Pueblo A Pueblo

While visiting the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, Rosemary Trent, Executive Director of Pueblo a Pueblo paid a visit to Donna Houghton of Zutano Children’s Clothing  in Cabot, Vermont.  Zutano has donated unique baby clothing and blankets for our Maternal Infant Health program since 2008.  This past spring, Zutano had a large fire at their packing and shipping facility in Montpelier, Vt which damaged their building and all of their clothing inventory. They recovered quickly and have a warehouse full of new inventory.  Pueblo a Pueblo is grateful for their contributions and seeing infants in Guatemala wearing their beautiful clothes!

This rainy season has been quite hard in Santiago Atitlan. Lots of rain which comes accompanied with fresh air. Luckily, and thanks to their sponsors, the students sponsored at the Escuela Rural Oficial Mixta Canton Chukumuk were happy to receive a nice long sleeve school jacket which can also be used along with the PE uniform they received some months ago!

As part of the sponsorship the students can also go to the local community clinic Rxiin Tnamet when they get sick to see the doctor and receive the needed medicines. Lately many of the children have gone to the clinic because they had a strong flu that developed to bronchial problems. This is one of the reasons why the teacher coordinator of the CHE program at the school decided to give them a school jacket in the name of their sponsors.

Thank you sponsors!

In the middle of July, Pueblo a Pueblo began to provide a school snack for the students in the Chukumuk school.  Previously, the school did not have enough funds to provide a snack for the children.  The children will be given fruit and a cup of traditional Guatemalan atol, which a warm beverage made from wheat or corn.  Hopefully, this nourishing snack will help the students concentrate, and therefore succeed, in class.

Last week we said goodbye to Alyssa who has been volunteering with us for 6 months. She graduated early and had a 6 months break so decided to come down and give a hand to Pueblo a Pueblo’s Programs on the field.

Today is Julia’s last day! Julia is studying a Master’s in Costa Rica and because she got a 2 month break from her studies she decided to come to Guatemala to help us in anything she could!

Pueblo a Pueblo’s staff (Diego couldn’t come) and friends had a little “despedida” lunch with “tamales”! (Mmmmm….)
Even though we are all very sad to say goodbye to them, we are very happy because they have been a great help to all of us. We wish Alyssa and Julia lots of good luck with her future endeavors  and hope that the experience here was fruitful and wish they come back!!!!

Pueblo a Pueblo would like to thank Anne Mueller and everyone at Arcana Farms and Gardens of Jericho in Vermont for a generous donation of seeds.  The donation included seeds of a wide variety of vegetables.  We are sure that planting and harvesting these seeds will be a fun (and tasty!) learning experience for the children at the Panabaj school.  In the photo, a sponsor, Eric, visited Santiago and helped us translate the information on the seed packets from English to Spanish.

Last week, Pueblo a Pueblo’s school garden coordinator, Diego, along with a little extra help from community members and the Panabaj teachers, constructed the ranchito. The ranchito will give students shelter from the rain, and a place to listen to lectures, while working in the garden.  Pueblo a Pueblo thanks Bill and Kelly Christie for their generous donation for El Ranchito.

Pueblo a Pueblo was fortunate to have the help of a volunteer group in Santiago Atitlan. The group was made up of six high school seniors and two mothers. The girls worked hard all week to help contribute to the Panabaj and Chukumuk schools. They spent their first two days working to create materials for the schools. They created hygiene posters that demonstrated the proper way to wash your hands and reminders to the students to throw their trash away and when to wash their hands. They also created materials to help with the English classes being taught at the Panabaj school. They made posters with vocabulary and small books that contain vocabulary, verbs, and grammar activities. On their third day in Santiago they taught five English classes at the Panabaj school. They created a Bingo review game and talked to the students one-on-one. Their final day in Santiago they had a game day at the Panabaj school. They brought soccer balls, frisbee, jump ropes, nail polish to paint fingernails, dominoes, and much more. They spent the entire morning at the Chukumuk school playing with the kids. The students had a great time with the volunteer group and we are thankful they were able to come and contribute to the schools with which we work!

About a week ago, Johanny and Julia went to Antigua, Guatemala to visit the Riecken Foundation.  This organization is active in promoting and aiding libraries in Honduras and Guatemala.  Pueblo a Pueblo plans to work with the Riecken Foundation, which will enable us to create a more innovative, interactive library.

Photo of Julia (orange) and a representative from the Riecken Foundation in their mock library.

The Panabaj school has received a face-lift thanks the volunteer group from Westminster Presbyterian in Nashville, Tennessee. The group worked hard for an entire week to paint every classroom and the outside of the school. As a final touch the group placed their handprints on the front of the school in bright colors.

The students and teachers at the school all love the school and the new color on the walls. Everyone at the Panabaj school and Pueblo a Pueblo is so thankful to everyone from the Westminster Presbyterian group for their help in improving the Panabaj school.

                     

The Madrina and Padre Julio, from the Catholic church in Santiago presented the choir with a certificate after their concert.

Westminster’s choir during the concert

The youth group painting the Panabaj school.

The group on the shores of Panajachel, where they also gave a concert.