I had the opportunity to visit the community of El Barranco last year. It is a beautiful traditional village which is perched on a hilltop above Solola. It is such a beautiful place that seems somewhat like a trip back in time. Men and women wear traditional clothing, and homes are still built of mud brick.
We walked a couple pieces of land with Mayan Families and the head of the local Women’s Group in hopes of finding a place to build a community center/Pre-school. Though we didn’t find the right place that day, it gave us a better sense of the community and surrounding area.
In the meantime, we have the opportunity to rent a fabulous location
It has a huge garden , a perfect place for the Folkloric troupe to dance, wide verandas, perfect for holding clinics, and it has a big bathroom, only one toilet but it is a real toilet (and we'll be introducing composting toilets to the village), a mayan sauna....a big kitchen with a traditional stove.....and four or five rooms that will be used for a pre-school/feeding program/afterschool programs.
The people of El Barranco have been waiting for a long time to have a pre-school /feeding program there. It is a great location to be able to take volunteer and tourist groups for the folkloric dancing and weaving demonstrations.
The Pre-school just opened in April! More than thirty of the most needy children have been sponsored through Mayan Families so that children will have the advantage of already learning colors, letters and beginning a second language, Spanish. In the past, many children failed due to the language barrier when attending public school.
At pre-school the children receive a daily vitamin, breakfast and lunch or afternoon snack. Heading off malnutrition at an early age is vital. According to UNICEF; One out of two is the average but in indigenous areas, chronic malnutrition can reach 80 percent total of children under five years of age.
*Elderly Feeding Program- Elderly would come to the community Center for a hot lunch or lunch could be delivered to shut-ins.
The food crisis in Guatemala is having a devastating effect on the elderly. Without enough to eat, many older people are becoming weak and malnourished, leaving them more vulnerable to illnesses that they cannot afford medical care for. They are unable to provide for even their most basic needs. In many cases family members are unable to help as they struggle to feed themselves and their children, leaving the elderly without any form of support and often living in heartbreaking conditions.
The Community Center will benefit all 250 village families, it will also become home to:
*Cereal distribution program for young children and pregnant mothers to head off malnutrition at the very start including daily and pre-natal vitamins.
*After school help/tutoring- The majority of today’s students have parents that are unable to assist them with their homework. By having time and space at the community center after school, these kids can receive the help that they need to succeed.
The El Barranco folkloric dance troupe had performed for us one evening at the Rockhouse. These kids do a wonderful job raising money while taking great pride and having fun performing.
*As a performance hall to help raise funds and awareness