Aguacatán Project, Guatemala

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, lack of health and hygiene knowledge led to high rates of childhood illness and widespread child malnutrition. There were no pre-schools and poor education quality caused many children to lose interest in learning.

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Aguacatán community have improved access to education and healthcare and they are better protected from violence, abuse and neglect.

Together we've achieved so much

339 children are attending pre-school in 2018

In 2015, there were no children in the project area attending pre-school.

  • 13 pre-schools have been set up in partnership with the local municipality. Seven teachers have been hired to run pre-school sessions alongside 39 parent volunteers who’ve completed training in early childhood development. 
  • The project provided significant support for the Ministry of Education’s “Let’s read together” program in 14 local primary schools. Teachers have been trained and over 2,000 reading and exercise books provided. 
  • Computer labs have been set up in two primary schools so that students have access to technology and can learn important IT skills. Teachers and school directors have completed training so that they can support students using the computer labs. 
     
 

32 mothers have been trained to run child nutrition centres

Malnourished children are receiving the support they need to gain weight and retain good health.

  • Child health monitoring is conducted on a regular basis by trained local volunteers in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The volunteers help to identify children in need of medical treatment and ensure that the families of these children have access to essential medicines. 
  • Health promotion action days have been held to raise awareness amongst teenagers about issues including disease prevention, family planning, sexual abuse and the negative consequences of teen pregnancies. 
     
 

1,500 students and teachers took part in campaigns on violence against children

Child rights information was also broadcast on local TV and radio to reach as wide an audience as possible.

  • The project collaborated with the local government to create a Municipal Office for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, as well as a local child protection network. Members of the child protection network have been trained how to follow up child abuse complaints and seek justice and ongoing protection for affected children. 
  • Local schools now have child protection committees made up of students, teachers, parents and community leaders. In addition, over 1,300 students have learned about child rights and how they can better protect themselves and their peers from violence and abuse. 
     
 

"I will continue supporting the children and youngsters, first because it is my responsibility and second because it is a way to contribute to the development of the community."

- Maria, aged 26, youth group leader

Starting school on solid ground

When Amner started primary school last year, things didn’t go well. Acute shyness led to bullying from classmates and this made him hate attending classes – forcing his mother to withdraw him from school.

To help Amner (on the left in this photo) overcome his fear of school, his mother enrolled him in one of the 13 new pre-schools that World Vision has helped to set up in the Aguacatán community with the support of child sponsors like you.  

With the guidance of a caring teacher, Amner slowly came out of his shell and began to enjoy learning. 

Today Amner is back in first grade at primary school and he’s now a confident and enthusiastic student. “I am not afraid anymore. I attend regularly and I participate in all the activities,” says Amner.
 
The creation of these much-needed pre-schools has been achieved in collaboration with the local government. They have committed resources to ensure that the pre-schools keep functioning well in the years ahead, giving children like Amner the best start for their education.

To help Amner (on the left in this photo) overcome his fear of school, his mother enrolled him in one of the 13 new pre-schools that World Vision has helped to set up in the Aguacatán community with the support of child sponsors like you.  

With the guidance of a caring teacher, Amner slowly came out of his shell and began to enjoy learning. 

Today Amner is back in first grade at primary school and he’s now a confident and enthusiastic student. “I am not afraid anymore. I attend regularly and I participate in all the activities,” says Amner.
 
The creation of these much-needed pre-schools has been achieved in collaboration with the local government. They have committed resources to ensure that the pre-schools keep functioning well in the years ahead, giving children like Amner the best start for their education.

"I felt happy because I started learning and living with other children in the  community. Every day I attended I felt better."

- Amner, primary student