Help 500 Guatemalan Children Receive an Education

The movement El Patojismo began with the school Los Patojos. While our students are in isolation at home, we have not stopped.

Dreams and Ideas in Action

Guatemala has 19,011 active cases. Our Community, Jocotenango, has 68 active cases.

El Patojismo is the campaign to change the future for children in Guatemala. The school, Los Patojos, Dreams & Ideas in Action, along with all schools in Guatemala was closed in March. But we have stayed with our students. They are still studying through on-line learning with their teachers and as well with homework packets.

While our case numbers are low, so is testing. The actual number of cases would be much higher but most people cannot afford the testing. It is a very dangerous situation as we only have 8 hospitals in the country to serve 14 million people.

We are encouraging our families and the community to stay at home wherever possible, but if they need to go out they must wear a mask at all times.

Education Program - From School to Home

Our 400 Students at El Patojismo have done very well at adapting to doing their work at home and the parents have been exceptional at helping their children. We are using simple exercises that keep their minds active with inexpensive, common materials that they can find. Such activities include planting and caring for vegetables, doing physical exercises with the physical education teacher, and practicing English on line in conversations.

2020 Our Fist Group of 23 Graduates in career:

Tourism and Hotel Administration

Our first students will graduate from our Diversificado ( equal to Grade 11 ) this fall. Prior to the lock down we were working with these students to guide them for their futures. We included in their school experience working at jobs in the community where they could get on-the-job training as well as experience what it is like to get a job and be a responsible employee. We will continue the program as soon as the lock down is over. These students will have to work at a job during the day and go to University part time as they cannot afford the fees.

Food Program

Over 113, 898 meals served during 14 years.

While the lockdown in Guatemala was necessary to prevent as many cases of Covid-19 as possible, it brought very severe consequences for our families and others in our community. The parents of our students earn their income in the informal economy – selling chiclets in the park, shining shoes, picking coffee etc. These jobs are very low paying and disappeared completely, meaning there was no money for food. We immediately put our time and resources into gathering food and funding to make sure our students, their families and other vulnerable people in our community were not starving. The staff have been with us every bit of the way – gathering, preparing and delivering food to those in need.

#PaquetesDignos

1,060 Food Packages delivered and 6,890 people benefited. What is in a food package? Milk-Cereal-Sugar-Oats-Rice-Beans-Eggs-Pasta-Oil-Salt-Flour for Tortillas-Nutritional Drinks-Salt-Vegetables-Fruits-Toilet Paper-Sanitary Towels-Coffee-Soups

Muchas Gracias Juan Pablo and the El Patolismo Team - #CHANGEMAKERS