Testimonials

This past spring break was my first trip down to Nicaragua, but it will not be my last. Everything about my trip was more than anything I ever expected it to be. The things I learned and saw and the people I met will be forever encapsulated in my heart. For the week that we were in Nicaragua, myself and a group of other students helped rebuild a school for the elementary students in La Ceiba. The moment we arrived at the school I fell in love with every single child I saw; their eyes screamed to me, and their expressionless faces tugged at my heart. While we were working they would bring us  hand drawn pictures torn from their school notebooks. I was later informed that these children can only use about one sheet a paper a day if they want it to last them the whole school year. So receiving these pictures brought a bittersweet feeling along with it. The last day we were there we were able to hand out packets of school supplies to each child in the
elementary and high school. These packets contained notebooks, pencils, rulers, and stickers that were donated by Operation Dream Seed. While building a school for these children was amazing, and you could tell that they were excited and grateful for it, being able to hand out these packets was the icing on the cake. It was something just for them; an intimate moment between you and child giving them what they need to better their education. My heart melted on this last day with the students, not because their faces were blank but because their smiles warmed me. As we drove off down that dirt road for the last time the kids waved with one hand while their other held tightly to their own packet of school supplies for another year.

-Meghan Cousins

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I want to thank Operation Dream Seed for their constant humanitarian efforts.   A bag of school supplies may seem insignificant, but to a child living in La Ceiba, it’s a precious gift.  After handing out these bags, I was shown a different sort of happiness.  Life has been hard for these children and gifts are certainly few and far between. In collecting school supplies, Operation Dream Seed gives these children a chance to hold something new in their hands, and learn and grow from it.  It may seem simple but to these children, it means the world.  Thank you so much for making life a bit easier in La Ceiba, and for allowing me to see the true happiness of a child.
Much love,
Carley Shimkus

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Dear Operation Dreamseed,

Thank you so much for your generous donation of school supplies for the students of Nicaragua.  I was blessed to be a participant in Quinnipiac's alternative spring break program to Nicaragua last year as well as this past March.  Last year I was not present while the supplies were being distributed to the students because I was working with teachers at a conference, so it was exciting to be there this year.  The packages of school supplies containing scissors, pencils, notebooks, crayons, and glue are very much appreciated by not only the students in Nicaragua, but the teachers and families as well.  While handing out the school supplies to the children, their eyes light up with joy because they are so thankful to be able to have materials to use.  The students and teachers that we work with have the passion and drive to succeed academically, however, without supplies, it is very difficult to put that knowledge to use. One day while working, another member of the agricultural team, Alissa, was approached by a young girl, Yeirda.  Yeirda handed Alissa a letter in which she explained that her family could not provide her with pencils or notebooks, and as a result, some of the other children occasionally teased her.  Unfortunately, children will always tease each other no matter where you live, but in Nicaragua, Yeirda's family could not afford to purchase materials for school.  After hearing this story, I was struck by how much these donations truly mean to the students.  We gave Yeirda's teacher extra materials for students like Yeirda, in hopes that it might sustain their needs until more materials can be provided. The donations provided to our organization for the students of Nicaragua made a difference for all the students who received them, especially Yeirda.  Using those materials, the students will be able to practice mathematics, writing, art, and science, but even more, give the students hope and drive to succeed.  Thank you for making a difference!

Christina Giani

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The idea of an "Alternative" Spring Break trip to Nicaragua is somewhat of a misnomer to those familiar with the Albert Schweitzer Institute at Quinnipiac University.   This "alternative" to the stereotypical Spring Break has taken on a life of its own.  The trip has opened the eyes of over 100 faculty and students.  A complete 180
degree transformation of ideals is not an uncommon experience for a delegate.  For six years now the Albert Schweitzer Institute at Quinnipiac University has given the opportunity to make a difference beyond our borders to a growing number of students and faculty.  The donations given to us by Operation Dreamseed have made a huge impact on the trip as well.  I have been fortunate to experience this trip every year and with each new delegation I see more and more hope for the future.  I have witnessed first hand unrelenting generosity towards those who are less fortunate than ourselves and handing out school supplies to the children is no exception.  These trips that I have been so fortunate to be a part of have given me the motivation to pursue my goals.

-Taylor Ives

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I want to thank Operation Dreamseed for making a very generous contribution to the children of Nicaragua. Seeing their smiles light up the schoolyard the day we passed out the supplies was one of the most amazing moments I have ever seen. They were beyond grateful and I was shocked at how excited they were to receive the most basic of supplies. You personally gave these children hope and the means to succeed. Receiving an education is the most powerful tool to help these children combat the struggles of poverty. I thank you so much for helping to make a difference.

Erin Sargent

  

Operation Dreamseed,

I would like to personally thank Operation Dreamseed for your more than generous donation to our humanitarian efforts in Nicaragua. Not only did you provide the 500 children of La Ceiba school supplies, but you instilled in them the precious commodity of hope, and the knowledge that there are people in this world that truly care. There have yet to be words invented that could possible come close to convey and describe the looks on these children's faces as they received their individual school supply packets; it's these very looks and expressions that will be engrained our my minds and hearts for eternity, and for that we can never thank you enough and are forever indebted. Your organization has inspired our entire delegation to do better, and most be importantly, to be better. Just to reiterate, thank you so much again. We are extremely proud to be affiliated with such an amazing philanthropic organization and hope that the relationship established between Operation Dreamseed and The Albert Schweitzer Institute continues to grow and flourish.

Truong M. Nguyen

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Dear Operation Dreamseed,

I wanted to thank you for your generous donation of school supplies to the children of Nicaragua. One of the highlights of the trip was when we had the unique opportunity to personally deliver the packages to the students and watch as excitement quickly filled the classroom. Your organization’s donation provided these students with tools for their education that they would not have been able to afford on their own.

Thank you again for making donations to Nicaraguan schools.
Kristin Zeto

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Thank you so much for your very generous contribution of school supplies. The day that we handed out the school supplies to all the children was one of the most memorable days of the trip. I can remember handing one student a bag of supplies, and he asked me if they were for him? It was as though he had never received a gift before, and was shocked that they were all for him. He had never even seen some of the supplies that were in the bag, like a glue stick. I welled up as the young boy explored all of the supplies in his bag with a huge smile on his face. Thank you again, for making a difference in my life, and in the lives of hundreds of students in Nicaragua, like this boy.

Jennifer Ellsworth

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The donation that Operation Dreamseed gave of school supplies truly brought a smile to so many Nicaraguan children. The experience I had of handing out these supplies to children was truly a memorable one. I can still remember the eyes full of excitement that were staring back at me with wide smiles on their faces. So many of the children in Nicaragua have so little and something as small as paper, glue, scissors, pencils and crayons truly made them feel like they were given the world. They showed their appreciation immediately by drawing us pictures and writing thank you notes to us. I was so amazed by their generosity. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me put a smile on so many young children’s faces.

Alissa Pacheco

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Operation Dreamseed,
Thank you so much for your wonderful donation of school supplies. With your help we were able to change the lives of more than 500 children in Nicaragua. It was a great feeling to be able to hand a bag of pens, pencils, crayons, and paper to someone and understand that they truly appreciated it. The bags of supplies that you donated might be their only source of school supplies for an entire year – but it will help them none the less. The light in a preschooler’s eyes when they realize that a box of crayons is really their own personal item is just amazing. Each child felt like they were important when we gave them a bag of school supplies – it was such a great experience. As a leader of this delegation, and a member of the past 5 delegations, I can honestly say that with your company’s help we – the Nicaragua Delegation – were able to reach out to so many more students than ever before. On behalf of all the Nicaraguan school children, thank you so much!

Kelsey B. Ives

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Dear Operation Dreamseed-
I was not present when the supplies were distributed unfortunately, because I was at a conference teaching the students’ teachers. Nevertheless, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for supplying these students with not just supplies, but with hope for a better future. I can help train the teachers as much as I can, but if there are no supplies for the students then my efforts are in effect, of little use.
I had the opportunity to sit at the tiny wooden desks with students and participate in their lesson. They were so eager to learn and so open to share with me. Some of the students noticed I wasn’t writing any notes, so a little boy Luis, age 6, handed me his only emaciated pencil to write with. Of course, I didn’t accept it, but to hold that little tiny sprig of a pencil in my hand made my heart hurt and I couldn’t bear to think what would happen when the sprig turned into nothing.
Thanks to your amazing efforts, two days later Luis received more than just a new pencil and I cannot express in words how much of an impact that makes on the students’ lives. Since I have no words to express the magnitude of the situation, I think the words of a student, Agueda Matute, say it all. Thank you again and please enjoy the poem!

With Much Appreciation,
Alison Marsh

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“De la Bondad y el Corazón”

De la bondad y el corazón
Nace una tierna canción
Dar la mano a un hermano
Y compartir una ilusión
Sentir que no hay Distancia
Ni Mares, ni continentes
Y Sentir que hay mucha gente.
Unida por el amor.
De la bondad y al vida
Nace un hermano, un amigo
Que con cariño y confianza
Puedo estrechar su mano.
-Agueda Matute, hija de Maestra Sonia Matute

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“From the Kindness of the Heart”

From the kindness of the Heart
A tender song is born
To touch the hand of a friend
And share an illusion.
To feel that there’s no Distance
Nor Seas, nor continents
And feel that there’s many people.
United by love.
From kindness and life
A brother is born, and a friend
That with care and trust
I can stretch to touch his hand.
- Agueda Matute, daughter of teacher Sonia Matute