Guatemala THRIVE!
Check out our past successful Global Grants
2017: San Martin WASH
CLEAN WATER IS SAVING LIVES! – A community assessment of 19 schools in a poverty belt in the Guatemalan Highlands revealed the schools had inadequate restrooms, or none at all, and no place for children to wash their hands or drink safe water. This Rotary Global Grant, “San Martín WASH” (for WAter, Sanitation, Handwashing stations) provided funding to retrofit the schools with restrooms, handwashing stations and pure drinking water. It also provided training, and in-home water filters to hundreds of needy families.
Adriana’s Story – At age 11, Adriana was an exceptionally bright student but cried when it was time to go to school because there was no water to drink nor restroom facilities. Her parents took her out of school. After her school was retrofit with restroom facilities and clean drinking water, Adriana returned to school and thrived.
Today – The benefits of San Martin WASH are flourishing in the region. SERVING: 19,000+ children/families annually
2018: Montessori Preschool Project
A HEAD START FOR MAYAN CHILDREN – For decades, Mayan children in the Guatemalan Highlands learned in substandard conditions and fell far behind their urban counterparts. In 2018, this Rotary Global Grant funded retrofitting and expanding a small preschool and implementing the Montessori method, known for exceptional learning outcomes. The project provided a safe, nurturing environment where children could be taught in their own native language and in Spanish so they could get the head-start they needed to thrive.
Discovering Jira – Just 4 years old, Jira was a shy child whose public school teachers thought had a learning delay. At the new Rotary-sponsored preschool, Jira was soon writing her own little books and adding and subtracting in the thousands. She was discovered to be a prodigy. Jira’s would have been a terrible mind to waste!
Today – Three well-equipped classrooms for preschoolers, and youth and adults with special needs. SERVING: 200+ weekly
2020: Project Connect Computer Lab
GETTING CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL – When the pandemic struck in March of 2020, all schools in Guatemala closed. Many reopened online, but only 17% of all Guatemalan children had access to computers. In poor rural villages, virtually NO children had access. During this emergency, Rotarians responded in record time to put together a Rotary Global Grant to install a COVID-safe computer lab in donated space. It opened six months later—just in time for kids to start the new school year.
Wilson is Gainfully Employed in His Own Village – Wilson had a degree in Computer Technology but couldn’t find a job. He strongly considered making the dangerous journey to the United States to find work. Instead, he and two colleagues are gainfully employed at the Rotary-sponsored Lab.
Today – The lab offers dozens of courses certified by the Ministry of Education. SERVING: 600 students and 30 teachers weekly
2023: Health for All
EQUAL ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY HEALTHCARE – This Rotary Global Grant made it possible for the San Martin Community Clinic at the Xela AID Campus to provide full-time medical care. It also added specialty care including dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, counseling, and neurology, as well as advanced diagnostic capability including upgraded telemedicine capability and an X-ray machine. The Grant more than tripled the Clinic’s capacity to serve!
A Smile for Vidal – Vidal, a youth with Down Syndrome, was bullied and suffered without front teeth for a decade. The dentist sponsored by this grant replaced his front teeth. Said Vidal post-procedure, “The best thing EVER is to be able to smile!”
Today – In 2024 (prior to completion) vital health care and clean water are delivered five days per week. SERVING: 8,000+ people at a cost of $13 per person