Empower Maya Weavers' Children through Education

IMPORTANCE OF THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF ARTISANS IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS

Artisan mothers play an important role in the education of their children. If there is awareness of the importance of education among the members of a family, especially the parents, this becomes a motivation for the children to continue studying.

Although most of the artisan mothers did not have the opportunity to study, a situation that prevents them from reading and writing, but their daily effort in each school cycle is very important and fundamental.

The school year in Guatemala runs from January to October each year, and taking care of the children to attend school adds to the heavy day-to-day routine of the artisans. 

Some artisan mothers see accompanying their children during the school year as an opportunity to learn and others see it as an obligation. 

Petronila, Concepción and Andrea  are artisans who have become a model of perseverance and effort in education. 

The three artisans did not have the opportunity to study, they started weaving at a very young age, their family economy is very limited but every day they double their efforts to accompany and support their daughters and sisters to continue in school.

Petronila accompanies her daughter every day so that she gets to school safely, accompanies her to the bookstore to stock up on school supplies and learns with her to do her homework. 

Concepción is an artisan mother who has lived through a lot of domestic violence, but despite the family situation she has managed to get her daughter Dulce to go back to school. Concepción works hard so that her daughter can get the best grades and go in search of a scholarship to cover the expenses to continue studying at the high school level. 

Andrea is a single artisan whose mother passed away at a very young age and she was left in charge of her 5 siblings, her father lives in the vice of alcoholism. Andrea's daily life has not been easy. The youngest of her siblings has the dream of studying medicine and it is a difficult but not impossible challenge. Lourdes has taken the first step to begin her medical studies, it is only the first year and the challenges are higher every year for her, mainly because of the economic resources. Andrea has been like a mother to Lourdes and gives her unconditional support.