You’re Making a Difference Here
GUATEMALA
In Guatemala, where over 50% of the population lives below the poverty line, socioeconomic status is one of the biggest barriers to accessing a quality education (World Bank 2013). The average length of schooling for a Guatemalan child is only 4 years and 24.1% of the population is illiterate (US Aid 2014; World Bank 2014).
Pencils of Promise works with 166 communities in Guatemala to ensure our students overcome these and other barriers to accessing a quality education. To date, PoP has impacted over 219,000 lives in Guatemala.
QUICHÉ REGION
Quiché is a mountainous region located in northwestern Guatemala. PoP’s base in Quiché is in the city of Nebaj, which is about five hours northeast of our Guatemala headquarters in Xela.
To date, we’ve built 165 schools in the region and plan to continue to scale our builds, along with teacher training workshops, across PoP schools in Quiché.
Before the PoP School Build
The school was built in 1998 following Hurricane Mitch and most of the structure is made out of styrofoam sheets and wood. Not only is this not a durable option, but also due to the deterioration of the materials, it provides a very minimal structure for the students to learn in. Additionally, there are exposed metal pieces and holes in the floors and walls, which altogether create an unsafe environment. Some classes are held outside because of the lack of space for the students.
Your Impact with a New PoP School
Thanks to the Foundation’s gift, we’re now able to provide a proper and safe learning environment for 120 students in preschool and grades KG-6 annually. The 5-classroom school is now a focal point in the community. Additionally, five new latrines were built, which will greatly impact the hygiene habits of the children.