Casa Guatemala
December 2018, I was sat scrolling through Instagram searching for hostels and homestays ahead of my upcoming backpacking adventure to Guatemala. I stumbled across a page called Casa Guatemala. At first glance I thought it was a hostel, then the further I looked into the images and posts on the profile it was clear it was a charity. I don’t have children of my own and I’m not around them a lot, so what happened next surprised me! I found myself clicking on the website and instantly signing myself up to be a short-term volunteer! I’m not sure what I was thinking considering I found some children a little irritating! However, I felt it was the perfect way of travelling more responsibly, giving back and learning more about the culture.
WHAT THEY DO
Casa Guatemala is an NGO, setup in 1977, that provides care for vulnerable children in the Rio Dulce area and surrounding Mayan villages, who live in extreme poverty. Only 30% of children make it past primary school. Many leave before this even. Every year, Casa Guatemala helps to change the future of 250 children, helping provide them with vital education and to progress to what we know as Secondary school, through various schemes of sponsorship. Education in Guatemala is very expensive, which is why so many families simply cannot afford to send their children to school. Next time you hear your children, or friends’ children complain about having to go to school, please remind them it’s a luxury! The organisation don’t only provide education to these children. They also provide valuable daily nutrition (many arrive malnourished), healthcare, via their on site Doctor and clinic and education in the importance of these areas for living such as hygiene, sustainable agriculture, discipline through daily chores, artwork and more. Along with the more familiar subjects, they also study languages, such as English and believe it or not Spanish too, as many children start Casa Guatemala only speaking their native Mayan language. This is often K’chi, due to the region. (Guatemala has approx 43 different native languages spoken!)
WHY I SUPPORT THEM
My placement was at the end of my trip, so after a few weeks of backpacking I was preparing myself for sleeping in the jungle with no electricity and screaming children everywhere who didn’t speak English!
The night before my placement I stayed at the organisation’s hotel, which not only supplies work and accommodation to some of the school’s ex-students, but the profits go directly to help maintain the running of school. Feeling apprehensive and excited at the same time, I said goodbye to the WiFi and board a lancha along with some of the school’s ground staff and teachers and 2 young siblings who had come over early to see their aunty and have a milkshake! One of them was Sylvia, aged 6 and was wary of me! Despite my best efforts I couldn’t get a smile out of her! 10 minutes into the boat ride to the school she was asleep on my lap! First lesson learned! Sylvia ended up being one of the girls I looked after during my 2 week placement.
The time I spent at the the school was incredible, humbling and also challenging! The volunteers house is super basic! Zero electricity, lumpy mattresses, no hot water (in fact there is not hot water at all in the school....the children have cold showers at 5am daily!!!) and there are some interesting jungle creatures around to keep you company too! The worst part: 4:30 daily alarm calls! Oh and often the water supply would be turned off, so you’d jump in the shower, lather up, brace yourself did the icy water, turn the tap and nothing would come out!! I’m now a wiz at the bucket shower! However, they were the most challenging parts! The time I spent with the children was so special and to think that some of them may not end up going to secondary school is tough. This may happen due to their family’s decision or financial difficulties. To run the school, it can cost around $50 per child per month! This is why I’ve chosen to support them through my Holistic treatments. For every treatment you book with me, I donate 5% to Casa Guatemala. So by treating yourself to some restorative relaxation, you are helping me to support these precious little beings to a bright future. Thank you x