Early Childhood Literacy & Nutrition in Guatemala

The case of Gabriela Mistral Community Library in San Juan Chamelco

 “I have been part of the project for 2 years and I feel very grateful for the opportunity to do new things, especially handicrafts with pine needles. This initiative of entrepreneurship helps us to generate our own economic income and even more, with new products that only we elaborate. My experience in the project is very successful because I have developed and discovered many capabilities that I had not developed before” says Alicia, a women benefited by Gabriela Mistral Community Library, in San Juan Chamelco (Guatemala).

Guatemala has high levels of violence, insecurity, and inequality which contribute to high levels of poverty, crime, and some of the lowest social development indicators in Latin America. Guatemala also has the youngest population in Latin America, a group that in its vast majority has insufficient training and job opportunities. 59% of Guatemalans live below the poverty line and 43% of reported extrosions ares in high migration areas. And 77% who intend to migrate do in search of economic opportunities, según datos de USAID Guatemala. Indigenous people have routinely been excluded from equal access to basic services such as education, health, and sanitation, making them among the most impoverished members of Guatemalan society. The prevailing machismo culture in Guatemala has also limited the opportunities for women and girls, particularly those from primarily indigenous regions of Guatemala. Similarly, Guatemalan youth, which account for roughly 60 percent of the population, face high levels of unemployment, social and economic marginalization, insecurity, and lack of basic services, such as education and health care.

 It is not surprising that, faced with this reality, thousands of people seek a better future away from home. However, different social, economic and political sectors in Guatemala are making efforts with the support of cooperation agencies and partner governments such as the United States and its agency for international development, USAID. As the Biden administration takes action to improve the lives of everyday Central Americans, high-level activities are underway. The Government of the United States and the USAID offices in the region have promoted analysis groups to find solutions that help reverse the complex reality that exists in Guatemala and by extension in the northern triangle of Central America. Several visits to the region by Vice President Harris and high-level meetings with different social, business and political agents to develop new solutions to the complex issues that drive migrants north. An important social campaign has also been developed with the aim of building community, offering an alternative vision to migration to the United States.

International efforts joined by the small Riecken community libraries in Central America. But how do small community libraries make their contribution to building opportunities for young people, women and the indigenous population? Reflecting the strong traditions of U.S. public libraries, Riecken’s libraries offer: outreach and programs to respond to community needs; debate and environmental clubs for youth to develop critical thinking skills; and opportunities for local community members to volunteer on the libraries’ board, providing guidance over the libraries’ activities, finances and collaboration with local schools. The libraries have become places of civic engagement, where local issues are analyzed and discussed, people read and research to identify local solutions together as a community. Examples of library-initiated projects for the communities include a filtered water pump project for potable water; youth HIV/AIDS awareness training as well as training on reproductive health; online banking and school registration training and access; marketing workshops for local products such as coffee and aloe; and the development of local teacher skills using the library as a base.  

 The work of community libraries and the Riecken Foundation are aligned to the U.S. Strategy for Addressing the Root Causes of Migration in Central America. Riecken Community Librarie´s programs and engagement promote opportunities to create futures at home. Community libraries prioritize engagement with Indigenous People, women, and youth to ensure that they have a voice in Guatemala’s development journey. These groups have historically been left out of this conversation and remain among the country’s most vulnerable communities. Our approach aligns with the U.S. Government priority: we prioritize connecting indigenous people, women, and youth to opportunities that enable them to achieve prosperous, secure, and dignified lives at home in Guatemala.

As Gabriela Mistral Community Library does. 

 A library whose programming promotes the participation of women in the "Weaving Academy" (Academia de Tejeduría) workshop, the involvement of young people through the youth leadership and reading program Brilliant Minds, creating family and community ties from early childhood with reading with newborns and children under 5 years of age, and their caregivers. And with other activities such as the Readers' Club, technology, computer workshops, first aid course, as well as research, bibliographic consultations by users at the school, basic, diversified and university levels carried out in the library facilities.

 The library promotes the Weaving Academy project “XKEMB'AL LI WAKLIIK CHO'Q REHEB' LI IXQ AJ Q'EQCHI' (in maya queqchi, Weaving Development For Indigenous Women), under the health, social distancing, use of mask and gel application. During the current pandemic, emergency actions promoted by the local government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock have been supported; as in the delivery of food to people in extreme poverty. Information campaigns are supported to make the population aware of the proper use of the mask, hand washing, respecting social distancing in all types of activity. 

 Gabriela Mistral Community Library is economic opportunity for women. A group of 20 women approach the library in order to start the business of handicraft fabrics that has allowed them to improve their economic income. In the last 5 years, Women group of San Juan Chamelco´s Library have developed a Community Savings and Loan Fund, which will let to strength their entrepreneurial activities. With this initiative, women have saved $3,649 (18 women); only in December, each one saved $202. This Saving initiative are letting to improve two kinds of entrepreneurial activities of women:

 1. Products made of pine needles

• Women has the support of a Tourism Local Company Turismo Verapaz, for the promotion of Products made of pine needles. This alliance has improved new opportunities of commerce and increase women’s incomes.
• Two local interinstitutional networks has been organized to strength women participation
• An environmental project has been defined to use the pine needle and to support the sustainability of the women’s efforts
• Women’s group achieved the financing of Weaving Academy ($6,757) which will develop the women’s capacities to income generation.

2. Crops and Orchards

In winter season, women grew vegetables and legumes for family consumption. The surplus of the harvest was sold in local markets.

 Gabriela Mistral Community Library in Guatema, as well as the rest of the community libraries that are part of the Riecken network, with support from USAID/ASHA (American Schools and Hospitals Abroad), have improved their technological equipment, their collection of books and furniture.  Riecken community libraries, with with support from USAID/ASHA, will continue to help transform a single building block -- a community library with free computers, internet, print resources and programs -- into a springboard for democracy building, local leadership development, women’s empowerment, civic engagement and social justice in Guatemala. Riecken community Libraries are a demonstration and promotion American principles of inclusiveness and equality, civic engagement, free expression and independent inquiry. Together with the USAID / ASHA program, we will give a concrete response to promote community cohesion.

 Riecken Community Libraries are a social platform and an essential space for the social cohesion present in 11 communities in Guatemala.

 Learn more about the work of the Riecken Foundation and its network of community libraries in Guatemala.