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Hello all,
As many of you know, I spent the past year living in a slum in Guatemala City where I worked at a local women's cooperative. It was rough, but the experience was incredibly formative and eye-opening, and, as many people who have lived and loved abroad will understand, I fell beautifully, tragically in love with the community and people in it. Check out the blog I kept while there to see what I'm talking about: http://meagiemaddock.wordpress.com/author/meagiemaddock/ . Internet was spotty at best so my posts are sporadic, but they give a general idea of what my life looked like in the slum.
So, why did I create this campaign? Well, because I want you're money, quite frankly. There's something about living in a slum and coming to love an impoverished community that has made me look for money in every nook, cranny, and distant acquaintance I can think of. I need money to send approximately 13 kids to school next year, and not just any kids. These are little humans who would come to the after school program I ran every.single.day. They face nearly insurmountable obstacles to overcoming the cycles of poverty they're trapped within, but if I know anything, it's that education is their only way out. I love these kids, and see so much potential in them. I promised myself I would do everything in my power as a privileged American, albeit plagued with student loan debt, to help them stay in school.
Gang violence, alcoholism, and domestic violence-the ugly ills of poverty-have sunk their roots deep into the community. The average Guatemalan youth stops studying after 6th grade, due mainly to exceeding costs and a need to work and provide more income for their family. This also serves as a pipeline for gang recruitment. So many of the youth in the community graduate from 6th grade, and within a few years have stopped going to school altogether and joined the gangs. Gang life is alluring to disenfranchised youth because it promises quick money and protection, both of which are hard to come by when living in poverty. However, the average life span for a gang member is 25 years, and as they say on the streets of Guatemala, there are only two ways to leave the gang: in a coffin or a jail cell. This is not the future I want for the kids I've come to know and love, and it's not the future they want, either. They are smart, dedicated, and passionate individuals with the potential to break the cycle of poverty in their families. And YOU can be a part of it!
I'm asking for you to "buy a scholarship" in the place of one Christmas gift this year, and for years to come if you're able (sustainability or bust!). This means $50 for a basic scholarship, which would provide school materials for 1 year for 1 child. Or, if you are willing and able, $100 for a full scholarship, covering material costs, in addition to registration fees, exam costs, and uniforms for 1 year for 1 child. Of course, any amount you're willing to give, be it $5 or $500, will be graciously accepted. As a thank you, each child that receives a scholarship will send you a hand written note, usually including an adorable drawing, and a picture of themselves. Who knows, maybe they'll be the next Frida or president of Guatemala, and you can sell the note and drawing in the future and make your donation back?!
Imagine not being able to send your child to school simply because it means having to choose between feeding them or paying a registration fee. Imagine being born into this system, with no way out, except for an education that your single, work-herself-to-the-bone mother, who only has a 2nd grade education herself, can't afford. I'm asking--no, pleading--for your compassion. Please, please, please consider donating. I promise you it will make a real, tangible difference. I myself am spending more than the sum of my first two "grown-up" paychecks to give scholarships.
Here's a list of the kids I'm trying to send to school. You can choose who you would like to contribute to or make a general donation.
Yarexi, age 7. Yarexi comes from a very poor family and has 4 siblings. She lives with 9 other people in a two-room house. Despite their hardship, every time I go to visit the family, I am bombarded with food and homemade (definitely parasite-filled) limeade and bags of vegetables that they would normally sell at the market. They are endlessly generous and gracious and were mortified when the newest member of the family, 3 month old William, urinated on me. Yarexi is quiet and well-behaved, but very sharp. She actually likes doing homework, and often stays longer than her peers in the after school program to check out books from the library. She's teased because her school uniforms and clothes are ripped and dirty, signature of the extreme poverty she lives in. When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher. A scholarship would help her immensely. Her mom is sending 4 other kids to school and cannot afford to send all of them without a little help.
Aracely, age 7. Oh, Aracely! The tiniest little toothless firecracker in the slum. Her dad owns neighborhood the taco stand, so she's know throughout the community as Taquito, or "Little Taco." Aracely should be in second grade, but has never been enrolled in school. I met her on the street and she begged me to let her come to our Pre-K class, which I of course allowed. I've never seen a child so eager and utterly excited to go to "school." She has come every day since then, and even though she started a few months late, is one of the stars of the class! She wants so badly to go to school, but her dad can't afford to send her and all of her older siblings to school at the same time. She really needs a scholarship!
Mildred, age 5. Mildred is sweet as sugar and smart, smart, smart! Like Aracely, she exceeds in our Pre-K class, and simply loves to learn. She has two older sisters who have encouraged her love for learning, as they themselves excel in school and value the importance of education. Mildred loves to sing, and even though she is shy, when given the chance she loves to lead her classmates in singing our daily songs. Mildred comes from a Mayan family, which means they face discrimination and racism and are more susceptible to the ills of poverty. Because of this, Mildred faces even more obstacles than her peers when it comes to obtaining an education.
Velveth, age 10. Velveth has an especially tragic story. Her mom died of cancer a few years ago, after which she was removed from her home because her father was physically and sexually abusing her. She bounced around from orphanages to relatives' homes to state institutions, and has finally landed in a semi-stable situation living with her grandmother. Despite the unspeakable hardship she's been through, Velveth is an absolute joy to be around. She is incredibly smart and even more dedicated. She is only able to attend the after school program a few days per week because on other days she sells fruit in a local market to supplement her family's income. However, she makes up for her absence by staying longer on the days she does come, and can often be found with her nose nuzzled into a book in our library. If given a scholarship, Velveth would be able to break the barriers that are keeping her impoverished.
Gustavo, age 12. Gustavo will always be on my "nice list" because he gave me my "slum cat," Luna. He knew I liked cats and he knew we had a mouse problem on the roof where we lived, and so one day he showed up with a tiny orange kitten as a gift for me. A part from that, Gustavo is brilliant, kind, and inquisitive. His mother just had another baby and his father recenlty walked out, so he needs this scholarship now more than ever. His risk of being target by the gangs is very high due to his age and instable home situation. If he doesn't receive a scholarship, he may not continue after he graduates from 6th grade this year.
Kaetlin, age 6. Kaetlin also comes from very dire circumstances. She lives with her 9 cousins, various aunts and uncles, grandparents, and a number of siblings I can never keep track of. I often run into her and her gaggle of cousins/siblings running barefoot in the street, a true sign of their poverty because most Guatemalans are sure to wear shoes at all times lest they catch the flu. Kaetlin is very quiet, but sharp as a tack with a heart of gold. She's only in first grade but is often pulled out of class to sell fruit at the local market with her cousins. A scholarship would hugely benefit her and her family.
Henry, age 7. Henry is a handfull! Mischeivous, chaos-loving, and impossible to get mad at. His charm is a bit concerning given his young age, but his wit and intelligence will take him far if he's given the opportunity to keep studying. He is another kid that lives with multiple cousins in a tiny, tin house, and is in dire need of a scholarship to continue studying. He loves soccer and animals and wants to be a "doctor for animals" when he grows up.
Luis, age 12. Luis is at the delicate age that the gangs target, and like all kids in the community, has already experienced the violence first hand. He lives in the most gang-controlled area of the slum and has witnessed countless shootings. He told me himself that his only hope is education. I am always impressed by his compassion for others, despite his tough exterior. He is wise beyond his years and helps his single mother take care of his four younger siblings. If Luis doesn't receive a scholarship, the chance he will be recruited by the gangs is very high.
Julisa, age 5. Julisa is in our Pre-K class and arrives early every day, ready and eager to learn! She has excelled rapidly, from not being able to count to doing simple math! We see great potential in her, but she must be stimulated and encouraged to keep studying and to value education. Like most kids in the community, her parents did not finish elementary school and she has no books in the house, creating even more barriers to her attaining a quality, wholesome education.
Aracely, age 11. Aracely holds a special place in my heart. She was one of the first girls to join the Girls' Club I initiated, and came to every single session. She even helped me recruit other girls to join as well! She's a little activist with a lot of passion, and I know she will do great things for her community. When asked during Girls' Club, she said that, besides the gangs, the largest problem in her community is domestic violence and gender inequality. She wants to be a psychologist when she grows up to help combat these issues. This girl is the real deal! If she hopes to achieve her goals she will need a scholarship to continue her education.
Katy, age 12. Katy is also a VIP member of Girls' Club. Her most valued contribution was her conflict resolution skills and her fearlessness. She broke up many a girl fight by fostering communication and understanding among her peers. Unfortunately, Katy's older siblings are all in the gang, and the risk of her following the same path is very high. However, I have hope that she will resist, and I am really counting on a scholarship helping her do so.
I thank you from the bottom of my soul for your contribution, compassion, and generosity. GRACIAS!
Meagie
As many of you know, I spent the past year living in a slum in Guatemala City where I worked at a local women's cooperative. It was rough, but the experience was incredibly formative and eye-opening, and, as many people who have lived and loved abroad will understand, I fell beautifully, tragically in love with the community and people in it. Check out the blog I kept while there to see what I'm talking about: http://meagiemaddock.wordpress.com/author/meagiemaddock/ . Internet was spotty at best so my posts are sporadic, but they give a general idea of what my life looked like in the slum.
So, why did I create this campaign? Well, because I want you're money, quite frankly. There's something about living in a slum and coming to love an impoverished community that has made me look for money in every nook, cranny, and distant acquaintance I can think of. I need money to send approximately 13 kids to school next year, and not just any kids. These are little humans who would come to the after school program I ran every.single.day. They face nearly insurmountable obstacles to overcoming the cycles of poverty they're trapped within, but if I know anything, it's that education is their only way out. I love these kids, and see so much potential in them. I promised myself I would do everything in my power as a privileged American, albeit plagued with student loan debt, to help them stay in school.
Gang violence, alcoholism, and domestic violence-the ugly ills of poverty-have sunk their roots deep into the community. The average Guatemalan youth stops studying after 6th grade, due mainly to exceeding costs and a need to work and provide more income for their family. This also serves as a pipeline for gang recruitment. So many of the youth in the community graduate from 6th grade, and within a few years have stopped going to school altogether and joined the gangs. Gang life is alluring to disenfranchised youth because it promises quick money and protection, both of which are hard to come by when living in poverty. However, the average life span for a gang member is 25 years, and as they say on the streets of Guatemala, there are only two ways to leave the gang: in a coffin or a jail cell. This is not the future I want for the kids I've come to know and love, and it's not the future they want, either. They are smart, dedicated, and passionate individuals with the potential to break the cycle of poverty in their families. And YOU can be a part of it!
I'm asking for you to "buy a scholarship" in the place of one Christmas gift this year, and for years to come if you're able (sustainability or bust!). This means $50 for a basic scholarship, which would provide school materials for 1 year for 1 child. Or, if you are willing and able, $100 for a full scholarship, covering material costs, in addition to registration fees, exam costs, and uniforms for 1 year for 1 child. Of course, any amount you're willing to give, be it $5 or $500, will be graciously accepted. As a thank you, each child that receives a scholarship will send you a hand written note, usually including an adorable drawing, and a picture of themselves. Who knows, maybe they'll be the next Frida or president of Guatemala, and you can sell the note and drawing in the future and make your donation back?!
Imagine not being able to send your child to school simply because it means having to choose between feeding them or paying a registration fee. Imagine being born into this system, with no way out, except for an education that your single, work-herself-to-the-bone mother, who only has a 2nd grade education herself, can't afford. I'm asking--no, pleading--for your compassion. Please, please, please consider donating. I promise you it will make a real, tangible difference. I myself am spending more than the sum of my first two "grown-up" paychecks to give scholarships.
Here's a list of the kids I'm trying to send to school. You can choose who you would like to contribute to or make a general donation.
Yarexi, age 7. Yarexi comes from a very poor family and has 4 siblings. She lives with 9 other people in a two-room house. Despite their hardship, every time I go to visit the family, I am bombarded with food and homemade (definitely parasite-filled) limeade and bags of vegetables that they would normally sell at the market. They are endlessly generous and gracious and were mortified when the newest member of the family, 3 month old William, urinated on me. Yarexi is quiet and well-behaved, but very sharp. She actually likes doing homework, and often stays longer than her peers in the after school program to check out books from the library. She's teased because her school uniforms and clothes are ripped and dirty, signature of the extreme poverty she lives in. When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher. A scholarship would help her immensely. Her mom is sending 4 other kids to school and cannot afford to send all of them without a little help.
Aracely, age 7. Oh, Aracely! The tiniest little toothless firecracker in the slum. Her dad owns neighborhood the taco stand, so she's know throughout the community as Taquito, or "Little Taco." Aracely should be in second grade, but has never been enrolled in school. I met her on the street and she begged me to let her come to our Pre-K class, which I of course allowed. I've never seen a child so eager and utterly excited to go to "school." She has come every day since then, and even though she started a few months late, is one of the stars of the class! She wants so badly to go to school, but her dad can't afford to send her and all of her older siblings to school at the same time. She really needs a scholarship!
Mildred, age 5. Mildred is sweet as sugar and smart, smart, smart! Like Aracely, she exceeds in our Pre-K class, and simply loves to learn. She has two older sisters who have encouraged her love for learning, as they themselves excel in school and value the importance of education. Mildred loves to sing, and even though she is shy, when given the chance she loves to lead her classmates in singing our daily songs. Mildred comes from a Mayan family, which means they face discrimination and racism and are more susceptible to the ills of poverty. Because of this, Mildred faces even more obstacles than her peers when it comes to obtaining an education.
Velveth, age 10. Velveth has an especially tragic story. Her mom died of cancer a few years ago, after which she was removed from her home because her father was physically and sexually abusing her. She bounced around from orphanages to relatives' homes to state institutions, and has finally landed in a semi-stable situation living with her grandmother. Despite the unspeakable hardship she's been through, Velveth is an absolute joy to be around. She is incredibly smart and even more dedicated. She is only able to attend the after school program a few days per week because on other days she sells fruit in a local market to supplement her family's income. However, she makes up for her absence by staying longer on the days she does come, and can often be found with her nose nuzzled into a book in our library. If given a scholarship, Velveth would be able to break the barriers that are keeping her impoverished.
Gustavo, age 12. Gustavo will always be on my "nice list" because he gave me my "slum cat," Luna. He knew I liked cats and he knew we had a mouse problem on the roof where we lived, and so one day he showed up with a tiny orange kitten as a gift for me. A part from that, Gustavo is brilliant, kind, and inquisitive. His mother just had another baby and his father recenlty walked out, so he needs this scholarship now more than ever. His risk of being target by the gangs is very high due to his age and instable home situation. If he doesn't receive a scholarship, he may not continue after he graduates from 6th grade this year.
Kaetlin, age 6. Kaetlin also comes from very dire circumstances. She lives with her 9 cousins, various aunts and uncles, grandparents, and a number of siblings I can never keep track of. I often run into her and her gaggle of cousins/siblings running barefoot in the street, a true sign of their poverty because most Guatemalans are sure to wear shoes at all times lest they catch the flu. Kaetlin is very quiet, but sharp as a tack with a heart of gold. She's only in first grade but is often pulled out of class to sell fruit at the local market with her cousins. A scholarship would hugely benefit her and her family.
Henry, age 7. Henry is a handfull! Mischeivous, chaos-loving, and impossible to get mad at. His charm is a bit concerning given his young age, but his wit and intelligence will take him far if he's given the opportunity to keep studying. He is another kid that lives with multiple cousins in a tiny, tin house, and is in dire need of a scholarship to continue studying. He loves soccer and animals and wants to be a "doctor for animals" when he grows up.
Luis, age 12. Luis is at the delicate age that the gangs target, and like all kids in the community, has already experienced the violence first hand. He lives in the most gang-controlled area of the slum and has witnessed countless shootings. He told me himself that his only hope is education. I am always impressed by his compassion for others, despite his tough exterior. He is wise beyond his years and helps his single mother take care of his four younger siblings. If Luis doesn't receive a scholarship, the chance he will be recruited by the gangs is very high.
Julisa, age 5. Julisa is in our Pre-K class and arrives early every day, ready and eager to learn! She has excelled rapidly, from not being able to count to doing simple math! We see great potential in her, but she must be stimulated and encouraged to keep studying and to value education. Like most kids in the community, her parents did not finish elementary school and she has no books in the house, creating even more barriers to her attaining a quality, wholesome education.
Aracely, age 11. Aracely holds a special place in my heart. She was one of the first girls to join the Girls' Club I initiated, and came to every single session. She even helped me recruit other girls to join as well! She's a little activist with a lot of passion, and I know she will do great things for her community. When asked during Girls' Club, she said that, besides the gangs, the largest problem in her community is domestic violence and gender inequality. She wants to be a psychologist when she grows up to help combat these issues. This girl is the real deal! If she hopes to achieve her goals she will need a scholarship to continue her education.
Katy, age 12. Katy is also a VIP member of Girls' Club. Her most valued contribution was her conflict resolution skills and her fearlessness. She broke up many a girl fight by fostering communication and understanding among her peers. Unfortunately, Katy's older siblings are all in the gang, and the risk of her following the same path is very high. However, I have hope that she will resist, and I am really counting on a scholarship helping her do so.
I thank you from the bottom of my soul for your contribution, compassion, and generosity. GRACIAS!
Meagie