The Massie family from Rochester truly believe in the work that The Phoenix Projects are doing in Guatemala and are striving to help them create sustainable primary, secondary and college opportunities for more than 500 children. Eliza says "It difficult to put into words what the experience meant to me but it truly changed my heart. I have seen first hand what an incredible job this organization does and I also have witnessed the gigantic impact that these donations have for the children there"
Education is not freely available to many indigenous families in Guatemala, particularly in the communities where we work. With very limited income, school costs are prohibitive to the families, so the children go without education, working in the fields or at home. With no education there is no chance of attaining formal employment, thus the poverty cycle remains. We want to implement sustainable income-generating plans too, which one day will cover all the costs of the school.
The Phoenix Projects have started their own schools, paying their own local teachers who have themselves benefitted from the education system The Phoenix Projects implemented ten years ago. By asking the parents to provide at least the basic materials at the start of each year, they still have a responsibility for their children. The projects, by providing the teachers, daily fruit and school costs, ie soap, drinking water provide an all-round education for the children.
Obviously, by providing education to the community, their employment chance improve greatly. By implementing the income-generating projects alongside the school, the costs incurred one day will be covered locally and also providing seed capital in the future for the community to start their own businesses, thus creating employment opportunities as well as sustainable education.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
