Today's story line

REPORTERS ON THE JOB...

FINDING A GIRL IN SCHOOL: The Monitor's Robert Marquand started thinking about the three-part series on Indian education last year. He'd just written a story about the correlation between educated women and low-birth rates in the state of Kerala. He went to Rajasthan (where only 2 in 10 girls reach the eighth grade) and spoke with two teenage girls he considered candidates for the series. But when he returned six months later, both were no longer in school. "They'd married," says Bob. He found the subject of today's piece after interviewing several girls at an all-girls school.

DISASTER RELIEF...

SECOND SALVADOR QUAKE: Following El Salvador's second major earthquake in a month, villagers along the Pan American Highway yesterday strung paper signs across the road reading: "We need help," "We need food," and "We need water," reports The Associated Press.

Medical centers throughout the country - already overwhelmed by the thousands injured in last month's quake - could not handle the additional victims from Tuesday's 6.6-magnitude temblor. In San Salvador, the maternity hospital was evacuated to make way for quake victims. New mothers and their infants were in the street.

Nations around the world provided help after January's quake, which caused an estimated $1 billion in damage. Any signs of compassion fatigue? "No. Donations have been steady since the first quake and are picking up again. People are responding," says Kami Carey at Catholic Relief Services.

Some of the aid organizations collecting money for relief efforts:

ACCION International

(617) 492-4930

CARE

800-521-CARE

Church World Service

800-297-1516

Oxfam America

800-776-9326

Relief Fund of The First Church of Christ, Scientist

800-288-7155

Save the Children

800-728-3843

For a longer list of relief agencies, go to csmonitor.com

SURVIVORS' MEAL: Residents of San Miguel Tepezonte, El Salvador.

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