Scholarships & Training for Rural Guatemalan Women

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected Guatemala as it has the United States.  The Guatemalan government has taken very strict measures to control its spread.  There is no public transportation, schools closed, markets curtailed, and traveling between states is prohibited.  Alicia, a student in our program studying bookkeeping, shares how this has affected her and her family.

Alicia shares about her studies. 

"Well, right now in my studies I can’t go to class.   I am taking classes through a WhatsApp group on Saturdays from 8 until 11 in the morning.  It’s a bit difficult because it’s not a lot of time for the teachers to explain to us how we need to complete the assignments."

"We completed our first lab from our homes. The teacher sent the exercise one day.  The next morning, I turned it in. It was an entire project, so I was happy to be able to complete it.  We had to create an inventory, a daily ledger, a general ledger, payroll, sales and purchase ledgers, and a balance sheet.  We are completing the exams for the second period next Saturday.  I will be studying to get good grades."

About Her Family 

My family finds themselves well, thanks be to God.  Right now, we are experiencing some very difficult moments financially. We cannot sell our flowers and we have had losses.  Nevertheless, my dad continues maintaining the flowers.  He does not want to abandon them.

Her Community

"This virus has affected my community a lot because here the people live on what they grow. Since they are not opening the markets, they can no longer sell their products. This has greatly affected the finances of everyone. We have also been very affected in my family because the prices of basic foodstuffs have increased.  We cannot buy food because we no longer have income.  We are not able to sell our flowers. We are praying that this virus does not keep affecting everyone."

"Before the virus arrived, I was working with a lady, helping her do her housework.  She told me that she no longer had the money to keep paying me.  When everything with the virus passes, she would call me so I could help her once again. I am left without work. Since then I have been at my house, helping my mom do housework. I also help my dad weed the flowers.  When I am done, I begin doing my schoolwork.  This is how it has affected us all."

Candelaria is coordinating program from her home.  Each of the young women has opened a bank account and she is depositing their scholarship in the account monthly.  She has set up a WhatsApp group for their monthly meetings.  They all are adjusting to what has become the new normal.  We are thankful that we have been able to maintain the program under the circumstances.

Darli's parents were killed in a  car accident when she was small.  Her aunt and uncle took her and her other siblings into their home.  It is difficult for them to provide for Darli and her siblings plus their own three children, but they have given Darli a loving home.  The scholarship you help provide is a great help to the family as they struggle to keep all the children in school.

Darli has set as her goals for 2020 to pass her second year in  high school, get good grades in all her courses, especially her seminar course, and give all her effort to her prepractice teaching. When she graduates, she wants to work as a teacher, continue studying at the university level, and earn a degree.

What is happening right now, she tells you in her letter below.

Dear Friends,                                                                                 

I hope this letter finds you and your family well and your lives full of blessings.

My name is Darli and I am 17 years old. I am in 11th grade at Las Águilas High School studying to be an elementary school teacher. I study there in the afternoon because the career I wanted was not offered in the morning.

On January 15, classes started. I am grateful that they are going well and I am learning many interesting new things. I am paying a lot of attention to my classes in order to get good grades. My classes are easy for me except for math, which is a little difficult. However, I know that I will be able to overcome this challenge.

On February 4, I started my prepractice teaching class and am very anxious because I get nervous when I talk in front of the class. However, I know that I am able to master my nerves and will do well. I will need to make different things to teach a class on animal sounds. 

My family is grateful for our health. The twentieth of January was the festival for Saint Sebastian, our patron saint. Everything was joyful because there was a parade. My aunt and many other families decorated the front of the house. Thanks to God, everything was beautiful at night. My cousins and I went to see costume dances, as is customary to do here. It was wonderful spending time with my family.

I really like doing my homework, helping with the chores, living with my family and helping my cousins with their homework.

Thank you for all of the support you are giving me. It is very helpful to my family and me, especially during my studies. I wish you many blessings and happiness in your beautiful home.

Sincerely,

Darli  

Your donation is supporting Darli and the other scholarship students as they work to better their lives.