Family Support Center (formerly La Guarderia/daycare)

The Family Support Center was created to serve single working mothers in Llanos del Pinal, a rural K'iche Maya community situated 20 minutes south of Quetzaltenango in the Guatemalan highlands. Meals, educational support, and extra-curricular activities are provided for the 36 children aged 2-18 who attend the Center at any given time. This institution allows for parents to continue working after school lets out. These extra hours of work enable families to earn enough money to continue sending their children to school.

The Center is staffed by seven full- and time-part employees, including one teacher. The staff cleans, cooks, and maintains the Center. The staff is thought of as family by the children because many children have difficult family lives.

The Family Support Center is supported by volunteers from the Pop Wuj Spanish School, and is regarded by the Foundation Todos Juntos as a priority because it is the only place where children can receive help on their homework, as their parents (or parent) tend to be illiterate and unable to academically assist the education of their children.

The epidemic of malnutrition which plagues Guatemalan children is combated here as well. The Center provides children with healthy meals and vitamins to aid in their natural development along with medicinal lotions to fight off skin diseases. All of the children receive regular check-ups from the staff and volunteers of the Pop Wuj Medical Clinic.

Along with services to the children, the Center provides counseling and social work services to the families who participate in the program. Familial disintegration, alcoholism, and depression are common problems in Llanos del Pinal and the Center offers hope to individuals suffering from such problems by offering them a broader community.

At the Family Support Center a Greenhouse Project was also started as part of our Environmental Program in 2007. Its goal is to provide safe food for the children at the Center and create a source of income for the Center by growing food products that can be sold in the market. The Greenhouse Project also allows the children to learn healthy agricultural and environmental skills and practices. We are planning to plant spinach, radishes, and cilantro in 2012.

The Family Support Center costs approximately $2,000 a month to run. The budget consists of salaries for the seven full- and part-time employees, food, dry goods, cooking fuel, cleaning supplies, utilities, and rent.




Tuesday, November 22, 2011

November 14-18

For the past two weeks at La Guardería, we have had many exciting activities. One of our student volunteers, working with our Guardería Coordinator, planned a series of lessons in which the children were able to learn how our feelings can affect our reactions. The children learned that events that occur throughout the day might affect how they feel which can cause us to overreact or use methods of expression that they otherwise would not consider. Our student volunteer and our coordinator planned a few group exercises to make tangible these lessons. The children loved the activities. Even though the activities were meant to cause frustration, the children realized the stressor, took a moment to calm down, and completed the activity without shouting or becoming angry.

Another great addition to our student body was a group of Norwegian students that brought with them not only a significant donation, but also a love for the children at the Guardería. In a show of appreciation, the children prepared and presented four of their indigenous dances.



After the children completed their dances, the Norwegian students presented a piñata as a rare gift for all of the children at La Guardería. Even though all of the children were elated beyond words, the students were just as excited to bring a few moments of carefree fun and treats to the children of La Guardería.
The Piñata!