The Guatemalan Scholarship/Loan Program was founded by members of Guatemala’s small un-programmed Quaker meeting in 1973. Their mission is to provide access to in-country educational and community development opportunities in order to bring choice into the lives of poor Guatemalans and enable them to participate in their country’s growth and development.
Over the decades the program has grown from supporting one student in 1973 to supporting 114 university and secondary school students in 2008. At present, the program has helped over 1,000 students in different careers. Several of the students have become important functionaries in the government and development organizations. The program is jointly sponsored by the Guatemala Friends Monthly Meeting and the Redwood Forest Friends Meeting in Santa Rosa, California. They receive financial support from a small number of Quaker meetings and a large number of Quaker and non-Quaker friends.
All of their students come from very poor families. Over 90% are Maya and the majority grew up in very rural areas of the country. The Friends support the students’ higher education at public and private institutions within Guatemala. Very few of their students are able to obtain a higher education in their home communities. Some travel long distances in order to attend special “weekend programs”. Others must leave their families and pay for room and board closer to the university.
Guatemala Friends will host their Teaching English Tour on January 4 – 11 2011. This is a one week (8 night) work tour in which English speaking volunteers come to Guatemala in order to teach English to our students. The teachers work one-on-one with our highly motivated students and thus have the opportunity of making deep personal connections and sharing cultural perspectives as well as providing English lessons.
The group also offers a Regular Tour of Guatemala in which the visitors have a unique opportunity to visit this incredibly beautiful country and to meet Guatemalans in a non-tourist atmosphere. The dates for this tour are pending but it is usually held in March.
To learn more about Guatemala Friends, please visit their website.
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