The Brookline Sister City Project began in 1985, Maxine Shaw was living and teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Quezalguaque. Friends from Brookline visited, saw the need and began sending down school supplies. They also undertook other small projects, such as purchasing a school cow to provide milk for Maxine’s youngest students.

In 1987, largely through the efforts of Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member John Bassett, an official Sister City relationship was established through Town Meeting and the Board of Selectmen.

In the early years of the project, donations were tax deductible thanks to the generosity of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and later the Brookline Community Fund. In September, 2002 we received IRS recognition as a 501C3 charity, complete with our own tax exempt number!