Empowering 27 Mayan families to overcome poverty.

Dearest Supporters of Creando Mi Futuro:

In light of the terrible things I read that are going on in the States, especially to our Black brothers, it is hard for me to write a cheery, uplifting Progress Report for Creando this night.

But know that we continue to do our work here in San Pedro la Laguna, hoping that what we do not only teaches kindness, caring, cooperation and consideration for others, but helps these families improve their income-making potential here in Guatemala, rather than feeling they have to emigrate to the States to make a decent living.

Let me say the mothers continue to bring their weaving materials to the project patio every Tuesday and Friday afternoon, and they continue to bring their smallest children with them to attend our little pre-pre-school group – to experience the basics of learning and cooperative play, and keep out of their mother’s way while they do their beautiful work.

Their older children continue to attend our Saturday class – learning this week about the origin of the volcanoes that line this side of the lake – and every week learning a little more about themselves and about making art.  Last Saturday a few of them saw Andy Goldworthy’s artwork-in-nature, online, and we went down to the lakefront beach and made some natural art of our own.

The community garden continues to be maintained and harvested.  And last Friday the mothers group went to the garden and learned all the food that can be made for their families from a simple but very large ground-level vine that produces gourds but so much more!  They harvested flowers and leaves as well as the gourds, and they made traditional dishes new-to-them, thus learning about their ancestors’ way of living as well as a new food-source that grows here abundantly    There will be two more talks/meals in this series.

So – despite all that hurts in the world right now – there is a little oasis of peace here, which I am really grateful for.   We will graduate one senior from high school this year, and 4 junior high-schoolers will move up to the next level, thanks to your donations and the scholarships they are receiving.

Thanks to all of you who participated in the recent Matching Campaign thru GlobalGiving.  I believe we received enough to not only keep on doing the work we do, but perhaps to buy a vigilance camera for our little storefront, so the mothers feel more secure leaving their products there to sell.  We also hope to finally paint our classroom floor, after 8 years of dealing with the pits in the concrete and discoloration.  Many of the children come during the week for homework help from our teachers.  I want them to feel proud of this place that for a time operates as a second home for them. 

Wishing many blessings to my brethren in the U.S.  Sometimes hard times provoke the best from us.  May there be lights everywhere.

Mira Talbott Pope, Directora

Asociacion Comunitaria Creando Mi Futuro

San Pedro la Laguna Guatemala

• Photos for Sept 2025 report (DOCX)

CREANDO REPORT MAY 2025

During this quarter, March-to-May 2025, Creando hit a bit of a disappointment.   We had arranged for 4 teenage boys to work with two mentors in mechanics – (1) a workshop for small machines – chainsaws, weed-eaters and the like. and (2) a group of mechanics working on the motors for the small public boats that cross our lake.   At first it seemed the boys were excited to be learning in these environments, but by the 9^th week we were having problems with compliance, and the mechanic/mentors said they couldn’t work with such on-and-off attendance, so this wonderful resource ceased.   I was very disappointed, but one has to be realistic and there is so much competing for these young men’s attention – sports-team events, collaborative school assignments, church-group responsibilities, and of course the temptation to go to work at one of the many jobs left behind by men who emigrated to the U.S. for a better opportunity.

However, one of the older boys told me his personal dream: although he’s a good soccer player, he doesn’t have many illusions in this avenue, but wants to own a store for sports clothing, and even develop his own line of clothing, utilizing his interest in graphic design, and even with his own logo.  So he has chosen “business management” as his career (last 2 years of high school) and sees that he will need that to accomplish this dream..  I was impressed, listening to him, because few people here – much less young boys – think this far ahead into the future and take steps to achieve the goal.   I immediately thought that perhaps we could design and print some t-shirts for the proyect, using our logo or whatever the group comes up with, as part of his/their process during class.  (One of my pleasures is picking up on someone’s interests and doing what we can to promote them.)

However the teen girls attending our sewing workshop are responding wonderfully, and I am impressed with the progress they are making (see photos below)

In the first quarter this year, we have given out $ 692 (Q7335) in public school scholarships.   There will probably be an equal amount before the year is out.   I’m so delighted how many kids we have helped finish school, in the past 8 years.

Although the result of the “technical workshop” effort this quarter is a disappointment, all else is really going well.  At least ten Mothers continue to attend the crafts group every Tuesday and Friday afternoon, and we have hired a young teacher to work with the pre-school and first grade children who come with them to the group.   Since moms have so little time to teach their children basic concepts, and little education themselves, we decided that giving the little ones a “head-start” (as we did in my old job in California) would be a help all around.  We made photo-labels for the toy boxes this week, to help them learn to organize and be responsible for their materials…it’s fun to see them catch on to the idea.  We’re also going to start a “circle-time” with songs-and-hand movements, like “Eensy-weensy spider” (fun figuring that out in Spanish) for that really basic learning.  Hard to adapt to a small group with a range of ages (1-1/2 to 7) but the teacher is very adaptable, and I’ve worked with all those ages, so it’s pretty fun too.   Most importantly, this provides moms some real time-away from the little ones so they can focus on their craft work, and makes it valuable time for the littles as well, rather than just wandering about…..and worse yet, looking at cell-phones (!) which has become the ubiquitous baby-sitter, even here.

The moms are organizing themselves a Mothers’ Day party because the actual day was spent in the public school, church or with family.  So next Tuesday we’ll celebrate, as we have many years, with games and prizes, food and cake.   I am hoping that one of the teachers will guide the littlest kids in a song for mom, and surprise them during the party.   But we’ll see.  Not all my dreams come true.

Unfortunately, we had a few thefts from our small store of some beautiful beadwork by one of the moms.  So it looks as though we have to put some cash out for a monitoring camera.   We’re also going to develop a better communication system between the various workers, so that we can keep track of inventory on a daily basis.

The community garden continues.  The rains just started, here, so things should be even more abundant.   I was so delighted when there was a shortage of onions in the mercado a month or so ago, and one of the garden participants said, “At least we don’t have to worry about those shortages.”   Only five families participate but it seems to be working really well for those who do, and of course we are demonstrating that you CAN produce your food without chemicals!

So that’s our project report for May 2025.  

• photos for May 2025 report (DOCX)