Changing the World, One Child at a Time

An Update from Casa Guatemala

 We are writing to you during a challenging time, but also with deep gratitude for your ongoing support. We are heartbroken to share the news of the passing of our incredible founder, Angelina de Galdamez, who passed away peacefully on the morning of July 16th. Mami Angie, as she was known to so many, built this organization from a dream into a reality, creating a safe home for thousands of children in the middle of a brutal civil war. Her life's work and legacy will continue for generations, and we are honoured to carry on her mission. We laid her to rest in Rio Dulce, the place she loved most, and were joined by so many of the children she raised, alumni, and friends who gathered to celebrate her life. We know that her spirit lives on in all of us who have been touched by her passion and tenacity. 

Navigating New Challenges Together

This difficult time has been compounded by other challenges. We recently learned that our long-time partner, PERENCO, will be leaving Guatemala. For 15 years, they have provided us with invaluable support, including all our food, school supplies, and building materials. We don't know how we would have survived without their partnership, and their departure leaves a significant void. 

Responding to Seismic Activity

On top of these changes, we have faced a lot of seismic activity in the last month that has damaged some of our critical infrastructure. We urgently need to address two key repairs to ensure the safety and well-being of our community:

• Water Tower Reinforcement: The concrete water tower has sustained structural damage and needs to be reinforced with additional columns. This will also provide a better platform for future water tanks. The estimated cost for this repair is $5,000. We have already begun the work and raised the majority of the funds needed but we still need your help to ensure we are able to ensure that the new platform will be strong enough to hold our additional water tanks!

• School Building Repairs: The oldest school building, which houses four classrooms, has broken posts and beams. We are making temporary fixes with materials on hand but need to raise $1,000 to purchase new posts and cover the cost of labor and transportation for these urgent repairs. We have replaced the most important structural beams and posts so that the kids can continue to use their classroom but we will need to make some major changes to this building in the future to ensure its long term sustainability! 

Things to Celebrate! 

Although there are always lots of challenges here at Casa Guatemala, we also have so much to celebrate! This month we are celebrating the Guatemalan Independence Day and the last two weeks have been filled with activities for the kids to learn about their history and the cultures that make Guatemala so unique. As a school made up of almost 90% indigenous Mayan Q'eqchi students and staff, we pride ourselves on including the importance of their language, culture and traditions year round! This week we also learn about the other Mayan, Xinca, Ladino and Garifuna cultures that make up the beautiful tapestry of cultures and communities here in Guatemala. The children participated in the local parade in town and put on beautiful performances of folkloric dances, songs, poems and even a cheerleading competion! Be sure to follow all our social media accounts so you can watch their incredible performances!

Our Season of Giving is starting now as we prepare for the end of the school year, our vacation program and of course, Christmas! We will need much more support this year as we will need to fill a huge gap in our donations with the loss of PERENCO. We hope that you will continue to support us in our work and help us to reach out to even more potential donors in the future! 

Your support is more crucial than ever as we work to secure the future of our home and the children we serve.

With love and gratitude,

Heather 

Links:

• Follow Us on Social Media!