Breaking the Cycle of Illiteracy in Guatemala

Gladis is the first member of her family for at least two generations who will receive an education that starts at an appropriate age.  She is a petite six year old and will be in parvulos this year (parvulos is a grade between kindergarten and first grade in Guatemala).  Kindergarten in Guatemala is essentially nothing; parvulos level is important. Her older siblings are starting school this year too, but they’re all older than they should be to start school.  Her mother never had the opportunity to attend school and only recently learned to write her name.

There is no question that this tiny tot would not be attending school at all without educational scholarship assistance. Her mother is a young widow with six children, and until the recent donation of a house from our organization, Gladis and her siblings were sleeping on the dirt floor of her grandparent’s adobe mud house. School supplies and necessary clothing are not a feasible financial expense for a Guatemalan widow when there is no formal or dependable income, and food resources are scarce.

This is Katie (below), shown at the same age Gladis is now. As an American student, her educational access was an unalienable right and her ability to access it was without question. Her biggest worry at the time was playground politics. Katie had an excellent education from teachers who were qualified and dedicated, and she went onto become a teacher’s assistant for under-served children in Milwaukee.

It is premature to guess what Gladis will do with her scholastic opportunity. The odds of educational success for this Mayan child who lives in the remote regions of Guatemala’s mountain ranges are slim at best. She will face the need to harvest crops instead of study so her family can eat. Her culture will not support her if she desires further education and she has very few family members who understand the value of education for girls. Late school entry, grade repetition and early education dropout rates are such common factors in education of Mayan girls in her community that they are a source of international concern.

Advocating for her needs will be up to the two organizations who have gotten Gladis this far. The challenges of our work with widows and their children in Central America have taught us to celebrate the small victories, plan for the big ones and expect the unexpected in-between. Creating  future game-changers starts with optimism, financial support and the little things like grin-provoking backpacks.