Support literacy and learning for 1,900 Maya youth

When the first COVID-19 case was detected in Guatemala in March 2020, it was hard to predict the impact it would have in Guatemala. Unfortunately more than a year later and the pandemic is still very much uncontrolled in Guatemala.

Sadly after the April holiday period COVID-19 cases increased, and the Ixil region was no exception. Most schools in the Ixil region are now closed again. In some cases students are able to receive in person classes once a week in a hybrid model, and are divided in small groups who attend on different days of the week. 

With students unable to attend school there has been an increase in demand for our Saber Sin Limites Community Library. Now that restrictions allow for it to be open again, librarians David and Olga have been opening the library Monday through Friday for four hours each day, two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon.A maximum of 10 youth are able to be in the library at a time, and all COVID-19 precautions are being followed. This includes providing hand sanitizer, mandatory use of masks, and making sure social distancing is respected. 

Each hour the group of children is changed so that everyone gets a chance to spend time in the library. We are currently serving an average of 30 to 40 library users per day. Library members benefit from book lending services, book reading and investigations, a place to study and do their homework, and support from the librarians when needed. 

Limitless Horizons Ixil’s librarians have also continued offering bilingual Spanish-Ixil storybook readings on local community radio, which they started doing last year. This is a great way to provide a service for continuing for our library visitors as well as the whole community, and is done every week. 

The increasing demand for activities and support from librarians demonstrates the need for the library, and even more so now with schools closed and students in need of as much support as possible to help them persevere with their education. 

Links:

• Listen to story hour here