The New School

The ‘new school,’ which opened just over 2 years ago, is finally in operation.  We’ve helped get the school ready to welcome the children back during this pandemic by supplying thermometers and hand sanitizer stations in the classrooms for students.  The principal has written and said how grateful he and the teachers are for our help.

New school thermometer

But the school is still experiencing birthing pains: a malfunctioning septic tank, insufficient water and electricity. We have been poised to help out with some much-needed equipment including a copy machine and computers, but have been waiting for the electrical problems to be resolved. Once again, we breathe a sigh of relief that we have this wonderful couple – Candelaria and Gregorio – watching over the project. Gregorio helped solve the water problem, and began working on the electricity, hiring an electrical contractor to go over all the connections in the school. It was discovered that some of the wires had been wrongly connected. Then it was found that the whole immediate neighbourhood had electrical problems caused by 2 burned-out transformers and a welding business that periodically drew huge amounts of electricity. Gregorio is now working with the electricity-provider to try to correct all of this. 

In the meantime, the school is facing problems caused by the COVID-mandated requirement for smaller classes. The large space intended for a ‘computer room’ is now being used as a classroom. The school principal is asking if ICO could provide materials to construct 2 additional classrooms on the roof, with the idea that parents will do most of the labour. This is Guatemala – a land where nobody expects the government to do much of anything. To learn more about Guatemalan schools click here: 

La Casita in the Spring

Since we last updated you, lots has been happening in San Antonio Palopó. The extension to La Casita was opened, old furniture moved around and new furniture ordered, and the local carpenter is building book cases. With increased space, new classes have sprouted up. Antonio, our techie scholarship student, has started a computer class for adults in the evenings. Ana Olivia, the part-time coordinator, has begun a class for mothers of students who use the Casita, stressing the importance of encouraging their kids in their studies, and offering strategies for them to earn a little income and become more empowered. 

Empowerment for women is a big issue here. Alcoholism among men, and domestic violence, are common. Recently, two of the scholarship students – 15- and 16-year old girls – ran away from home. When they were finally found, it emerged that both of them had found living at home unbearable. One family was able – with the help of Candelaria, our wonderful administrator – to sort out their problems. In the other case, 16-year-old Candi refused to return to a family where an abusive alcoholic father spent all the family income and erupted into violence every night, throwing things and threatening the family. Candelaria was able to find a safe place in Panajachel for Candi, her mother, and younger brother to live and receive a small income for cleaning the building. Candi and her brother are now attending school in Panajachel, and our group of volunteers is once more feeling grateful for the commitment of Candelaria and her husband Gregorio to go above and beyond.

Lidya working with a group of children

Other developments at the La Casita include a change in staff. Evelyn, the fulltime teacher who has worked at the Casita for the past 3 years, was offered and accepted a teaching job in her home village, some distance away from San Antonio. After going through a process of interviewing outside candidates, it was decided that the best option was to promote our assistant teacher, Lidya, up to head teacher, and to hire one of the university scholarship students, Alma, to be her assistant. Lidya – who started at the Casita with just her highschool certificate – has now earned her 3-year teaching certificate, and is continuing her studies to earn her 5-year advanced certificate. She has really grown with the job. Alma has 2 years of teacher training, and has already been working as a volunteer with groups of kids at the Casita. We’re pleased that both of these creative and energetic young women are being given the chance to shine. As always, the senior scholarship students pitch in to help with everything from gardening to tutoring, and right now we have a university intern with lots of creative ideas.  

COVID seems to have settled down; there are still some cases, but fewer than before, and tourists are starting to come back – a great boon to this town of weavers and potters. Schools, which were one of the last things to open – have finally begun in-person classes once more. However, classes are shorter and smaller. San Antonio schools have adopted a hybrid plan, with half the classes being in person and half by distance. This means that the Casita continues to operate at top capacity, with lots of kids needing help with assignments.

Even with the new extension, there
are kids in every corner, working
reading, using the computers

Meantime, all the regular programs – learning assistance for kids, lunches for the Ancianas, extra classes for scholarship students, sewing classes, computer classes – continue.  This bustling little centre is doing all it can to improve lives in this small corner of Guatemala.

Noe, a university education intern, leads the 
children in an energising break

We also thought that you might find some of our scholarship student’s life stories interesting.  This is a brief, edited version of Veronica’s biography that she originally wrote in Spanish:

Santa Verónica Xòc Díaz

Veronica

Santa Verónica Xòc Díaz is 16 years old, born on October 8, 2005 in San Antonio Palopó.  Her parents are Santos Xòc Cúmez  50 years old and Martina Díaz Cúmez 48 years old. They are both illiterate because they did not have the opportunity to study due to lack of economic resources.  She has a sister and two brothers.

She started the pre-primary level of school at the age of 6 and received her 6^th diploma at the age of 12.  She is the only one in the family that likes to study and has started the Basic level of study with the support of her parents but they lack economic resources.   The pandemic has left her with many experiences.  Her classes were online which she had to follow on her brother’s cell phone often losing the signal connection.  She was able to finish her 3^rd Basic level. She recognizes the importance of studying since she understands how tough it is for her parents.  She wants to study and change the course of her parent’s lives.  She likes studying communication and language and her goal is to be able to speak English 100% so that she can help people.  She would love to teach the English language to young people and children so that they can be trilingual.

Thank you, once again, for all your support.