A MESSAGE FROM CENTER DIRECTOR, OMAR MEJIA
2020 has been a year with many challenges and struggles throughout the world, and particularly in Guatemala, where poverty is widespread and life expectancy, development, and hope feel threatened.
In recent weeks, Hurricane Eta hit the northeast part of our country, leaving hundreds of families without their homes, and without everything they had spent years working to achieve. Less than a week later, Hurricane Iota swept through, bringing further damage. It’s hard to calculate the material damage much less the human loss. In addition, we continue to suffer the consequences of Covid-19, with hundreds of deaths, thousands sick, and all of us struggling to overcome it. Many businesses closed in the absence of national and international tourism. Many families have lost their jobs, putting nutrition, housing, services and education at risk.
In Guatemala, the education system tends to be very traditional and offers limited options, especially for preschool age children. There are very few organizations like the Acorn Childcare Center making every effort to ensure that children who come from poor families can adapt and compete with their skills and knowledge in public schools, where there are large numbers and limited support.
Despite everything, we are a people that believe in tomorrow. The Acorn Childcare Center has been a light of hope to families living in extreme poverty here in Quetzaltenango.
With your support we have nurtured the education of our students through daily teacher videos to support educational activities at home, covering all areas of our curriculum. We have provided all of the hands-on materials the children needed to carry out their educational activities.
Furthermore, we have secured cell phone internet access for all of our families to ensure that children do not miss out on any of our interactive stories, puppet shows, songs, dances and healthy cooking classes.
We have replaced the healthy meals that we would have offered in our Center with financial support for families to buy food. We have also delivered health kits to strengthen their immune systems and to minimize the threat of Covid-19 for families.
With your support, we have minimized the negative impact of isolation. We have been able to offer support, empathy and guidance to parents while also generating guided conversations between parents and children at home. Additionally we have made it possible for the children to exchange short video messages with each other and their teachers to strengthen the bonds of friendship and their sense of belonging within our group.
As an organization we have learned a lot from this crisis and we are planning and preparing so that next year we are ready to continue enriching the lives and learning of children. Thank you for your continued support.
EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS
The fact that the Acorn Childcare Centre is able to offer such crucial, life-changing support to children and families living in extreme poverty, is thanks to the work and the generosity of many people, doing and giving what they can to help. Every contribution matters, and together all these efforts make a huge difference.
This year, on “Giving Tuesday” December 1st we’ll be joining other non-profit organizations at GlobalGiving.com where $1 MILLION in bonus funds will be proportionally distributed based on final fundraising totals. The more you give, the larger share Maya Childcare will win! There’s never been a better time to show your support.
