You’re Making a Difference Here
WHY 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 190 communities in Guatemala to ensure our students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing a quality education. Currently, PoP is impacting over 37,000 students in Guatemala.
SUCHITEPÉQUEZ REGION
The region of Suchitepéquez, called Suchi by locals, lies southeast of our headquarters in Xela. PoP expanded here in early 2012, with our regional office located in Mazatenango.
Suchitepéquez offers a variety of exotic fruits and coffee as main crops, and the climate is much more tropical than the other regions in which we work. To date, we’ve broken ground on 47 schools in Suchitepéquez and plan to continue our partnership with these communities for years to come.
Before a PoP School Build
Previously, students of the Paraje Xoljoc community attended class in buildings with deep structural flaws. The walls were cracked and in danger of collapsing, and a number of classrooms experienced overcrowding. These conditions clearly posed a hazard to student safety and well-being, as well as to engagement and learning.
Your Impact with the New PoP School
Through your incredible support, PoP and the Paraje Xoljoc community have officially completed a new classroom block! The new classrooms provide a safe and secure space for all students and teachers to learn and thrive. Community members remained dedicated and committed to the project, and contribute 20 percent of the resources and labor necessary to complete the build. The entire community is so excited for the new E.O.R.M. Paraje Xoljoc, Aldea Pitzal school, which will support each student’s full potential and inspire the community’s next generation.