Pura
Vida is arranging scholarships for children in rural
Guatemala desiring to continue their education beyond
the primary school. We are currently sponsoring
children for 7th grade and higher. Private school
is the only option for higher education, and that's
just not affordable for most village residents.
There are some really bright kids who just won't
have the chance to go to school.
Guatemala
provides free public education through sixth grade.
But in rural areas such as Lemoa, children average
less than two years in school; parents would rather
have their children work in the fields or in the
home. Girls especially are not encouraged to go
to school. Also compounding the issue is the fact
that most children in rural areas converse primarily
in their indigneous language, and Spanish only in
school. All of these factors have has contributed
to a literacy rate of much less than 50% among the
indigenous population.
Pastor
Jeronimo Mateo with new Chontala scholarship recipients
for 2007
Our
Strategy
Pura
Vida has been offering scholarships to select graduating
6th graders in Guatemala since 2002. We have been
working closely with parents to help them understand
the long-term benefits of keeping children in school
longer. These benefits are already becoming apparent
-- children from the first few years of the program
have undergone huge changes in maturity and ability.
There is much promise in this program!
The
cost of sending a child to school is $33.33/month
($400 annually / $200 biannually). That covers
tuition, supplies, uniforms, bus fare, and tutoring
for one child. Tutoring is provided twice weekly
in Lemoa to help the children with their homework,
since their parents have not attended school at
that level. If
you would like to sponsor the education of one
of these children, either by yourself or as part
of a group, please contact
us for more information. Children are selected
in early November each year for the program.
Kim
