CONAPAC Conservacion de la Naturaleza Amazonica del Perú A.C.

The Adopt-A-School Program provides educational materials and supplies for schools in rural Amazonia through donations from individuals, schools and organizations in the United States and around the world.

The program supports a variety of schools ranging from one-room schoolhouses to combined kindergarten, primary and secondary schools in the rainforest. Although education is a high priority in Peru, the government is unable to supply these schools with adequate educational materials. Rural schools rarely have textbooks, reading materials, maps, charts, or reference materials for teachers and students. Education is free but students are required to purchase their own notebooks, rulers, pens, and pencils, which is an almost impossible financial burden for most rural families and their children.

The Adopt-a-School Program encourages intercultural awareness and exchanges of friendship and goodwill among Peruvians and people from around the world. Participants are encouraged to send letters or posters about themselves and their culture along with photos to their Peruvian counterparts. In return, they will receive artwork and photos from Peru providing a personal glimpse into a rich and diverse heritage. The Adopt-a-School Program is organized through cooperative efforts between Conservacion de la Naturaleza Amazonica del Peru (CONAPAC), a Peruvian non-profit organization, and the Detroit Zoological Society, a registered non-profit U.S. 501 (c) 3 organization.

The Adopt-a-School Program continues to be highly successful. During the U.S. 2007-2008 school year, our 15th year of support, donations provided more than 4,200 students and teachers with educational materials and training in over 115 schools in rural communities along the Amazon and Napo Rivers. There are still many children in need and your support is critical to continue to serve several more schools in the Upper Amazon Basin in 2009. Your support has a significant impact toward the protection and preservation of the Peruvian rainforest, its wildlife, and its culture.

To give your support for this program, please read the enclosed guidelines on the following page, complete the attached form, and return it with your payment to the attention of Adopt-A-School Program at the Detroit Zoological Society. Please make sure that your payment is in U.S. dollars made payable to the Detroit Zoological Society. Thank you. For more information, please contact:

Claire Lannoye	Pam Bucur de Arévalo
Education Specialist Detroit Zoological Society 248-541-5717 ext. 3803 , FAX 248-542-4465 clannoye@dzs.org	Educational Projects Coordinator CONAPAC P.O. Box 446, Iquitos, Peru conapac@explorama.com

100% of your donation to the Adopt-A-School Program goes toward the purchase of supplies for student, teacher and school packets, teacher workshops and conservation projects in the communities. Participant fees from the Conservation Expedition to deliver the supplies, funding and staffing from the Detroit Zoo, and the generous donation of transportation, staff, food, and lodging from Explorama Lodges support the operational costs of the program.

Amazon Rainforest Adopt-A-School Guidelines

Individuals, schools and organizations are welcome to participate in the Adopt-a-School Program. Donations for operational support in any amount are also welcome.

To Sponsor One (1) Peruvian School Group

1. Donate to the program by FEBRUARY 1, 2009.
2. Send to the Detroit Zoological Society
ATTN:Adopt-A-School Program

a. US $350.00 donation to purchase school supplies in Peru.

b. An optional letter written in Spanish, pictures, or a poster if you would like to introduce yourself to the school. (Posters will be folded or rolled for shipping to Peru.)

Sponsors of School Groups Will Receive:

The name and location of the school where you have adopted a school group;
A list of the supplies purchased for the school;
Photos of the students, teacher and school taken during the delivery ceremony;
Artwork created for you by the students of your adopted school group;

Sent to you by June 1, 2009.
(Due to their size, some schools will receive multiple sponsors.)

To Sponsor One (1) Peruvian School Child

1. Donate to the program by FEBRUARY 1, 2009.
2. Send to the Detroit Zoological Society,
ATTN: Adopt-A-School Program.

a. US $20.00 donation to purchase school supplies for one child.

Although many people have offered to send school supplies to Peru, we cannot accept them for the following reasons:

The mail service to Peru is not dependable, and often it is necessary to pay customs fees up to 100% of the value of the items to release them from the customs office;
The money spent purchasing and shipping these items can be better spent on supplies purchased in Peru where they are less expensive;
Purchasing locally made products helps the Peruvian economy and ensures that materials will fit into the standardized system of Peruvian education.
NOTE: The only exception is softcover children’s books written in Spanish. If you wish to donate children’s books written in Spanish (not books in English to learn Spanish), please contact us.

We are looking forward to continuing this exciting project in 2009, and to the opportunity to make our world a little smaller and a little brighter for children and educators. Thank you very much for your interest in and generous support of the conservation and protection of the rainforest through the Amazon Rainforest Adopt-a-School Program.

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