As Luis Bourdet and Yefiny Mena continue their visits to our affiliated sites in Guatemala, Yefiny writes about the Casa Central School, where an inventive program is offering students the chance ot help others in their own communities.
In the heart of Guatemala City
“Casa Central is located in Guatemala City. At the moment, we have 69 children at this affiliation site. Our coordinator is Sor Alicia G. Morataya who is also assisted by Lisbet A. Martinez. Our children here attend different schools that go from primary to high school grade. Besides helping the children, they perform other tasks and social work like providing food for homeless people of the community once a week. The Casa Central School is located in the heart of Guatemala City and serves children from low-income families on the periphery of the city, mostly without a stable housing environment, permanent income, and steady provision of educational, nutritional, and health services. The Children Incorporated monthly support helps in the provision of food, school supplies, shoes, and clothing to the participant children,” said Yefiny.
“This with the purpose of getting them ready to attend local public schools, with very few attending low-cost private schools in the area. Participant children on the Children Incorporated program attend school education all the way from K to 12th grades, which may prepare them for skill training or for university. However, many are prepared here to initiate the arduous labor life, at least with a high school diploma, which was never available to their parents.”
The Center has some support from a local university by providing students to complete their required practicum, mostly in the Social Services area of their careers. The Center is run by the Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, a Catholic Order dedicated to education, health and community services mission. The Sisters also run a soup kitchen for indigents here, as well as a home for the elderly.
The Center is a well-care section of the compound, with a large enclosed area for meetings and food distribution and small offices to do social service support and follow-ups. They also have a large kitchen where they prepare food for the indigents. The home for the elderly is in a different location to the center. Children at Casa Central meet here once a month to receive their subsidies that consist of nutritious food, hygiene items, clothes, shoes and school supplies at the beginning of each school year. According to the coordinator, the help provided to all these children has been tremendous since many of their parent’s economy has been affected after Covid-19, making them to struggle to provide for their basic children’s need. One of the biggest satisfaction for us is knowing that helping these children will positively change their life by helping them to go to school and achieve their goals, giving them the possibilities to have a better future for themselves and their families.
This is the case of Gerson; a now 18 year old teenager who has been in our program since he was 8 years old and who is now finishing high school, as well as a technical career as an accounting clerk. He expressed to us how grateful he is to have the opportunity to be part of Children Incorporate and to be able to study and pursue a technical career. A career that due to the economic situation of his family, they could not have afforded.
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Children Incorporated |
At Children Incorporated, we believe that education is a way out of poverty for children, both in the United States and globally. Many barriers stand in the way of children receiving an education, from unaffordable school fees and a lack of basic facilities, to discrimination and low-quality instruction. These are often compounded by some cultural practices such as early marriage, as well as by the general preference of boys over girls, both of which make education out of reach for many girls. Around the world, threats of natural disasters and civil conflicts also disrupt many children’s education.
Global child poverty and education facts
– Children from the poorest households are 3 times less likely to attend school than children from the richest households
– 57 million children around the world are not attending school — and the majority of these young people are girls
– For each additional year of primary school attendance, a female worker’s wages increase 10 to 20%, on average
– Educated mothers tend to send their children to school, helping to break the cycle of poverty
– Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names
– 40% of children living in poverty aren’t prepared to receive schooling at the primary level
Students who come from low-income families are 7 times more likely to drop out of school than those from families with higher incomes
National child poverty and education facts
– Nearly 11 million children are currently living in poverty in the United States
– 1 in 7 children living in poverty make up almost one-third of all people living in poverty in the U.S.
– Poverty’s effects on the psychological and emotional states of children contribute to both student interest in school and overall happiness
– Children living in poverty have a higher rate of absenteeism or leave school altogether because they are more likely to have to work or care for family members
– Students who come from low-income families are 7 times more likely to drop out of school than those from families with higher incomes
What Children Incorporated does to support children’s education
Children Incorporated provides resources to children in need in the United States and abroad because we passionately believe that children everywhere deserve education, hope, and opportunity. Through our sponsorship program, we provide basic necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, and educational support to children living in poverty. These essentials, so often taken for granted, are vital to a child’s growth and success in school.
How you can help
You can help a child living in poverty to receive an education in a few different ways. One way is through our child sponsorship program. Sponsorship provides an underprivileged child with basic and education-related necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies, and school tuition payments. This vital support allows impoverished, vulnerable children to develop to their full potential – physically, emotionally, and socially. Sponsors positively impact the lives of the children they sponsor through the simple knowledge that someone cares about their well-being. This gives children in need hope, which is powerful.
Our policy has always been to consider the needs of each sponsored child on an individual basis. We work closely with our volunteer coordinators at our project sites, who are familiar with each individual circumstance and the needs of every child in their care. Sponsorship donations are sent to our projects – orphanages, homes, community centers, and schools – at the beginning of each month in the form of subsidy stipends. Our on-site volunteer coordinators use these funds to purchase basic and education-related items for children in our program, to ensure that they have what they need to do their very best and succeed in school.
You can also help children in need by donating to one of our special funds. Our special funds offer a variety of giving options for sponsors who wish to further their support, as well as for donors who wish to make a difference without making a commitment.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD with Children Incorporated?
You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our donation portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.
Located just southeast of Mexico, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. Its spectacular mountains boast a wealth of natural resources and stunning biodiversity. For centuries, this land served as the core territory of the Mayan civilization. Following two centuries of Spanish colonization, Guatemala gained its independence in the early nineteenth century, only to endure another 150 years of political instability and civil unrest.
In Guatemala, children’s very lives and futures are at risk, as they struggle with poverty and a lack of educational resources. Right now, children in Guatemala need your help.
Additionally, this area is prone to devastating natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes, which cause mudslides and flooding. Despite recent economic growth and successful democratic elections, Guatemala still struggles with widespread poverty, illiteracy, crime, and high rates of unemployment and underemployment.
Challenges for Children in Guatemala
In Guatemala, children’s very lives and futures are at risk, as they struggle with poverty and a lack of educational resources. Right now, children in Guatemala need your help.
47% of Guatemalans live in poverty
68% of Guatemalan children live in impoverished households
Due to widespread poverty, children suffer from malnutrition, lack of clean water
and lack of access to healthcare
Half of Guatemala’s population cannot afford basic food items, leading to 1 in 5
children under the age of 5 to suffer from stunted growth
We work with our volunteer coordinators in local communities to provide health and nutrition, education, hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and other essentials that help children and families rise above the poverty in which they live.
Our strategy is to focus on individual children through our sponsorship program, ensuring they are receiving exactly what they need on a regular basis.
You can sponsor a child in Guatemala in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Guatemala that is available for sponsorship.
Located just southeast of Mexico, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. Its spectacular mountains boast a wealth of natural resources and stunning biodiversity. For centuries, this land served as the core territory of the Mayan civilization.
We are incredibly grateful for the support from Altar’d State, as well as for all contributions that donors have have made to our COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Following two centuries of Spanish colonization, Guatemala gained its independence in the early nineteenth century, only to endure another 150 years of political instability and civil unrest. Additionally, this area is prone to devastating natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes which cause mudslides and flooding. Despite recent economic growth and successful democratic elections, Guatemala still struggles with widespread poverty, illiteracy, crime and high rates of unemployment and underemployment.
Located in one of Guatemala City’s impoverished neighborhoods, our affiliated project, the Juan Apostol School, offers support to children in need. Founded in 1964, the school strives to provide students with a well-rounded education while also offering other vital resources — including vitamin supplements which kids need to remain healthy and able to attend school.
Why Vitamins?
According to the website HealthyKids.com, “Vitamin means ‘vital for life’. Vitamins and minerals are compounds necessary for the healthy functioning of our bodies. We need vitamins and minerals to help us grow, to see correctly, to form bones, muscles, skin and organs, as well as to help us battle infections.”
Two of our sponsored children hold their supply of vitamins thanks to our partner, Altar’d State
Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals can lead to severe problems. The best way to ensure your child receives enough vitamins and minerals for healthy growth and development is to provide a wide variety of fresh foods from the five food groups including whole grain bread and cereals, vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and legumes, and dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt.
Unfortunately, for many children living in poverty around the world, having access to fresh food at all times is not always an option, and this has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in countries like Guatemala, where many families were not receiving support as they quarantined and were forced out of work.
Altar’d State offers their support
In the last months, thanks to a contribution by our partner, Altar’d State, to our COVID-19 Relief Fund, we were able to provide funds to the Juan Apostol School in Guatemala for a three-month supply of vitamins containing vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc for all 102 children enrolled in our program. And, because our volunteer coordinator was purchasing these items in bulk for the benefit of children, the local pharmacy provided a four-month supply of vitamins at the cost of just a three-month supply!
We are incredibly grateful for the support from Altar’d State, as well as for all contributions that donors have have made to our COVID-19 Relief Fund, which has allowed us to further support kids in our program beyond sponsorship.
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How do I sponsor a child in Guatemala?
You can sponsor a child in Guatemala in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Guatemala that is available for sponsorship.
Located just southeast of Mexico, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. Its spectacular mountains boast a wealth of natural resources and stunning biodiversity. For centuries, this land served as the core territory of the Mayan civilization. Following two centuries of Spanish colonization, Guatemala gained its independence in the early nineteenth century, only to endure another 150 years of political instability and civil unrest. Additionally, this area is prone to devastating natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes which cause mudslides and flooding.
Casa Central is a social service center located in the center of the city but serving and supporting children from the peripheral, struggling areas of Guatemala City.
Despite recent economic growth and successful democratic elections, Guatemala still struggles with widespread poverty, illiteracy, crime, and high rates of unemployment and underemployment and is most prevalent in the capital, Guatemala City. Thankfully for low-income families, in one of the city’s slum neighborhoods, our affiliated project, Casa Central, offers resources and hope to those in need.
Founded in the mid-nineteenth century and run by the gracious nuns of the Sisters of Charity, Casa Central has a long and honorable history of ministering to the children in the local community, offering them a place of refuge from the instability and crime that pervade their neighborhood.
Offering a safe and stable place to live
Our volunteer coordinator speaks with a mother of one of our sponsored children inside her newly constructed home.
In partnering with our nearly 300 affiliated projects around the world, including Casa Central, it is our goal at Children Incorporated to work with our volunteer coordinators to provide everything that we can for children in our program so they can receive an education – including offering them a safe and stable place to live.
“Casa Central is a social service center located in the center of the city but serving and supporting children from the peripheral, struggling areas of Guatemala City,” explained Children Incorporated Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet.
“Many of our sponsored children live in shacks, and the support through our sponsorship program has given them food, clothing, and educational supplies. Yet our volunteer coordinator, Sister Estefania, recognized that some of the children, despite the resources we offered, are still struggling due to the terrible housing conditions they live in. Through her immense efforts, she was able to secure titles for land in different areas of the city, and Children Incorporated was able to fund the construction of eight houses which have offered stable homes for eight children in our program,” said Luis.
“The houses are simple, but of permanent nature, made of cinder block, metal trusses and metal roof, two metal exterior doors, and protected from the weather. The families selected are so grateful and thankful for this support.”
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How do I sponsor a child in Guatemala?
You can sponsor a child in Guatemala in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Guatemala that is available for sponsorship.
When first publishing this story a few weeks ago, Guatemala had the lowest number of cases of COVID-19 of all Central American countries, yet there are still many challenges that families are facing.
Today we hear from our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, about the current situation in Guatemala.
Today we hear from our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, about the current situation in Guatemala and how Children Incorporated is responding.
COVID-19 impact on Guatemala “Some of our affiliations in Guatemala are supporting the children regularly, but with many difficulties as they have a curfew in place in the country: no one is to move from 6 pm to 4 am every day. Many people complain about the lack of social distancing, especially in the poor, overcrowded areas of the country,” said Luis.
Yet despite these issues, there have only been around 1000 cases in Guatemala reported. Probably because of the government implementation of the mandate, restrictions to [going] outside without a mask, the lockdown of the country, and of course, social distancing.”
Food and hygiene product bags are packed up at our affiliated project, Sagrada Familia, for families to take home.
“No flights are allowed internationally, and no traveling within states. The president has taken this epidemic very seriously as he is a medical doctor and has worked very hard on making the right decisions so far, as per the information I have received from our coordinators,” said Luis.
“Currently, schools are still suspended, and most businesses at this time. Only essential work goes on and under restrictions. Since traffic is always a problem in the country, you can imagine [that] getting home before the curfew hour has been a challenge. The curfew will stay until further notice, although the president allowed some shopping.”
“The government of Guatemala had a [plan to provide] one-time cash support to families [in the amount] of Q1,000 (equivalent to US $130 dollars), but only about Q200 million was available originally, [which supported] only about 200,000 families of the 17 million people living in the country,” said Luis.
“Of course, the amount has grown since, but the support to families is practically non-existent. Almost half of the population in Guatemala were low-income earners, and the percentage of people receiving aid in this group was minimal. No one having an income above the minimum wage (minimum wage is about US $220 a month) would receive this incentive. Only people making less than that would qualify, including street vendors and non-income filers, nannies, and house service people earning much less.”
Our Response
We are grateful for the support that our sponsors and donors are providing to families in Guatemala at this time. Thanks to donations made to our COVID-19 Response Fund and to our sponsored children, we have provided funds to our affiliated projects to purchase food, hygiene items, and other necessities for children while they are out of school for the duration of the outbreak.
About Guatemala
Located just southeast of Mexico, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. Its spectacular mountains boast a wealth of natural resources and stunning biodiversity. For centuries, this land served as the core territory of the Mayan civilization. Following two centuries of Spanish colonization, Guatemala gained its independence in the early nineteenth century, only to endure another 150 years of political instability and civil unrest. Additionally, this area is prone to devastating natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes, which cause mudslides and flooding. Despite recent economic growth and successful democratic elections, Guatemala still struggles with widespread poverty, illiteracy, crime, and high rates of unemployment and underemployment.
Thanks to donations made to our COVID-19 Response Fund and to our sponsored children, we can send funds to our affiliated projects to provide food, hygiene items, and other necessities for children while they are out of school for the duration of the outbreak.
About our affiliated projects
Juan Apostol School Guatemala City, Guatemala
Founded in 1964, the Juan Apostol School strives to provide the deserving children of Guatemala City with a well-rounded education — the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. In this way, students here have the opportunity to rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances into which they were born.
Zacapa School Zacapa, Guatemala
In 1952, upon discovering that many children were unable to receive an education due to the limited number of schools in this rural area, a group of American Lutheran missionaries established a boarding school to remedy the problem. Although not many children board at Zacapa School today, the school continues its mission of providing impoverished children with a sound education and moral guidance.
Santa Isabel Ana Seton Guatemala City, Guatemala
Families wait to pick up items while also practicing social distancing in Guatemala.
Named for a North American nun who was canonized in 1975, the Santa Isabel Ana Seton Welfare Center serves as a beacon of hope in the city’s poorest district. Here, the Sisters of San Vincente de Paul and Santa Luisa de Marillac tend to the needs of local impoverished families. Additionally, since Guatemala’s public education system suffers from overcrowding, numerous teacher strikes, and a general lack of school supplies, the Sisters also provide education through the affiliated Escuela Santa Maria private school. Together, the school and project strive to provide these deserving children with basic needs and sound education.
Sagrada Familia Antigua, Guatemala
Sagrada Familia’s mission is to provide Antigua’s impoverished children with the educational, nutritional, and medical support they so desperately need. With the well-rounded education they receive, students here are given the opportunity to rise above the problematic socioeconomic circumstances from which they come.
Casa Central Guatemala City, Guatemala
In one of Guatemala City’s slum neighborhoods, the Casa Central School was founded in the mid-nineteenth century and run by the gracious nuns of the Sisters of Charity. Casa Central has a long and honorable history of ministering to the children here, offering them a place of refuge from the instability and crime that pervade this neighborhood.
Bethel-Quetzaltenango Primary School Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
Established by the local Bethel Church, the Bethel-Quetzaltenango Primary School’s mission is to assist Quetzaltenango’s impoverished children. Here, these deserving boys and girls receive a well-rounded education.
Tecpan School Tecpan, Guatemala
Run by nuns of the Hijas de Caridad (Daughters of Charity) Order, the Tecpan School strives to aid the impoverished children of this region. The school offers children a solid education from caring administrators and staff.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN GUATEMALA?
You can sponsor a child in Guatemala in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Guatemala that is available for sponsorship.
