You’re Making a Difference Here
WHY GUATEMALA?
In Guatemala, where 59% of the population lives below the poverty line, socioeconomic status is one of the biggest barriers to accessing a quality education (World Bank 2018).
The average length of schooling for a Guatemalan child is only four years and 24% of the population is illiterate (US Aid 2014; World Bank 2014). This is one of the highest illiteracy rates in the Western Hemisphere.
Pencils of Promise works with 211 communities in Guatemala to ensure students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing quality education. Currently, PoP is impacting over 38,000 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 210 schools in the region and have provided additional teacher training and educational programming.
Paraje Junajpú, Aldea Xequemeyá
 | With a population of around 4,000, this community is located within the Boca Costa region and the Totonicapán district of Guatemala. K’iche and Spanish are the primary languages spoken. The Junajpú school currently serves 324 students, spread throughout 13 classes. |
Leila’s Impact in Paraje Junajpú, Aldea Xequemeyá
At PoP, we strive toward a world in which every child can experience and benefit from quality education. Currently, in Paraje Junajpú, Aldea Xequemeyá, students are learning in infrastructure that does not support each child’s unique potential. We believe that a quality learning environment is critical to increasing student attendance, engagement and overall literacy outcomes. In the current structure students are easily distracted by overcrowded classrooms. Current space is so limited that some classes are conducting learning in warehouses. These conditions clearly pose a hazard to student safety and well-being, as well as to engagement and learning. A school build is only the start of a transformative education experience, and we are excited to get going. In the coming months, PoP will be partnering with Paraje Junajpú, Aldea Xequemeyá community to build a new two-unit classroom block! The community is devoted to providing a valuable education to its students, and will contribute 20 percent of the resources and labor required for construction. We establish partnerships with communities who are deeply committed to their children’s education. The support of the Paraje Junajpú, Aldea Xequemeyá community ensures the sustainability of the school that it will remain a quality learning environment for generations to come. Upon completion we will come together to inaugurate the new school and celebrate the extraordinary learning that will take place there!
