Scholarships & Training for Rural Guatemalan Women

October ends the school year in Guatemala.  This year, the Kateri Fund has four graduates.  Silvia Sian Quiej, Blanca Surec, Barabara Tartan, and Francisca Cutzal Sian.

Silvia Sian Quiej and Blanc Surec Umul will receive their degree in Tourism and Hotel Management.  They have spent their practicum learning the skills they will need to work in the kitchen, manage events, and the reception desk.   They are eager to find work and continue their studies weekends at the university level.

Barabara Tarton did her secretarial practicum in the Coordinacion Tecnica de Educacion.  She had to stay away from home during the week and missed her family, but it all went well 

Francisca Cutzal Sirin finished her practicum with fourth graders in elementary school.  She enjoyed teaching the students although it was a challenge planning and working with the students in the morning and attending her own classes in the afternoon.  

The new challenge for them all will be to find work.  It can take up to a year.  The young women stay connected to the Kateri Fund by doing volunteer projects with the Fund to repay their scholarships.  Through this connection, we are able to keep them from getting discouraged and to motivate them to keep looking.  We also are seeking funds for our work experience program which places them in community jobs with a stipend.  This provides the experince which many employers require and gives them some income to keep them going. Consider donating to this project at #9862 Work Experience for 10 indigenous women to support the job search of these young women.

The rest of the young women will continue next year in the program.   In November we will be deciding on how many scholarships we will be able to award.  We have more than 20 applicants.  To be able to serve all who have a need, we will need to have this project fully funded by Dec 1. 2013.  Please get the word out to your family and friends and solicit their support.