Guatemala Literacy Project

 
by Lorine Parks
 
“Three poverty-busting weapons: Tools, Training and Program”
 
Applying these three to the specific problem of illiteracy means success.  The Guatemala Literacy Project, or GLP, uses all three, according to Christopher Bailey, our speaker.  Chris works for Co-Ed, or Cooperative for Education, and it is this partnership which has allowed Rotary International to make a difference in the lives of young Guatemalans.
 
CO-ED is a non-profit organization established 21 years ago for the purpose of helping Guatemalan school children break the cycle of poverty through education.  CO-ED accomplishes this mission by providing sustainable educational tools like books and computers, training and scholarships.
What does “sustainable” mean?
 
With seed money from Rotary International, a task force now led by Rich Strayer of our Rotary Club of Downey, purchases a number of books for a specific classroom or school, at the set price of $5 per book.  That year and every year for the next four, each child or family pays $1 for his or her book.  At the end of 5 years, $5 has been accumulated toward buying the next new text book.  And so it continues.
 
 
Of the entry levels weapons to break the cycle of illiteracy, Chris says books are prime.  They cover mainly subjects such as social studies, which teach children about the world around them, and their own customs and arts.  Then comes computers, skills at which translate into a job.
 
The second tool is training, and that means above all, learning to read, and then, to develop computer skills.  Once literate, a student is eligible for the scholarships, for continued learning and training.  Now they can be sponsored by an individual, such as a Rotarian, for $70 a month, to continue their education.
 
Program, or placement after “Graduacion,” comes as the third level on this ladder of upward mobility.  Chris was proud to tell us that 95% of girls graduating the program find employment.  That means they are no longer drudges, water-fetchers and bargaining chips in arranged marriages for their families.  They can now bring home more in earnings in a paying job, than any other way which is what convinces the families to let the children participate.
 
As Chris spoke, colorful slides flashed across the screen, showing the just-completed February trip to Guatemala, a Humanitarian field journey sponsored by District 5280.  We saw familiar smiling faces not only of Rich   and Gloria Strayer, who pioneered their first trip last year.  Dale and Karen Self joined the Strayers this year.  Also there among the children and families were Larry and Chris McGrew.
 
It was the Strayers’ enthusiasm which attracted the McGrews and the Selfs, according to wives Chris and Karen.  “Rich is a pusher,” they said.  Downey Rotarians need to know how hard Rich has worked for this cause.  Because of his efforts he has been named to the Board of Directors of the GLP (his face is even in the current Cooperative for Education brochure, advertising the coming trips).
 
Downey is now the sponsoring club for District 5280’s involvement with the GLP.  The biggest RI grant ever given to a project, over $400,000, has been allocated for this year.  In our own club, our Board of Directors voted to give $5,000 this year, making this our biggest club project, outside of the Arc (which we support with our Golf Tournament) and the Downey Family YMCA (recipient of our Annual Pancake Breakfast in October).  Funds for the GLP will come with our contributions to the 10K Evening in May, and other events which illuminate our motto, “Have fun while you do good.”  Stay tuned for opportunities.
 
Next trip is July 18-23, this summer (brochures were on the table, and are available from Rich), and another working and sightseeing trip is set for February of 2018.  Dale Self and Larry McGrew testified to the value of the most recent trip.  They told us how they got a chance to interact with the students, as the pictures showed,  helped distribute vital educational materials to needy schools, and saw CO-ED’s sustainable program in action.
 
Dave Davis, visiting us from the Bellflower Club, also participated in the February trip, and told how his Rotary moment came in Antigua, the former colonial capital of Guatemala, when a little girl took his hand and led him into her classroom to see her read.  They walked on a carpet of pine needles which had been freshly spread for them, a mark of respect dating from the Mayan heritage where the gods were not expected to touch the earth when walking, like lesser mortals.  The child was grateful and wanted Dave to share in the village’s thanks.
 
The travelers also enjoyed the beauty of Guatemala’s volcanoes, mountains, forests and lakes.  Shopping in artisan markets was a part of the fellowship of experiencing the richness of Guatemala’s culture.
 
PARKING LOT INTERVIEWs are always revealing.  Talking with the world-travelled Karen Self we learned that she and Dale have taken two children to sponsor for scholarships. They visited the little girl, a second grader whose first and native language is Mayan.  She gave Karen a present, a scrapbook of her achievements, and she has written to thank Karen, but in Spanish, so Karen needs a translator.
 
“It makes you choke up,” Karen said, “to see how eager they are to show you they can read.  One little boy read us book after book, running back to the shelf to get another one as soon as he finished the first.”
 
This is the year of the “Thousand Girl Initiative” which aligns with the gender equality focus of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.  “Investing in girls’ education here yields a higher rate of return than in any other country.”
 
As of this writing, members of Downey Rotary are invited by CO-ED to enjoy a free breakfast at Mimi’s and learn more about how we can participate in the GLP project.
 
There will be many more follow-ups, as this has become our club’s major international project.
Thanks to Rich, and to Dale and Larry, the best is yet to come.