October 18, 2018
Our presentation/fundraiser on October 7th at the Italian Cultural Center was a great success. There was a group of about 32 interested people who attended. It also met one of Project Quetzal’s goals of providing an educational forum for the community and donors.
The program consisted of the introduction of Board Members and people who were key in helping organize the event; Project Quetzal’s beginning; a timeline of the events that let to Guatemala’s 36-year civil; the Peace Accords; a discussion of malnutrition; how all of these factors have led to the extent of Guatemala’s problems; and, finally, how Project Quetzal is addressing these issues.
PQ started fundraising in May and has reached its goal of supporting 4 projects—a preschool, 2 after-school tutoring programs for 1st and 2nd graders, and a weaving coop which allows mothers to earn money to pay for uniforms, books, and buy more nutritious food.
We are in Guatemala right now and have already met with 2 of our teachers and visited their classrooms. It was important for us to come at this time since the school year ends here late October.
We received a warm welcome from the children at Elba’s preschool in Patzicia with lots of hugs, smiles, and drawings. A group of 6 mothers presented us with a photo of the children, and each of them stood up and spoke about how happy they were that their children had the opportunity to go to preschool. They were thankful for the teacher, for Project Quetzal’s support, and for the knowledge of the importance of good nutrition and education for their children that they have received.
Next we visited Rosa and her after-school tutorial program for 1st and 2nd graders. Kikoten is the name of the small public school in San Andres. It is one of 22 schools in Guatemala that receives funding to focus on Mayan traditions. The Maya language, Kaqchikel, is taught there, along with the Mayan calendar, culture, legends, and respect for the environment. The children in our tutoring program are eager to learn, but need this extra attention in order to pass to the next grade. In Guatemala, children who do not pass 1st or 2nd grade generally do not continue their education.
We still need funding for classroom materials, and nutritional drinks to ensure that all the children in the program and their younger siblings receive a vitamin drink each day. We would also like to add at least one more preschool and one more after-school program for 2019. If you would like to contribute to Project Quetzal to help these wonderful kids have some hope for their future, please go to our Donate page.
Remember that it is people like you who make this work possible, and every dollar goes to help fund a project.
- The cost of funding a preschool teacher for 1 year – $1,500
- The cost of funding a tutorial program for 1 year – $900
- The cost of materials for 1 program for 1 year – $300
Other donations can cover nutritious snacks and vitamin drinks.
The photos are of the preschool and the after-school tutorial program.
(After School Program)