VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
We also organize volunteer opportunities in different socially responsible projects in the town of San Juan La Laguna. We have supported community projects and educational projects for children, teens and adults like food program, community garden and more. We currently have more than 150 people working in these programs. Many people in the indigenous community look for work and opportunities to improve their lives each day. Most adults speak the indigenous language Tz´utujil and work in agriculture. Their low paying jobs provide barely enough income for crude shelter and food. They often lack the resources to send their children to school. It is common for children from six years old to join their parents and relatives to work in the field. Many have homes with earthen floors. Some only have two rooms to shelter extended families of up to ten people.
EDUCATION
We sponsor the education of 50 children from poor families of San Juan La Laguna. Our goal is to develop the education and knowledge of the children, so that they will be able to prepare for a brighter future. This project is developing thanks to our friends, Jim and Anka Vaughn from Washington State, who sponsored the children in this program. If you are interested in helping to support the education of one child, please contact us via email at: jimvaugh@yahoo.com
COMMUNITY GARDEN
We have 1,400 square meters of land where the families grow many different local, organic vegetables. Our goal is to improve the health and nutrition of the children in our community. According to a study by the Ministry of Health, many Guatemalan children have problems with chronic malnutrition and this problem is evident in San Juan La Laguna. The land we use to garden is provided to us by our friend Jeanne and Robert Nakamaru from Iowa, USA. If you would like to support the program please contact: jeannewalhquist@yahoo.com
FOOD FOR FAMILIES
Every third week of each month we distribute basic foods to poor families in our community, such as: corn, beans, eggs, oil, rice, etc to help the development of the children. This program is a continued success thanks to the help of the Unitarian Church of Iowa, coordinated by Jeanne Nakamaru. If you are interested in supporting a poor Mayan family please write an email to Jeanne Nakamaru at: jeannewahlquist@yahoo.com
INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT? EMAIL US
We coordinate a variety of volunteer activities to help the local community. Email us for details. Be a volunteer in the school for children with disabilities. Visit: www.centromayanguatemala.org, the school requires three month commitment.