In an earlier post we talked about how your donations are used in Thailand, but what about in Guatemala? While our programs in Thailand get more popularity due to the volunteers we take on, our Guatemala programs are almost exclusively funding based and donation fueled.
So again, and for those of you who have and continue to donate specifically to Guatemala, THANK YOU! Your contributions make a world of difference to the impact we can both create and support in our Guatemala programs.
Each year in January, Children of the Americas provides free medical services, including surgeries, to children and women from around Guatemala. Local leaders in the Chajul community Gaspar and his wife Maria Teresa seek out women and children living in poverty and most in need of medical care. So far we have had two successful club foot repairs and they are all set to return again to help more people in January 2020.
A special thank you to the “Margarita Five”. The Margarita Five were all nursing students together and send funds annually to support medical services in Guatemala. These ladies are such strong pillars in our ability to support Gaspar and Maria Teresa in their mission to take those most in need to the medical jornada!
Their funds have also supported a medical clinic in Nuevo Santa Rosa that serves the most needy, as well as the nursing education of a woman in Chajul who is now providing critical well child health care in the Chajul health clinic.
Mundo Exchange works alongside local leaders and educators to seek out and support exceptional students who show a desire to further their studies, give back to their community, and are in the most need of financial support. At the moment we are sponsoring Marta, Mateo, and Brandon to pursue higher education. We are also sponsoring several middle school and elemenary school students.
MARTA
Marta is just finishing her high school studies and wishes to pursue her studies with the goal of becoming a medical lab technician. Mundo has been supporting Marta since junior high, and we are excited to continue sponsorship and watch her develop her skills!
MATEO
Driven by his desire to protect his peoples’ rights, Mateo has always wanted to be a lawyer so he could advocate for his town with the most impact. We have supported Mateo through his studies since junior high, and we are beyond happy to announce that he has just completed his studies to become a lawyer! Mateo is now working on all the post exams, three of which are very difficult. We wish him all the best on these exams and are so proud of everything he has accomplish so far.
BRANDON
Brandon is one of our newest scholarship students, and he is in his very first year of forensic studies. Brandon lives with his mother and grandmother, traveling to study at university on the weekends. He has always been iterested in forensics and he hopes to eventually be a crime investigor. We’re excited to help him pursue his dreams!
Mundo has been almost the sole financial supporter of CEMIK, a school dedicated to giving young children living in poverty a free education in both Spanish and their native Mayan Ixil language. The school not only covers basic education but also teaches the children about their Mayan heritage as well as indigenous rights. As well as providing a free education, CEMIK students receive a nutritious lunch and snack, oftentimes the only nutritious meal they will eat that day.
Many students who started out in CEMIK, including students like Marta, Brandon, and Mateo, would not have the opportunity to learn and pursue their dreams without the funding from Mundo and you, our donors!
Your donations support an ongoing adult literacy program that focuses on adult education, no matter what age! Mundo and our Guatemala partners understand the importance and value of aquiring literacy. maths, and other educational daily life skills.
We are empowering women and girls by partnering with and supporting a local group called Amachajul. Amachajul is a local nonprofit striving to improve the quality of life for the Maya community various projects involving gender equality, self sufficiency through agriculture, and education. This group has been trained and certified by Days for Girls in sewing washable menstural kits and providing education and training to women, girls, and boys about reproductive health and rights. The training is both in Ixil language and culturally specific, maximizing it’s effectiveness.