Education

Educational Scholarships for Children

Since the Peace Accords of 1996, Guatemala claims to offer free public education to all children. But the reality for many Mayan children is that rural schools are inadequate or inaccessible due to “fees” (not “tuition”) demanded for inscription, school uniforms, and school books and supplies. The Kaqchikel Presbytery asked our Baltimore churches to sponsor equal numbers of girls and boys (chosen by village counsels & a Presbyterian Scholarship Board) to attend school.

Baltimore’s response has been generous. We now see many students moving through primary grades to secondary. Remember your students – Build A Better Guatemalan Future!

Educational Enhancement - Childrens' books

The Baltimore Presbytery houses a donated shipment of Spanish language children’s books in a Towson storage facility. Each mission trip, delegates carry as many books as possible for distribution to the three schools in the My Healthy School Program.

The lack of books and visual stimulation in rural public schools is astounding. “Big Books” (18” x 18”) are a huge hit. The Social Psychologist, Claudia, works with teachers to enhance curriculum with Big Book themes. We hope that other books, about making friends, acknowledging our feelings, resolving conflict without violence, and artistic expression, will aid emotional health in a society steeped in fear and violence for 36 years. This is one way we all build peace.

Educational Enhancement - "My Healthy School" Program

“My Healthy School” began in 2002 as an outreach of the HDV Clinic of the Kaqchikel Presbytery. The rampant problems of anemia, low dietary protein levels, general malnutrition, and intestinal parasites kept children from learning and achieving their best. Within 18 months of nutritional intervention, student health improved tremendously.

This opened a window onto another barrier to rural student achievement –
• Inadequate learning spaces,
• Poor teacher training & preparation
• Lack of texts & learning aids
• Parental attitudes towards education

The Kaqchikel Presbyterian outreach to selected schools also engages the plant-condition issues by
• Organizing community-based school repair,
• Dispersing modest funds for books and supplies
• Identifying learning disabled children
• Counseling parents of learning disabled students
• Building small school “libraries” with donated books
• Enhancing teachers’ skills and visual aids
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Your DONATIONS TO "School Supplies" goes to this ministry