PROJECTS

Heidi Dauberman
Projects Coordinator

I walk into the school and I know that the first faces I see, the señora in her traje típico, traditional indigenous clothing, with four children and a baby on her back, are waiting to talk to me. She greets me timidly and asks for forgiveness before telling me why she has come. But I already know.

We look for a place in the school where we can talk privately, and she tells me her story. She hand-washes clothes in people's houses, and her husband is a farm laborer who drinks and abuses the family. She starts to cry and I take her hand, letting her talk as long as she needs to. She asks for help with the corners of her mouth twisted in embarrassment.

I explain to her how the sponsorship program works. There are already fifty children waiting for sponsors, and it's likely that her children will have to wait a year before we are able to find the help to send them to school. But meanwhile the children and parents are encouraged to come to the free, state-accredited literacy classes. I tell them about the math and English classes and the workshops we offer with confidence that I will see her and the children this week. Studying with us will give them a better chance of receiving economic help, as most of the sponsors are CEX students and volunteer teachers who develop relationships with the children and seeing their desire to learn, decide to provide economic help. My conversation with the señ:ora ends with my asking her if I can visit her at home to meet the rest of the family. I ask permission to bring CEX students but don't explain to her that they may be people interested in sponsoring children. I look forward to the visit when she will be able to talk in an environment where she will feel comfortable.

I walk around "La Pedrera," looking for her house, asking for her family by name. People that I've never met ask if I am the one who signs up kids for school.

I meet the family at home and offer to make a deal with them: if the parents will attend evening literacy classes and help their children with their school work, we will sponsor at least one of their children. This week, one man agreed to join Alcoholic Anonymous if we would help his little girl, and a 16 year old boy agreed to cooperate with his family on the problem of violence in their home.

Fourty-eight children have sponsors now. A few months ago, their were nine sponsored children. Each class we teach at CEX has about forty students. Some are sponsored children learning English for a marketable job skill, and receiving the extra help in math that they don't receive in school. Others are studying with us while they wait for sponsors so that when they start first grade, often as old as eleven, they will have a "head start."

In December, we had workshops in cooking inexpensive nutritious foods; sewing of aprons-part of the traje tipico, ceramics made out of mud, making Christmas ornaments, and canning fruit. Now many of the community members are making extra money selling the products they learned to produce.

This month, we have children's exercise class, tae kwon doe, women's self defense, a parent's support class and a community development group. We have had overwhelming responses to every class we've offered, as well as requests for more. I encourage all CEX students to give workshops in any skill they have.

"La Pedrera," community members are now requesting that we provide computer classes, as having computer skills will give them more opportunities at jobs other than the traditional, low paying labor jobs.

Please help me pass on the word to anyone who has typewriters, computers (Mac's or PC 386 or higher) or parts that they'd like to donate. Computers and all other donations can be sent to the CEX office in Austin, Texas. A student coming to Guatemala will hand carry donations to us.

We always need volunteers to do anything from grant writing to teaching. If you would like to help from you home, you can tell people about the sponsorship program, find companies from which to solicit grants, and find or make donations of any kind.

The funding for this project comes from individuals like yourself. We have padrinos from all over the world who have chosen to contribute money and time to help these children rise above their problems and make a better life for themselves and their families. You are welcome and encouraged to visit them when you are in Xela.

When you become a sponsor, you will receive a photo along with background information on your child and her or his family. CEX will send you biannual progress reports and lists of expenses. The child will send you letters and drawings. In addition, we will respond to all questions, requests, and suggestions you have at any time.

The cost of sponsoring a child is $175 per year for first through third graders, and $300 for forth grade through high school students. Your optional contribution of an additional $25 will be combined with other contributions, to send children to school who don't yet have sponsors. If you would like to help, but cannot contribute to the full amount, we will gladly accept donations of any size. CEX absorbs the administrative costs, and volunteers provide tutoring. Personal checks can be made out to CEX, with "scholarship fund" written in the memo space. Please send them to the Texas office as the Guatemalan mail is unreliable.

© Copyright 1996 by Juan Carlos Aguilar and Casa de EspañolXelajú