The Aid and Education Project, Inc.
“ El Proyecto de Ayuda y Educación “
Young
caballero in Santiago de Atitlan
In
the New Year we will continue with our sole mission: to promote education in indigenous
communities of Guatemala.
Now,
to bring everyone up to date – a review of activities in 2012:
Scholarship
Program
The
Scholarship Program is our primary program for accomplishing our mission, and it
is the program to which we devote most of our time and money.
In this program, we offer scholarships to worthy students from very low
income families. Each scholarship
provides about 85% of the cost of a student’s education (matriculation fees,
monthly school fees, school supplies, uniforms, and transportation as needed for
older students). To stay in the
program, a student must maintain his or her grades to an acceptable standard,
and older students must continue to progress toward their career goals.
Most
of these students are sponsored by individuals in the US and Canada.
Others are covered by donations from one of the foundations that support
our efforts.
A
Great Success Story:
Susana
Raymundo, is from the village of Nebaj, situated in a remote part of Guatemala
that witnessed the worst fighting during the civil war in Guatemala.
Susana Raymundo at the
beginning of her university career
Nonetheless,
Susana moved to Xela (also known as Quetzaltenango) and pursued her degree.
We helped with a scholarship, and she demonstrated considerable
initiative in obtaining help from another group to help with her living
expenses.
After
years of study, and lots of financial and personal difficulties, she has now
graduated with a degree in Physical and Occupational Therapy.
She has recently taken a job in Sololá near Lake Atitlán where she will
be working in a small clinic, “Los Volcanos,” with a group that includes a
doctor, a dentist, and a psychologist. She
will complete the ensemble as the physical and occupational therapist.
Susana
at graduation in 2012
Programs
for Women and Girls
In
Guatemala, young women have always had significant challenges getting family
money for education. Although that
norm is changing, there are still many talented and ambitious young women who
need help. Consequently, we have
always set aside funds that we can devote to this need.
Specifically, we now concentrate our efforts in helping young women at
the university level.
In
2012, we had 8 young
women at the university level. Since
education at the university level is much more expensive than K-12, all such
students are supported by a combination of individual sponsors and grants from
foundations.
It
is easy to overlook the significant change that university education for women
represents for indigenous Guatemala. These
girls are studying all the same things that kids in the US study: business,
psychology, computers, health care, etc. Yet
virtually all their mothers are completely illiterate.
The rate of change taking place in Guatemala today is absolutely
remarkable.
We
are delighted to be part of that change and helping individuals make it happen.
The extra bonus from this effort is that these young women will almost
surely see to it that all their own children (boys and girls) get the benefits
of education. Thus, our efforts get
multiplied as time goes by.
Maya
Cultural Education
Ancient
Maya scribe
In
promoting education in Guatemala, it is never our intention to re-make
indigenous students in our own image. But
since modern education is Euro-American ethnocentric, we are always in danger of
doing just that.
To
counter this tendency, during the school vacation months (October to December),
we offer “Vacation Maya Schools.” In
these schools, we partner with local groups and schools to teach
indigenous Maya students about their own remarkable history and culture.
Unfortunately, in the official schools there is little positive
discussion of indigenous people, so our schools are often the only positive
insight that indigenous students have of their past.
The
themes in the schools include
The
Maya calendar and its meaning
The
Popol Vuh (the Maya story of creation)
The
ancient Maya glyphic writing
Maya
values and spirituality
Maya
music and song
Maya
art and painting
Maya
games (especially the ball game)
The
indigenous language spoken in the community
There
are also visits with older members of the community to talk about traditional
values and ways of life. And
finally, most students get to visit the ruins of an ancient Maya city on the
last day of class.
Last
year 1,945
youngsters from 13 indigenous communities attended these classes.
Obviously, as far as the kids are concerned, the classes are a big
success.
Learning
about tradition weaving
Offerings
at a tradition Maya ceremony
Graduates
from the “Maya School” with their diplomas
Welcome,
Evelyn
Before
wrapping it up, we’d like to welcome Evelyn Morgner as a new Board member who
is volunteering as Director of Development.
As such, she is involved in developing new donor cultivation strategies,
and soliciting funds for our current activities, as well as working with donors
who would like to plan long-term gifts to support the work in Guatemala.
Evelyn’s
professional background is as an investment consultant with Cambridge
Associates, KPMG, and Citibank. Also,
of course, she sponsors students in Guatemala.
Evelyn
and Family
Our
Organization
Finally,
we’d like to remind everyone that we are an IRS-registered 501(c)3 charity, so
donations are in most cases fully tax-deductible.
And, as always, the officers and directors of the organization pay all US
overhead so that 100% of donations go for the work we are doing in Guatemala.
Please
send us your comments and suggestions. We
appreciate your feedback.
We
sincerely thank everyone for their help and donations in 2012, and wish you a
great 2013.
for
The Aid and Education Project, Inc.,
The Aid and
Education Project, Inc.
email: mpitts@aidanded.org
www.aidanded.org
