Education Guatemala Project #23154

Provide Music Education for Children in Guatemala

by Asociacion Sonidos Para La Vida

Project Report | Nov 10, 2016
Childhood full of sounds

By Edwin Ruiz | Project Leader

Joy

After 36 years of civil war, Guatemala has suffered many social problems that have sunk in hatred, despair, distrust and many other things that only generate poverty and inequality. However, despite all these problems, many children today are changing their reality, because they are growing up with a new idea of life because they have music in their development.

This is the case of Ruth, a 9-year-old living in Chimaltenango, one of the areas hardest hit by the civil war. Ruth, from very small had the opportunity to be part of Sounds For Life and today his life is music and joy. She plays the violin and always excited a new concert, to practice more your instrument and to share with his teammates of his orchestra.

And Ruth, there are thousands of children who, with the program Sounds for Life, are growing with this new element in their lives, "MUSIC", and all the joy, discipline, perseverance, skills and all those factors that influence directly in their formation, to be good people, sure of themselves and with the firm conviction that Guatemala can be different and can have a better future.

Every time you collaborate with Sounds For Life, is collaborating with a whole country to generate social change we need and to end once and for all the violence that prevails every day. Help more children to have this opotunidad in your life because all Guatemalan children in need.

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Aug 8, 2016
A community full of music

By Edwin Ruiz | Excecutive Director Sonidos Para La Vida

Joy

There is a beautiful and picturesque town in Guatemala called Santo Domingo Xenacoj. The town was founded around 1520 and it's population, of little more than 9,000 people speak Spanish, or their native language Cakchikel, which is one of the main Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala.

Our "Sonidos para la vida" foundation recently began one of our projects in this town's public school, which serves approximately 600 children, boys and girls. These children are full of hope and confidence that they can have a better future. They believe they can fulfill their dreams. And their school, named San Sebastián, is well known for trying to offer their students a well rounded education. They work hard to provide opportunities needed to achieve a global preparation for their students.

Because of this school's strong commitment to students, "Sonidos para la vida" has joined in, and we are working together to provide the children the benefits music can add to their education. It is important to mention that the school's faculty are 100% committed to their students. This is why we are certain our program will achieve all the objectives that we have envisioned for this project.

The work that we are able to perform at this great community is a happy story. But there are hundreds of other communities in Guatemala, similar to this one in Santo Domingo, hoping to have a chance to be counted among the ones chosen for our projects.

But without your help we won't be able to offer that opportunity to many. We are totally aware of the number of social needs that exist in the world, and that is why we appreciate, with all our heart, the fact that you have chosen to support us, and that you contribute to our mission of brightening the lives of many children in Guatemala with the gift of music.

From our hearts and those of our children... Thank you!

Opportunity

Equality

Example

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May 10, 2016
The music changes life

By Edwin Ruiz | CEO Founder

Hope and joy in San Cristobal

In Guatemala we lived in an armed conflict that lasted 32 years. This war has as consequence, in Guatemalan people, deep wounds that are hard to get rid of, for example, poverty, marked inequalities and discrimination. Those who suffer the most are the children, who are directly reached by these deep problems and as a consequence thousands of them do not have opportunities to study, to live a normal childhood, to live…. simply they do not live as what they are children.

Daniela, a girl who lives in a rural community called San Juan Alotenango, travels every weekend to a village called San Cristóbal El Alto, (which is another rural community), but her main motivation for this trip is “the music”. She is learning to play guitar, and as she does not have one of her own, she travels to San Cristóbal on Fridays with the only one purpose to practice as long as its possible to be ready for the night, moment in which other children of the village get together for the rehearsal.

Daniela is just and example, of thousands of children that Sounds for Life has been able to reach through the work that it’s been done altogether with communities, public schools and those who are showing interest of having opportunities to change life through music.

WHY THROUGH MUSIC:

Many scientific studies show that music provides an enormous amount of benefits to the development of human beings, especially children and youth. Nowadays we know that music develops important aspects such as language, coordination, different motor skills and the ability to schematize, so valued by all those who understand that an outlined brain is much more efficient.

What Your support has enabled:

The cost for us to give the possibility that a child has, for free, guitar lessons is approximately $ 15.00 per year. This is possible because of the system we use to work with “Volunteers", who are usually people who belong to the same communities or are teachers of the same schools, enabling lower costs and cover a larger number of children. Thanks to your help, today we are attending to 11 CORES where approximately 2,500 students benefit. And still there is a lot to be done...

Music education in Guatemala is disappearing from the education system because there are few openings for specialized teachers in this area, so everyone should make the effort to not continue to deny the “joy of music “to our children.

With dedication advance

Public schools need opportunities

A smile full of music

Teachers are prepared anywhere

Links:

See more progress we have achieved

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