One of the parents in my daughter’s Early Childhood Community (ages 3-6) at school, is the Executive Director of A Heart for Guatemala, Bethany Davison-Widby. She will be leading a trip to Guatemala with a group of volunteers from Knoxville this summer, bringing her son along too. The volunteers will be visiting seven different villages around Lake Atitlan and providing support in a variety of ways.
I’m telling you a little about it in hopes that you might consider visiting the website, and donating to the cause of helping these young Guatemalan children live a better life.
To help with these efforts and educate the children on Guatemala, the ECC students have been taking in “Change for Chickens,” that will be used to purchase and distribute chickens to families.
Guatemala has the forth highest rate of malnutrition in the world and the majority of the population lives in extreme poverty. Most of the families that A Heart for Guatemala works with subside on tortillas and salt for every meal. Sometimes they go without any food at all.
Egg-laying chickens are an important source of protein for children and adults. Families may choose to a) keep the chickens for their eggs, b) eat the chickens, c) sell the chickens and buy smaller chicks to raise. You can donate 3 chickens and feed for $45 and you can be assured the chickens will go to a family that is in desperate need.
My daughter has enjoyed the sampling of children’s clothing from Guatemala that has been placed in suitcases in their classroom, learning more about their culture. Pictures of children, families and their lives in the villages have been displayed in each classroom so students can see what life is like in a Guatemalan village, and where their “Change for Chickens” is going.
One of the volunteers going to Guatemala this summer through A Heart for Guatemala is a teacher at my daughter’s school. Students are also collecting supplies that can be used for her to create Montessori lessons for the Guatemalan children.
Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty in Guatemala. Schooling at any level in Guatemala is not free, and most children never have the chance to step foot inside a classroom. A Heart for Guatemala is working to change that. Through grants, donations, and school sponsorships, they are tackling extreme poverty head-on by giving children a chance for an education while also meeting their basic needs of food and clothing.
Even the smallest donation can bring a world of difference to the people living in these villages. This is a great opportunity to support this organization that provides incredible services to families in need. This summer’s trip will be documented and photos will be displayed at A Heart for Guatemala – where there are several ways you can help!
Here is an online wish list of educational items to help in the classroom.
In addition to providing egg-laying chickens, other current initiatives include providing nutritious food baskets, dry goods, and milk program for infants. Each food basket contains dried goods (corn, beans and rice), a chicken, fruit, vegetables, pasta, and other sources of protein. Food baskets feed approximately 10 people for 1 1/2 weeks and are only $35 to donate.
Raising fund to buy ONIL Stoves for families is another big innovative for A Heart for Guatemala. Many of the families cook over open fires either inside their one-room home or directly outside it. From the day children are born, they are carried on their mothers’ back while they cook over the open fires. Unfortunately cooking daily on open-fires is very dangerous – young children often fall and are burnt by the fires. According to the World Health Organization, the leading cause of death in this age range is acute respiratory infection, from breathing the heavy smoke from cooking fires. One out of five children inGuatemala does not live to age 5. ONIL stoves make a home more healthy to live in, safer for adults and young children, and greatly reduce the environmental impact. ONIL stoves are $180 to sponsor.
You can also sponsor a student, for $190 year, which provides them with supplies and full year’s worth of education. When you do this your family is sent emails with photos of the student you sponsor, which you can share with your child. This is arranged through the site Mayan Families Connection Guatemala. Or you can contact Bethany, at bethany@aheart4guatemala.org for more information.
I hope you’ll consider giving to this wonderful organization. Go to the website, share it with your family, sign up for the newsletters and updates, and follow some the children’s stories. It’s a wonderful cultural lesson for children. All donations can be made at A Heart For Guatemala.
