Support literacy and learning for 1,900 Maya youth

At Limitless Horizons Ixil, we believe that the arts can make a remarkable impact on children and teens’ lives. In our Saber Sin Límites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library, we’ve seen how daily arts and crafts activities not only draw youth to the library, but also support their growth in a number of areas including critical thinking, school engagement, and literacy and language development. That’s why we are so excited to be expanding our offerings, with two new arts initiatives taking root in the Saber Sin Límites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library this spring!

In March, we hosted our first ever short film festival in collaboration with Short Film Breaks and Guatemala Educab. The event featured independent, animated short films from around the world that touched on themes such as family, love, and community. Library users were captivated by the films, which had them laughing, gasping, and applauding enthusiastically. Short Film Breaks also donated an archive of hundreds of short films that our library will be able to use in future festivals.

That same month, university art student, Wilder, began offering art classes to youth of all ages in our library. Wilder studies in Guatemala City but has family ties to Chajul, so he decided to dedicate his 6-month academic internship to giving back to the community through visual art projects. He teaches a variety of classic techniques such as painting landscapes and drawing still lifes, as well as more experimental projects like creating animal and human figures out of paper.

Art instruction has always been an important part of library programming, with librarians David and Olga working hard to develop engaging new art projects for library members each week. Wilder’s internship provides an additional and unique opportunity to have an educator in the library who is specifically trained in the arts, and who can devote his time exclusively to supporting students with creative projects. Through his classes, Wilder has built strong connections with library users by giving them tools to express themselves, by providing one-on-one attention and positive encouragement, and by offering them new ways of looking at their world. “Art is an important tool for opening children’s minds and helping them to see, understand, and question everyday aspects of life,” he said. “Art can also help them express their appreciation for their community, observing and shedding light on its beauty.”

Bridging literacy and the arts contributes to the uplifting learning environment we strive to create in the library. This is particularly important in Chajul, where access to arts enrichment activities is extremely limited. By infusing the library with vibrant arts and cultural programming, we support youth to flourish as readers, critical thinkers, students, and engaged community members. Thank you for helping us extend so many great learning opportunities to Chajul’s youth!

The Saber Sin Límites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library is proud to introduce you to our newest librarian (and former Limitless Horizons Ixil scholar), Olga! Olga has extensive professional experience working with youth and a passion for supporting educational initiatives in her community. On the weekends, Olga is pursuing a a university degree in education, learning important knowledge and skills that she enjoys applying to her work in the library every day.

Olga’s background makes her uniquely qualified to carry out compassionate, youth-focused library programming in a largely illiterate community. She was born into a family in Chajul that was deeply impacted by Guatemala’s 36-year civil war. When they were young, Olga’s parents were forced into hiding for many years in order to escape the violence of the conflict, which meant they couldn’t go to school. Once the war ended and Olga’s parents had a family of their own, they urged their children to pursue the opportunity of education that they themselves had been denied.

Although her family lacked the necessary economic resources to support her education past elementary school, Olga and her parents were determined to find a solution that would enable her to continue her studies. Olga began asking community members about scholarship opportunities, which led her to successfully apply to Limitless Horizons Ixil’s Youth Development Program. As a scholar, she loved participating in the library's activities and even volunteered her time helping younger library users. While in high school, she worked part-time for an educational program providing math classes to teenagers, and held internships that allowed her to combine her interests in art and education. Following her graduation from high school, Olga volunteered for three months with the NGO Save the Children on a variety of youth projects. When she learned about a job opening at the Saber Sin Limites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library, she knew the position was for her!

In addition to her professional experience, Olga brings personal characteristics that are essential to cultivating the warm and welcoming learning environment that we strive for in the library. With her calm and approachable demeanor, she inspires confidence in the library’s many young users. Olga told us, “I’m always amazed by how creative children are, and I love helping them learn and discover new interests.” She strives to make them feel comfortable to explore and ask questions, nurturing their natural curiosity.

When Olga first stepped into the library as a child, she became a member of Chajul’s first generation of readers. Thanks to your support over the years, she has grown into an educated professional who is helping maintain the library as a beacon of hope for Chajul’s youth. Your investment in the Saber Sin Limites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library is driving long-lasting, positive change in the community. Thank you!