosbal Carranza and Edgard Castillo.

After a couple of hours chatting, Nosbal decided that he wants to study derivatives and high finance instruments.

(Just kidding.)

Thanks a lot, David.

David Ward (R.) explains Wall Street to BECA student Nosbal Carranza (L.)

BECA Has a Baby (The Sequel)

2010-10-12T20:30:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to BECA student Eliezer Alvarado and his wife on their newborn.

Not the first baby born to a BECA student however. That honor belongs to Arlen Obando.

BECA Fundraiser in North Carolina

2010-09-27T17:22:00.001-06:00

Let's hear it for Brian Alvo - ex-executive director of BECA (try saying that fast five times).

In case you didn't know, Brian is currently doing his MBA at Duke.

But he hasn't forgotten about BECA.

Last Thursday (Sep 16th), Brian hosted a social to raise awareness (and some dinero) for BECA.

Muchas gracias.

BECA YouTube News

2010-09-17T15:01:00.000-06:00

BECA's YouTube Channel just got a new look. ¡Ay Caramba!

BECA Fast Fact: Where do Sponsors Live?

2010-09-12T14:11:00.000-06:00

as at Sunday, September 12, 2010

BECA Sponsor Country	Count
Australia	2
Belgium	5
Canada	30
Colombia	1
Costa Rica	4
France	2
Germany	1
Ireland	2
Netherlands	1
Nicaragua	1
United Arab Emirates	1
United States	71
TOTAL	121

BECA's first Video Blog

2010-09-07T13:03:00.003-06:00

BECA student Nosbal Carranza started studying English two months ago.

In a first for BECA, Nosbal will be keeping a video blog in English for those of us who are interested in following his progress.

You can read -- errr, watch -- his first posting here. Not too shabby for only two months, Nosbal!