Raising Hope for Healing Survivors

The Chávez family live on the outskirts of Antigua. They are a family that survives on the generosity of others as they do not have enough to manage by themselves. Currently they are living in a house that has been lent to them without charge for one year. They have until the end of the year before they are back on the streets.

The family consists of Catalina*, 27, and her three children, Frances*, Elijah* and Alex*. Catalina is originally from a town called Nebaj in the Quiché department in the western highlands of Guatemala. Nebaj is one of three towns in the Ixil region, so-called because the people are of Ixil descent. Ixil is a language spoken by around 120,000 people in Guatemala and parts of Mexico. Catalina and her family moved to Antigua when she was 1 year old to find better opportunities.

At first, the family made money by selling newspapers, before starting to sell sweets and bubbles. Catalina helped when she was a child, before being married off to her husband. The family did not have enough to survive and so decided to sell Catalina’s hand in marriage to support themselves. Catalina was married to a man from her hometown and returned there to start a family. Frances and Elijah were born in Quiché. Two years ago, Catalina was finally able to separate from her abusive husband and returned to Antigua once again looking for a better life. Whilst she asks her ex-husband for help to look after her children, she has never received any child support.

Currently, Catalina works in the Antigua Central Park selling sweets. Frances and Elijah often also sell in Central Park to support their mother. The family earns around Q800 ($107) a month.

Last year, Frances took part in our CAIPETI programme to take children off the streets and into school. She was not studying last year but was inspired by the classes to start this year at school. Currently, Frances and Elijah are both studying in school, though this is their first year and they are a few years behind. They find it difficult to learn in school due to the language barrier. Whilst they speak some Spanish, they find it much easier to understand and communicate in their own language.

Both Frances and Elijah have been added to our Scholarship and Sponsorship Programme this year to support them in their studies. They, like the other 211 children in the Programme, will receive monetary support when they bring us their grades and can use the money to further support their education. By being in school they have a better chance at a future and a way to support themselves. We believe that the scholarship cheque will encourage the children to stay in school. The children are also enrolled in our Reforzamiento Programme to help them with homework and to try and fill in the gaps in their learning.

Recently, we also supported the family with a new bunkbed, meaning that Frances and Elijah will have their own bed to sleep in for the first time in their lives. They were delighted with their new beds and couldn’t wait to try them out.

When asked what they want to be in the future, both Frances and Elijah told us they would like to be cleaners. Catalina has higher hopes for her children, however, hoping that they can become lawyers or graduates in the future. She wants them to have the opportunities that she never had. With the support of the GOD'S CHILD Project, the family will not have to sell their children's hand in marriage ever again.

The GOD’S CHILD Project and ITEMP have been working for 30 years to break the chains of poverty and slavery through education, housing and healthcare as well as direct intervention. Please click the link below to donate to support us in our ongoing mission.