Support literacy and learning for 1,900 Maya youth

Bilingual Story Hour on the radio began as a response to pandemic lockdown measures that forced us to close our Saber Sin Límites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library in 2020. Three years later, it has become an integral part of our library programming, uniting and inspiring our community through the enchanting power of storytelling in both Spanish and Ixil. It has been a wonderful way to expand our reach well beyond the youth who walk to our library each day, reaching their family members back at home, and youth and families miles outside of Chajul. 

Approximately 60% of our library attendees speak Spanish, which is why our Bilingual Story Hour has been a vital tool for promoting literacy and language acquisition in Chajul. Led by Head Librarian David Imul, our talented staff have skillfully curated a collection of stories that have captivated listeners of all ages. In 2022 a total of 64 bilingual stories in Spanish and Ixil were broadcasted on the radio, each airing multiple times throughout the week. These stories provide an opportunity for young learners to engage with literature in their native language while also improving their Spanish comprehension skills. 

So far this year, we have aired eight stories, covering a range of compelling themes such as women's empowerment and the importance of perseverance.

We take pride in witnessing the success and impact of Bilingual Story Hour on the radio as part of our efforts to promote literacy in Chajul and we look forward to continuing to foster a love for stories in both Spanish and Chajul’s local Maya Ixil language.

A new program for the new year

As our impact on the community grows, so is our steadfast dedication to meeting the needs of those we serve. We are thrilled to collaborate with our Colegio Horizontes’ Ixil language and grammar teacher, Edilma, to incorporate more cultural programming into the library. 

This exciting addition to the schedule aims to celebrate the rich diversity and cultural heritage of our community while creating a more inclusive and culturally sensitive space within the library. Through monthly sessions, participants will have the opportunity to learn about various aspects of Mayan culture, including the Mayan worldview, numeration, and the calendar.

“One of the most important things is to explain the why - why we practice our customs, why we dance in a certain way, why we eat certain foods, why the textiles are woven in a particular manner and the differences in textiles between the communities of the Ixil region. It is also important to talk about our values and the significance of the Mayan calendar, which is an important tool for us in daily practices such as agriculture as a guide to knowing when and how to plant crops. It is essential that we teach our younger generations our traditional values and customs to prevent their loss and keep our language and culture alive.” 

-Edilma, Colegio Horizontes’ Ixil language and grammar teacher

Your ongoing support empowers us to expand our educational offerings and provide our community members with further opportunities to delve into their cultural heritage, cultivate their identity, and establish meaningful connections with one another. Thank you for being an essential part of our mission to ensure that our library remains a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for all!

Deysi, age 12, became a library member in 2014 when she was only four years old. Back then, her mom, Margarita, ensured she got a library membership, as it was the only place in Chajul where Deysi could get the materials she needed to do her homework and receive academic support as she progressed in school. Deysi always had a fondness for math but felt frustrated that she wasn't learning enough at the local school she attended up until the sixth grade. It was at our Saber sin Límites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library, where our Adventures in Math and Science STEM classes have been a focus in recent years, that Deysi found the space and opportunity to develop her love for these subjects, which historically have been one of the most challenging areas for students in Chajul.

In 2022, Librarians David and Cecilia conducted math and science classes once a week in both the morning and the afternoon for library members. It was wonderful to see library attendance returning to pre-pandemic numbers, welcoming 30-40 members daily with librarians facilitating learning. 

In mid-November 2022, Deysi joined 34 other students as they started their month-long Broadening Horizons preparation classes at Limitless Horizons Ixil’s new middle school Colegio Horizontes. These classes are designed to narrow the skill gaps of incoming students and help them successfully transition into middle school. While Deysi’s family struggles with poverty and she is still working to improve her Spanish (she grew up speaking Maya Ixil at home), she worked very hard and impressed her teachers, taking advantage of her time to absorb as much as she could from a math course that was much more captivating than what she was used to learning in school. Her hard work paid off: she has been officially accepted to be part of our second class of 7th graders in Colegio Horizontes for the 2023 school year, starting very soon in mid-January. 

Deysi dreams of becoming a Math teacher one day, but for now, she enjoys taking account of the many ways it is used around town. Both she and her mother credit Saber Sin Límites Community Library as the reason Deysi has continued to dream big and set goals for the future. It has also been the door for Deysi to now have access to a quality, empowering, and holistic education, something that Margarita, unfortunately, did not have. 

Deysi has a great awareness of what education represents for her, her family, and her future. We have loved seeing her optimism and determination to succeed and are humbled and honored to be part of her story, which with her soon incorporation into Colegio Horizontes, is really just beginning.