New Lives for 150 Women of the Guatemala City Dump

With the new year comes a new and exciting program for Creamos - Adult Education! This month marks the transition of the Adult Education program from Safe Passage (our sister organization) to Creamos. Far from a pilot program, Adult Education has been implemented by Safe Passage since 2006 and has supported hundreds of adult learners on their paths towards elementary, middle and high school graduation. Through a recent restructuring of organizational priorities, these two organizations made the decision to transfer oversight and implementation of the adult education program due to its strong alignment with the Creamos mission. We’re honored to provide this important program for approximately 60 community members - both women and men - many of whom have been prohibited from pursuing their educational dreams due to the economic pressures of the garbage dump community.

Working closely with the Guatemalan Ministry of Education, Creamos’ new education department will teach traditional elementary, middle and high school classes in addition to a variety of independent and culturally relevant courses. These courses, including financial literacy, functional literacy, English, university preparation, computation, and a “Reading to Your Children” program, are intended to complement the traditional subject matter offered through the government-mandated curricula. Further, acknowledging the tumultuous nature of our community and the likelihood that our adult learners may be required to take breaks from their studies on occasion, we’re also excited to provide a tutoring program. This program will provide essential one-on-one support for all participants who request it. Through this multi-layered approach, we’re hopeful our students will be better prepared to achieve lifelong financial, emotional and physical stability for themselves and their families.

While we’re thrilled to be able to provide this vital opportunity for the women enrolled in our programs, we’re excited to expand our reach and invite other community members to further their studies with us. Recently, a group of men in the community have expressed an interest in continuing their studies in order to obtain formal employment. In response, we’ll be restarting an all-male evening class for approximately 15 men eager to continue their studies. In partnership with an external organization, we’ll also offer Gentle Masculinity workshops through which our male students will explore healthy and respectful ways to express themselves. Further, we are looking forward to partnering with another local NGO to recruit teenage moms in the community who’ve been drawn away from their studies due to parental responsibilities. And last but not least, we remain committed to providing educational opportunities for our senior population, most of whom never had the opportunity to study at all. These women, who have been with us since our founding, have demonstrated their commitment to ongoing education and setting an example for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. While they may be too old to work in the formal sector or return to a traditional school setting, these women continue to show up each week with an unwavering dedication to personal growth. By providing a safe space for non-traditional learners, we’re committed to making sure no one in our community is excluded from achieving their dreams. 

Creamos enters this chapter with a refreshing combination of new and veteran team members, all of whom have demonstrated a great amount of enthusiasm for the integration of adult education. As an organization, we enter this year with humility, and an open mind to learn from our participants how to further grow the education program. 

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