Written by Lisa Robinson-Spader.
For children from the open pit gravel mines of Guatemala, is there anything more important than education? We think there might be…
We are thrilled we finally broke through the barriers of distrust among families working in the gravel mines of Guatemala. Fifteen of their children are now receiving scholarships, and seeing that we are keeping our promises with these fifteen, many more mining children want to join the program in January. An education is essential for these children to escape the brutal working conditions of the mines, but as important as an education is, Sandra and her daughter, Denise, are giving them something that is, perhaps, even more important.
Sandra and Denise meet with the children regularly and are teaching them that, despite their great poverty, they are immensely valuable and capable as individuals. In a society where children are openly called “stupid, worthless, Indians” if they are poor and indigenous, this change in mental attitude and self-worth is essential if these children are going to reach their potential. They are also bringing love and joy into the lives of these children by simply spending time with them – bringing food to share a meal, playing games, teaching them how to dance!
We love that the support Sandra and her family give to the children in the Estudia Con Amor program goes well beyond scholarships. They also provide love, community, character development, business skills, emotional support, and lessons in the value and potential of ALL our children!
Comments are closed