This history of One Life at a Time (OLAAT) in Central America dates back to 2003. Following service efforts after Hurricane Mitch in 1998, a plan was formed to meet the needs of the people burdened with the darkness of crushing poverty through education. A school was established for the purpose of producing specific skills for the local job market. Subsequently, OLAAT’s Business Institute of Technology (BIT) was born to meet this critical training need.

Twenty-five students made up the first graduating class in 2003. The happy and grateful graduates learned English, became skilled in Microsoft applications.  All 25 students participating in the initial program obtained jobs at the end of the year-long curriculum and their employers were impressed at the practical skills the graduates possessed. Their salaries were multiples of their families’ prior incomes! They had broken the chains of poverty forever in a single generation.

Since 2003, three schools have been founded, staffed and have now educated more than 2,000 students.  The results have been exceptional! Post graduation has resulted in compensation that allows many to live with dignity.

Simply stated, BIT it is working beyond our expectations!