As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to think about what Project Quetzal has accomplished this year. Children attended 9 preschools in different small villages in rural Guatemala. Students in 1st and 2nd grades who needed extra help were able to attend one of our 4 after-school tutorial programs.Teachers attended 3 trainings to help them gain even more skills. Project Quetzal also supports a small weaving group and an embroidery class with materials to help women continue their art while earning money to contribute to their family’s income. We had two fundraising events: our first and very successful online auction, and a Mexican cooking class which was fun and delicious. Our Latin American Crafts Sale got rained out, but we plan to reschedule in January. Of course, the most exciting part for us was our two month-long visits to Guatemala. The children are amazing and actively engaged in all of the wonderful child-centered activities. It brings tears to our eyes to see them picking up books and practicing reading or beginning to read. It’s wonderful seeing the teachers in action and to see how confident they have become and how much they love what they are doing. We knew that the children would benefit from having the educational opportunity to attend preschool, but we didn’t realize how much the teachers would also gain from this opportunity. We’re asking for your support in 2023 to continue our projects in the highlands of rural Guatemala. Your donations pay for our teachers’ salaries, trainings and educational materials. Every penny of your donation goes towards our projects in Guatemala. Project Quetzal has no employees, no buildings, and no cars to finance; and we personally cover all overhead and travel costs. Let’s keep our schools up and running next year and the Mayan children learning!! Your donations are the key to making that happen. It’s easy! Donate on our website: www.project-quetzal.org or mail a check to: 1016 Humboldt Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Project Quetzal is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit.
