September 2024 Newsletter
Maria Lida Foundation Newsletter Update
Greetings from our teams in Ecuador and the United Sates! As always, we are filled with gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication to our mission.
It has been some time since our last newsletter and we have exciting news to share with you! I just returned from a trip from Ecuador. This visit was a vital part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen our partnerships and further our initiatives in the region. During this trip, I was excited to meet with our Interim Country Director, Chris. Chris joined us in January with a year commitment to MLF before he begins a program in the United States. I was also able to meet with many others and help our 2023 raffle winner, Jim Turner, explore Ecuador for the first time!
In other news, we are thrilled to announce that our sixth cohort of English classes is well underway. We are committed to providing our students with the resources and support they need to succeed, and we couldn't do it without your help.
Looking ahead, we are excited to share that our team put together a proposal for a large cardiology association. to host a conference in the Galapagos Islands in January 2026. We are delighted to share that the cardiology association liked the proposal and approved to have this large conference in the Galapagos Islands! This conference will bring approximately 100 cardiologists and 100 of their family members (200 people total) to Ecuador. Our vision for this conference is to boost the local economy, showcase the beauty of Ecuador and encourage future tourism. It has always been our desire to use tourism as a means of economic development in Ecuador, and we believe that this conference will help us accomplish that.
Thank you once again for your continued support and belief in our mission. I am grateful to God for all of you!
God Bless,
Shannon Turner
Founder and CEO
MLF Team Member Spotlight
Chris is serving as our interim Country Director through the end of the year. "I think helping people has always been a part of what makes us humans, so I have always been so happy to help people in anything that I can do. MLF has given me this opportunity to help the people in Alausí.”
We are so thankful to Chris for his great work this year and wish him well in his future endeavors! Our team is actively recruiting for our next Country Director. If you know of anyone who is interested in using education, tourism and business for positive social impact please contact us at admin@marialidafoundation.org for more information about the position.
2026 Cardiology Conference
We are delighted to share that a major cardiology conference has selected the Galapagos Islands as the venue for their January 2026 event! It has been a significant effort to coordinate the logistics of accommodating approximately 100 physicians and 100 of their family members (200 people total), but we are glad we were able to make it happen. It is also our vision to offer the conference guests an additional option to stay in Ecuador longer and explore the mountain region including Alausí. We hope this conference will set a precedent for future professional conferences in Ecuador, and will help in expanding our footprint in the Country.
Please join me in congratulating our founder and CEO, Shannon Turner, for receiving this distinguished award!
“The illustrious municipality of Villa De San Pedro. When commemorating the bicentennial of cantonization of the canton of San Pedro de Alausí, inspired by the values and characteristics that define us as an intercultural, patrimonial society and Pueblo Mágico, we pay a fair tribute of recognition to the social work of Shannon Turner, who represents the María Lida foundation, for her invaluable support in social cases. Thank you for making a positive impact on the community possible with each gesture of generosity.”
Ryan's ASK Program
We are currently seeking a few more scholarships for our Ryan's Ask program. This program sponsors children to attend the local San Fransisco De Sales School. The cost is $550 per student per year. If you would like to sponsor a student for the 2024/2025 school year, please click on the link below. Thank you so much for your generosity and support!
https://www.marialidafoundation.org/pages/ryans-ask-program
Save the Date
Support Our Cause
Contribute to our cause by clicking on the link below.
https://www.marialidafoundation.org/pages/donate-here
Your contributions will support:
- our Adult English program
- tourist and professional trips to Alausí and Ecuador
- tuition scholarships for children
- expansion of our business consulting and entrepreneur support services
The Maria Lida Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in which contributions may be tax-deductible.