This past month Pueblo a Pueblo staff held its third beekeeping training for coffee farmers from the village of Totolya.  Just two weeks prior, the group installed its apiary on a parcel of land 45-minutes walking distance from the community. Already their hives are thriving, and the group is learning to care for its new apiary.

Participants learned not only routine beekeeping responsibilities, including maintenance of the area surrounding the hives and internal panels, but also how to feed the bees during the rainy season.

For example, they learned that it’s important to keep the area around the hives clear so that others insects can’t enter; to ensure that the hives are not exposed to too much wind or sun; and to learn important indicators of hive health. 

Two women from the original group in Pampojilá led the training, along with Genaro Similaj, Pueblo a Pueblo’s senior technician. Trainings include both theoretical background and information, as well as an opportunity for practical application of new skills through maintenance of their own hives.

Throughout this workshop and others, there is always a strong spirit of collaboration and teamwork. All of the participants were energetic and excited to be there. We love working with such a dedicated and positive team!

For those of you trying to stay up to date Pueblo a Pueblo projects, below are links to two recent articles! The first is about the installation of biosand filters as part of our Water, Santiation, and Hygiene in Schools Project, and the second is a featured article in Revue Magazine on the succcess of our Beekeeping Project as an alternative income source for coffee farmers in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. 

1) Water Filtration Systems Built for Two Elementary Schools in Guatemala by W&L’s Chapter of Engineers Without Borders

2) Aj Tikonel Kab’ — Harvester of Honey 

(The magazine version looks even better! You can access it on page 16 here.)

Hope you enjoy!

- The Pueblo a Pueblo Team

In Guatemala, failing gym class can mean you have to repeat an entire grade. For those students that have no option but to participate in jeans and knock-off crocs or sandals, this can be a problem.

The way we see it, if a student can pass each of his academic classes but gets held back because he didn’t have the right clothes to exercise, then something isn’t quite right. So this past May, as a benefit of our sponsorship project, we supplied 46 students with uniforms and shoes for their physical education class.

According to Johanny, our Primary Education Scholarships Project Manager, “parents who before might have had to purchase shoes and new clothes can now use that money for food for the family.”

Plus, the appropriate gear allows students to perform to the best of their abilities, thus giving them the opportunity to compete in yearly “Olympic Games” held between different schools, municipalities, and departments in Guatemala. If a student is particularly talented at a sport, he or she can join the school team to compete against other schools across the country. For students around Santiago, this is a unique opportunity to see the world outside of their neighborhoods and communities.

We’re hoping that some of our scholarship students this year will be able to join in the Olympics. If the cost is only that of the right shoes and a uniform, we’re happy to help.