By Hannah Shryer | Intern
Dear Friends,
It’s back to school time! For many of us, preparing our kids for another year of school is an exciting time that’s full of possibilities: learning, family, friendship, joy. But for many children in rural Guatemala, school is more of a dream than reality. Chronic illnesses like malnutrition keep kids at home, and keep their parents from earning enough to send them to school. With the prevalence of malnutrition, struggling to stay healthy is one of the biggest barriers to education that these children face.
Fortunately, primary school enrollment in Guatemala has increased substantially in recent years. However, only four out of ten children who start will finish primary school—indigenous girls, on average, only attend school for three years. If a child has the opportunity the attend school, the effects of chronic malnutrition take their toll. Malnutrition decreases children’s ability to concentrate, it lowers their productivity, makes them susceptible to illness, and can even cause a loss of intellectual quotient, which are irreversible effects that last a lifetime.
We want to support children’s education by giving them a chance at a healthy future. We are collaborating with communities and schools to bring children high-quality healthcare—giving children a chance to be healthy, grow strong and lead lives of amazing potential. But we need your help.
This month, we have an incredible opportunity for you to participate in the work Maya Health is doing. One of our longtime supporters has pledged $25,000 in matching fund during the month of September! This means any donation you make during the month of September will be matched dollar for dollar. For first time donors, our donor will match two dollars for every dollar. All the way up to $25,000!
Together we can make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable—take the example of Wilson in the photo below. Wilson is a 20-month-old boy who has fallen into the cycle of chronic malnutrition. Fortunately, in the short time that he has been in our program, Wilson has already gained 3 pounds and grown 3 centimeters! We are confident that Wilson’s improved diet and nutrition will help him to grow and develop healthily so that in a few short years he can attend preschool with the other children in his village.
By supporting childrens’ health we can get kids back in school and help keep them there. With your contribution, children will get the quality care they need to lead healthy, productive lives with futures full of possibilities.
With gratitude always,
The team at Wuqu’ Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance
By Elizabeth Sherwin | Volunteer
By Caitlin Baird | volunteer researcher
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