Mayan Families provides opportunities for education to thousands of students through a variety of programs. This project will provide the basic yet critical necessity of shoes for rural, indigenous Guatemalan students who do not have have sponsorships through our Student Sponsorship Program. This will allow students to step forward on their path of education, which can equip them with the skills and knowledge to escape the crushing poverty that so many of their families face.
Without shoes, impoverished Guatemalan children cannot safely walk to school. This basic item can be a barrier for many children, limiting their access to various opportunities including education. Most of the families we work with struggle to feed their children every day and are unable to afford the luxury of a new pair of shoes. Giving children shoes is a gift that physically allows them to access education and in turn the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.
We will provide students with one pair of shoes, so they can walk safely to and from school and participate in all school activities that require different types of footwear, such as physical education. Students who come prepared with school supplies are better able to focus on their studies because they are not excluded from activities and do not have to worry about their safety as they walk to and from school.
We expect our unsponsored students to be able to have more success in school after this project with much fewer absences and increased classroom participation. Giving children shoes is a gift that physically allows them to access education and in turn the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty in their families and communities. In short, the long-term impact of enabling the education for a child is priceless.
