Project Amigo, Jenna Saldaña

Project Amigo was founded by California businessman Ted Rose, who visited the Mexican state of Colima near Mexico’s Pacific coast in 1984 to climb a volcano, took the wrong bus, and found himself in an impoverished village, Cofradia de Suchitlan. That experience led him and his wife, Susan, to move there to provide a helping hand for poor children to break the bonds of poverty. Project Amigo became a US 501(c)(3) charity in 1996 with headquarters in Novato, California. In 2000, Ted (now a member of the Colima Rotary Club) received Rotary’s Service above Self award.

Current Executive Directors are Jenna and Alex Saldaña. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University, and her husband, Alex, graduated from the University of Queretaro. They married in 2006 and have two daughters aged 7 & 5. Project Amigo has 17 staff members, all Mexican citizens and some of them graduates of its educational programs.

The students are children of local farmworkers who have few educational opportunities. 119 scholarships were given out in the current year, 49 for Junior High, 31 for High School and 39 for University study. Some have gone on to Law School or Medical School. Each prospective case is reviewed for interest and potential. Volunteers are invited to go there for Humanitarian Service Weeks during the Year: Learning Spanish, Literacy & Environment, Holiday Fiesta, & English Tutoring. (Our member Marylyn Klaus presented a program on Project Amigo to us several years ago; she sponsored a student there who went on to law school and professional practice, and is married.) Project Amigo’s website is http://www.projectamigo.org/. Sponsors and donations are welcomed.