Student Sponsorship Program
The Mayan Families Student Sponsorship Program was established in loving memory of Dr. Bettyjane Poage and Dr. Ruby Cremaschi-Schwimmer. Both great teachers and educators in whose spirit the program continues.
Illiteracy in Guatemala
The illiteracy rate in Guatemala is 69.9% for those over 15 years. In the Highlands, more than 70% of the women are illiterate. We deal with many of these women on a daily basis. They are always embarrassed when they have to sign a paper and they cannot do it. They can only use their thumbprint as their signature. They do not have access to the legal and medical world as they should. They cannot read a prescription for their child. They cannot read the doses that the child should take. If they are lucky enough that their child is in school, they cannot help that child with homework. They cannot read a legal document. This lack of education leaves them very vulnerable in society.
There are many children in Guatemala who would like to attend school but for financial reasons are unable. Even public schools have many costs. These costs include inscription fee, school uniform, books, backpack, school shoes, sports shoes, and travel costs. These expenses put sending a child to school far beyond the range of many Indigenous families. Quite often, a family who cannot afford to send all their children to school will only send a boy while the girls stay at home.
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What this Program does:
Simply stated, we enable many children with a decent education. We sponsor many girls but we make sure boys are getting the chance to go to school as well. We place a special emphasis on the sponsorship of children from single parent families, since these are the most disadvantaged. We also sponsor two parent families who are suffering hardships, many of whom have up to 10 children in need of an education.
Contributions to this Program enable us to provide a student with their inscription fee, school uniform, school sweater, backpack, two pairs of socks, underwear, school shoes, sports shoes, shorts and t-shirt for gym, school excursion costs, help with special projects, summer school classes, a musical instrument if enrolled in a music program, and arts and crafts supplies as needed for assignments.
Visit our Gallery of Students
School Fees for 2008 School Year
Elementary School Children Kindergarten - 6th Grade $120Junior High School Children 7th Grade - 9th Grade $300
High School Children 10th Grade - 12th Grade $400
How You Can Help a Needy Child Go To School
Please select the Contribute button. All contributions of any amount are gratefully accepted and will be used only for this Program.
If you would like your contribution to be used to have an individual student assigned to you and your name displayed on the Student Gallery, then send a message to studentassignment@mayanfamilies.org after you have completed your payment. This will alert our student sponsorship team. Someone will contact you to best understand your interests and find a good match. You can also set up an automatic contribution payment plan to help children receive an education.
Most Recent Headlines for the Student Sponsorship Program
Student News
| Students Bearing Gifts (05/16/2008 10:34 AM) |
| Veronica Has a Sponsor (05/15/2008 10:38 AM) |
| Patti Meets Her Sponsored Students (05/14/2008 05:46 PM) |
| #606 Maritza (05/10/2008 03:16 PM) |
| #46 Sandra (05/06/2008 08:27 AM) |
Newest Students to the Gallery
| Student # 734 FLORESTINA - Sponsored (05/13/2008 01:28 PM) |
| Student # 733 MARY ZOILA - Sponsored by Bill, April, Riley, & Mia Reed (05/13/2008 01:22 PM) |
| Student # 732 DIEGO - Pending (05/13/2008 01:17 PM) |
| Student # 731 ELENA CONCEPCION - Pending (05/13/2008 01:11 PM) |
| Student # 730 DOLORES - Pending (05/12/2008 10:40 PM) |
