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 four years and 24.1% of the population is illiterate (US Aid 2014; World Bank 2014).
Pencils of Promise works with over 170 communities in Guatemala to ensure our students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing a quality education. To date, PoP has impacted over 35,000 students in Guatemala.
BOCA COSTA REGION
The region of Boca Costa, located southeast of PoP’s Guatemala headquarters in Xela, is home to a more tropical climate than any of the other regions in Guatemala in which we work. PoP expanded to Boca Costa in early 2012, with our regional office located in Santo Tomás La Unión.
To date, we’ve built 116 schools in the region and have also provided our teacher training and educational programming to many PoP schools in the region.
Before a PoP School Build
Currently, many of the Aldea Morazan classrooms are informal and lack basic safety precautions. One of the classrooms has 26 fifth grade students in a room made out of bamboo walls and dirt floors. Another classroom was originally a directors office and is now being used as a first grade classroom housing 24 students. Roofs in one of the classroom buildings is in poor conditions and leaks water throughout the winter months. The condition of these informal classrooms are hindering student engagement and learning.
Your Impact with a New PoP School
You have recognized that these conditions are not conducive to learning and have responded by helping PoP and the Aldea Morazan community build two new classrooms and seven bathrooms that will help to benefit all 457 students. Community members, parents, and teachers are in full support of the build. Your support will help to make this school build possible, creating a safe and strong structural foundation that will foster an environment of educational growth and promise for the students of Aldea Morazan.