Members of the Child Aid board climb into the back of a pickup truck for the last leg of their journey to visit schools in the community of Pacanal.

By: John Kin, Child Aid Board Member

Judging by the looks of surprise we got along the way, it’s probably not every day that a couple of pickup trucks filled with Americans comes bumping along through the back roads of Guatemala.

I was traveling with a group of Child Aid board members and supporters to visit four K’iche-speaking communities in a coffee growing region south of Lake Atitlán. The trip was part of our annual board retreat and an opportunity for us to visit and interact with some of the students, teachers and community members who benefit from Child Aid’s programs. We also spent time with the staff who work on the front lines of our literacy program.

To get where we needed to go, we had to use trucks. A washed out road had forced us to take a rough, alternate route that was far too treacherous for our bus. The dusty and bumpy trip was the first of many eye-opening experiences, as we realized the logistical challenges of working in remote areas.

As a board member and long-time Child Aid supporter, I had visited some of these same communities on my last trip to Guatemala two years ago. After hearing about the growth and development of the Reading for Life program since my last visit, I was eager to see for myself how things had changed.

The group talks with a teacher in the town of Pacanal to learn more about his classroom and how he works with students.

Our first stop was the small village of Pacanal. This school had just recently joined the program and had not yet received any books or teacher training from Child Aid. John Van Keppel, the Guatemala National Director, wanted us to see what typical rural classrooms are like before taking to those we’ve worked in for a year to more. “It was important to me that the group gets to see a school that hasn’t had any support,” John told me later, “because this is what the majority of schools in Guatemala are like.”

At Pacanal we met with a teacher who told us about his daily routine and showed us the handful of math and reading books he had for his many students. I was particularly struck by the stack of cards he had made out of paper to teach the sounds of letters. The teacher was obviously doing his best but had few resources to work with.

In visiting other schools we observed several teachers using materials they received and techniques they learned in Child Aid trainings. You could see a real difference in the confidence level of the teachers and their engagement and interaction with the students. A classroom in Las Canoas, with a teacher now in her third year of trainings, was filled with the joyful sound of students working together in small groups, eagerly drawing pictures, playing word games and reading a book aloud with their teacher.

Some boys from the village of Xojolá.

Another exciting stop for me was the town of Xojolá, where we visited a bright new community library that Child Aid helped build last year. The first time I visited here, the library was operating out of a small converted building that barely had enough room to hold the books. The new space featured wide open spaces for kids to work, read and interact. The whole town gathered to show off the library to our group and honored us with a traditional Guatemalan meal prepared by the community and served at a long table in the middle of the library.

It was a pleasure for me to reconnect and spend time with the Guatemalan staff who work in the villages every day. It’s their dedication and enthusiasm that is at heart of the success of the programs.

“The staff was excited to meet the board members and share what they have learned and done,” said Child Aid’s Guatemala Operations Coordinator Maritza López. “They are proud of the work they are doing with Child Aid and feel they are doing something positive for Guatemala.”

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Child Aid Reading Promoter Graciela Landa Pichiyá works with a classroom in the K’iche village of Xojolá. In addition to Spanish, Graciela speaks K’iche and two other Mayan languages.

How might a teacher in Guatemala say “good morning, how are you?” to a student as they enter the classroom?

In Spanish: “Buenos días, ¿cómo estás?”
In Kaqchikel: “Xsaqer, utz awach?”
In K’iche: “Saqarik, jasmächa?”
In Tz’utujil: “Saqari, utz awach?”

Girls from the Kaqchikel village of Santa Catarina Palopó read storybooks donated by Child Aid.

Roughly the size of the state of Ohio, Guatemala is home to just over 14 million people – and an incredible 23 languages. Talk about a communication and teaching challenge! Spanish is the national language used for business and education, while 21 of the 22 other languages have Mayan origins.

Many of the kids we work with grow up speaking only a Mayan language at home. When students head off to school for the first time, it’s like stepping into a new world with a brand new language: Spanish. Moreover, many teachers don’t speak the students’ native language. This language barrier coupled with inadequate reading and classroom materials presents a real hardship for both students and teachers. Many indigenous students feel lost from the moment they start their education. Guatemala’s school system does little to address this problem. And while most students learn Spanish as they go along in class; those who are unable to typically drop out of school.

In order to reach all students and improve reading skills, Child Aid not only provides books and materials to teachers but also hires literacy trainers who are fluent in the local Mayan language of the region where we work (e.g. Kaqchikel, K’iche, and Tz’utujil). Our staff uses techniques which help teachers learn how to take a bilingual approach to in their lesson planning and teaching.

Librarian Juana Sissay Gómez works with kids from the Tz’utujil village of Tzanchaj.

For example, a teacher starts the lesson in the students’ native language, uses a book or reading material mostly in Spanish, then enters into a discussion between students in their native language, ending with a lesson review in Spanish. This technique helps students develop literacy skills in their own language while also helping them fully understand and incorporate Spanish materials.

By using both Spanish and local Mayan languages in teaching activities, staff and teachers find they are able to teach with more enthusiasm and confidence, and the kids are more engaged, inspired and successful in class.

Ethical Bean Scholarship recipient, Erick Patzán Ramírez.

Erick Patzán Ramírez is a hard worker. Now 17 and in his fifth (or junior) year at Pedro Molina High School, Erick wants to use his academic skills and knowledge to pursue a career in Computer Technology after graduation. The oldest of four siblings, Erick is on track to be the first of his family to finish school.

Erick’s value of “work hard to reach your goals in life” was encouraged early on by his parents. His family runs a small bakery out of their home in La Alameda, Chimaltenango. After school, Erick and his siblings help his father prepare and sell bread. His mother works as a housemaid during the day and returns home to work in the bakery after hours.

Because families such as Erick’s lack the financial resources for their kids to continue beyond primary school, many drop out so they can help provide more immediate support for their family. Most never even begin high school, let alone finish.

Erik is able to go to school because of a scholarship he receives through FUNDIT, Child Aid’s non-profit partner in the town El Tejar, Guatemala. FUNDIT (Foundation for the Integral Development of El Tejar) consists of a Montessori-type preschool, a community library, a music program and the Ethical Bean Scholarship Fund, which serves primary, middle and high school age kids.

Named after the Vancouver, BC coffee company that supports it, the Ethical Bean Scholarship Fund helps over 100 Guatemalan students like Erick pay for books, uniforms, school fees and supplies. Scholarship students are also encouraged to participate in volunteer and mentoring activities in other FUNDIT programs.

Last month, Erick volunteered the most hours of any scholarship student in the El Tejar library. “Erick is a big contributor and helps out all year long with our library’s reading program,” says Silvia García, FUNDIT’s Executive Director. “Erick loves school. He wants to study and graduate so he can make a better life for himself and his family.”

Because of the educational opportunities provided by Child Aid and the Ethical Bean Scholarship Fund, Erick’s dreams will soon become a reality, and he can help his family break the cycle of poverty. Way to go, Erick!

Last week we kicked off the first of our nine librarian trainings for 2013. Over 40 librarians from 32 libraries throughout central Guatemala participated.

During the training, the librarians were very eager to brainstorm ideas with each other on learning activities and ways to make their libraries even better. The librarians showed a lot of enthusiasm for make reading in the libraries easier and more engaging for the kids.

A goal of our trainings is to share teaching techniques that can help motivate students to learn (and love) to read. Jeremías Morales Coroxón is one of our Reading Promoters who leads the library training curriculum. One method of reading promotion that Jeremías teaches is called Rincones Especiales (literally ‘Special Corners’ in English). This involves librarians creating separate spaces for interactive reading, writing, and educational games in their libraries, giving children the opportunity to participate in a wide array of dynamic group activities.

Child Aid Reading Promoter, Jeremías Morales Coroxón, works with librarians on a reading activity to use in their Rincones Especiales.

“Rincones Especiales is great because it allows librarians to work with different kids – even several groups at once,” said Jeremías. “Tools such as these help librarians more effectively teach children of various ages and abilities. For example, using Rincones Especiales, a librarian can read a story aloud, using the techniques learned from training workshops, and engage the students in activities centered around the story.”

As our librarians progress through the workshop series, they will have the opportunity to build their skills in order to engage and motivate more children from their villages to take part in library reading programs.

Jorge Sanum Buch knows both the importance and the value of education – something that gives him much joy (and smiles) when working with kids in Child Aid’s Reading for Life literacy program.

Jorge grew up in the Kaqchikel-speaking village of El Sitio, Guatemala. His childhood was similar to other indigenous Mayan children raised in the campo (countryside). When not in school, Jorge worked to help his family make ends meet, spending afternoons on the milpa (a plot of land where crops such as corn are grown) with his father or in the forest gathering firewood so his mother could cook for the family.

Jorge (center) en route to a village school to work with teachers and students in Reading for Life.

Coming from a family whose daily earnings barely allowed them to survive, Jorge and his parents wanted more for his future and sacrificed much of their means for him to continue his studies. On top of that, because Jorge only spoke Kaqchikel, school was a struggle (as Spanish is the primary language used in Guatemalan schools). These circumstances fueled Jorge’s perseverance to complete high school and earn his diploma in something he loved: education – the first of his family to do so.

Jorge joined Child Aid’s literacy staff in 2011. Not only does he implement our program in rural schools and libraries, he also leads our teacher training initiative for students interested in becoming educators. The trainings offer students the tools and resources to implement literacy programs and reading promotion in their future classrooms. In addition to his own education, Jorge’s success hails from his ability to share the culture and language of the people he works with, helping make our program trainings, resources and materials much more effective and relevant.

With his famous smile, Jorge reads with a few girls from the village of Xojolá.

When asked if he misses working on the milpa, Jorge smiles and says “no, not at all!” He still likes to help out with his father when possible, but Jorge’s fulfillment stems from his every day job, which not only helps support his family, but also allows him to share his passion for education.

Hundreds of children participated in small groups during Adventures in Reading in Tzumpango’s community library.

When librarian Ivonne Barrientos woke up one morning last week, she was looking forward to a big day. But she didn’t realize just how big it would be. For the past month, Ivonne had been busy coordinating and promoting her library’s new school break program, Adventures in Reading, in the Kaqchikel-speaking village of Tzumpango, Guatemala.

For children from rural highland communities like Tzumpango, there aren’t many opportunities to keep busy during the school vacation months. Ivonne took the initiative, thanks to her Child Aid-led training, and arranged for her library to host Adventures in Reading for some 100 children.

Families stood by as children enter the library to participate in Adventures in Reading.

Ivonne thought that the first day would go smoothly and as planned – but she was in for a big surprise. While she was setting-up, she heard voices outside the library. She opened the door, and was speechless. Outside waiting was a crowd of not 100 kids, but over 600! Most children were from Tzumpango, but many were from nearby villages. They had heard about a free school break reading program for children and the news spread like wildfire.

Ivonne wanted to make sure all the children could actively participate, so she called Child Aid’s library coordinator, Carlos Pos Ben, who was already en route, and let him know what was happening. Carlos, equally surprised by the number of children, suggested some activities that utilized small groups to help focus and engage their participation.

Ivonne liked the idea, but she knew she couldn’t physically manage the number of children by herself. She then put in a call in to the mayor of Tzumpango with the news and asked him for ideas. To Ivonne’s surprise, he responded by sending local traffic police to help her organize the program’s activities!

Police offered literacy support during Adventures in Reading group activities.

Child Aid staff did a brief pre-meeting and training with Ivonne and the police. Despite initial fears that the police might scare or intimidate the children, the police presence actually helped build bridges of trust between the children, their families and the community.

Tzumpango’s story is yet another example of how Child Aid programs like Adventures in Reading continue to grow in depth and scope. It was a challenge to work with so many children, but with focused activities and enough manpower, the program succeeded in having children further their reading skills.

Thanks to Ivonne, Child Aid staff and local authorities in Tzumpango, an entire community was able to come together for literacy.

Xojolá library committee and Child Aid staff standing in front of the library’s entrance.

Back in October, we announced the completion of a new library in the remote village of Xojolá, Guatemala. The project was completed thanks to funds provided by our partner organization, Miracles in Action. With the new facility, the Xojolá library can now host reading programs for more than 110 children a day. The original building could only accommodate about 12 children at any given time.

Last week Dr. John van Keppel, Child Aid’s National Director in Guatemala, had the pleasure of attending the library’s official inauguration with members of our literacy team.

Xojolá library’s welcome sign and Word Wall, used to highlight and learn new words during the Adventures in Reading program.

In typical Guatemalan fashion, the library inauguration quickly turned into a celebration for the entire community. Speeches and words of gratitude were given by various dignitaries, such as the local school director, the mayor and Child Aid staff. Even the library committee’s president offered a short presentation on where library support came from, and how it truly has been a joint effort – funds from Miracles in Action, land from the mayor, desks from the coffee cooperative, new books from Child Aid and infinite donations of time and resources from the community.

“The community is very proud of their accomplishment and extremely grateful for the funds from Miracles in Action and the assistance from Child Aid,” stated John. van Keppel. “This inauguration was a great opportunity for the community to see how, by working together, people can really make their dreams happen.”

Children from Xojolá who are anxious to try out the new library.

Not only were adults present at the inauguration, but many children as well. They wanted to share their gratitude and excitement for the new library by offering traditional dancing and other artistic performances to the public. Children who had been participating in Adventures in Reading showcased their newly learned reading skills by reciting poems and re-enacting storybooks.

We would like to extend our gratitude to our friends and supporters who helped make the library project successful. “Besides providing a library, the project has instilled a greater sense of confidence in the community,” said John van Keppel. “It has become a model for various sectors to work together and has given the community hope that their children’s futures will be better.”

Following a year of training, these indigenous student teachers will head to their home villages to start reading programs and promote literacy.

Thirty student teachers are leaving Guatemala City today – children’s books in tow – heading to their remote home towns and villages throughout Guatemala. The students are participants in Child Aid’s Reading for Life program and will lead a six-week reading program for children in their home communities.

“We’ve been working with these young teachers-to-be for a year now,” says Child Aid’s Country Director, John van Keppel, “and they’re excited to apply their new skills as reading promoters in their home towns.”

As part of Child Aid’s student teacher program, Literacy Trainer Norma Guzmán works with young indigenous women in San Andres, Guatemala.

Child Aid is currently training more than 240 young men and women, all of them indigenous Mayas, to teach and promote reading in rural areas. These students come from some of Guatemala’s poorest communities, where struggle and hardship are the norm. One student, a young man named Andres Rolando Choc, will be returning to Panzós, an indigenous town in the department of Alta Verapaz. Panzós was deeply affected by Guatemala’s 36-year civil war, which ended only 16 years ago, and was the site of one of the country’s most brutal massacres during the war. Life there is difficult, jobs are few, and most children drop out of school early. Even today, books in Panzós are rare.

Andres will bring 50 children’s books home with him and will lead Child Aid’s Adventures in Reading program during Guatemala’s three-month school break, which just began. Through the program, Andres will work with local children who have little access to reading materials. His goal is to introduce them to storybooks and the joy of reading. By lighting that spark of interest in them, encouraging them to read and providing them books, he will improve the odds that they’ll become readers at an early age. That’s particularly important to Andres, who will soon become a certified teacher.

“I went to school with no books,” says Andres, “and I want kids in my town to learn about them while they’re little. These books are colorful and full of stories, which will be exciting for them.”

If he returns to a village where kids are excited by books, have been read to as children, and have access to books, his job, as a teacher, will be a lot easier.