Helping Over 50 At-Risk First Graders
Many of San Andrés Itzapa’s young children are simply not prepared to begin primary school, thus cannot perform at their respective grade level. If there is no intervention, most of these children will simply drop out of school, most by age twelve. Only 36% of Guatemalan children complete primary school.
Although there are about 20 Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala, many public schools only teach in Spanish. For many of the Mayan children living in San Andrés Itzapa, Spanish is not their first language, resulting in them simply being unprepared to begin formal schooling. The result is a staggering 30% repetition of grade (repeating a grade) for Mayan students not fluent in Spanish.
Out of the two million children who do not attend school in Guatemala, the majority are Mayan girls living in smaller, more rural communities like San Andrés Itzapa. Most Mayan families subscribe to the patriarchal tradition that tie women to a domestic role. Only 39% of Mayan women are literate, and 24% of Mayan girls never attend school.
Niños Creadores de Historia can proudly report that nearly half of the school’s students are Mayan girls.
Providing One Thousand Lunches a Month
Guatemala has one of the highest rates of child malnutrition in the world. Deacon Phyllis decided early on that a healthy lunch would be part of every school day at Niños Creadores de Historia. The school’s tiny kitchen prepares over 1,000 lunches a month with a monthly food budget of only $500.
Partnering With the School to Help Educate and Nourish Guatemalan Children
Not unlike any other charitable organization, the school needs financial support to continue its mission. Helping young Guatemalan children succeed in school is a daunting task. Niños Creadores de Historia has accepted the challenge, since from its beginning the school has had a positive impact on hundreds of young Guatemalan students. With your recurring monthly donation, it will be able to continue to improve the lives of many more.
