Bonnie Dilger: Supporting Schools in Santiago Atitlan
I first met Bonnie Dilger, author of Blood in the Cornfields, in Guatemala and recently we met up with each other in Marin County, California, when she came to visit her daughter.
How long have you lived in Guatemala and what first brought you there?
I've lived in Guatemala approximately thirty years, intermittently, but on a permanent basis for the last twelve. My first experience in Central America found me in El Salvador. It was 1973, and just a few weeks into my trip, my son David called me from Guatemala with an invitation to join him in the tourist town of Panajachel. The thought of touring the mountains of Guatemala was more appealing than the over-crowded city of San Salvador, so I accepted the invitation. I missed him, my youngest, anyway. I had not originally thought that my visit to Lake Atitlan would culminate in so long a stay, but thirty years later, here we are.
What, if any, political changes have you seen and experienced?
The country has had a succession of civilian presidents, beginning in the mid-eighties until the present and following the military dictatorships of decades (and centuries) past. These political changes have affected many reforms for the better in terms of humane behavior on the part of the government. In addition, before the guerrillas (the opposition party to the military-backed government) would sign the Peace Accords with the civilian administration, they mandated equal rights to health and education, and the right to hold public offices for the indigenous Mayas. When I arrived on my first visit to Guatemala (in early 1973), a mere 2% of the population of Santiago Atitlan could read and write. Tuberculosis, dysentery and other illnesses were rampant due to poor nutrition and the villagers' impoverished conditions. Only half of all children born at the time survived beyond the age of six years. These appalling statistics existed throughout Guatemala among the poor, particularly among the Mayan population. In the past few years, many health and education workers have come to the pueblo in attempt to improve living conditions. According to statistics of the students of the San Carlos University, there has been a quantum leap to 76% literacy among the youths in Santiago Atitlan. I don't have any statistics involving the whole country.
What are some of the most pressing needs facing the Mayan people of the Guatemalan Highlands?
There is an ever-present need for food and clothing, plus health care among the poor. Unemployment is high, and due to the confiscation of property that dates back to the Conquistadores, their property rights having been taken away, leaving them without adequte space even to grow their crops. Many non-profit groups and individuals are attempting to address these needs and though much has been done, much remains undone.
Where do you recommend travelers stay around Lake Atitlan, Guatemala City and Antigua?
There are two very comfortable and attractive hotels in Santiago Atitlan, both with moderate prices when compared with U.S. prices. The names are the Posada de Santiago and the Bamboo. Both are located at the edge of Lake Atitlan, affording a glorious view of the lake. Aldous Huxley once visited this part of the world and named Atitlan as the most beautiful area in the world. There are numerous hotels in Antigua.
Have you ever been worried for your life in Guatemala? If so, why?
During the bloody conflict in the early 80's, which lasted for 16 years, it was necessary for me to flee the area where I was living and helping my son in construction of the hotel -- Posada de Santiago. I actually reported the deaths and disappearances in the pueblo, which were then occurring on a daily basis, to all the wrong people in the government, thereby putting myself at extreme risk. I realized I had to leave when I returned to Santiago Atitlan from a visit to Panajachel and found my home broken into, my possessions destroyed and my little dog stabbed. A neighbor took me out of the pueblo in the family helicopter, enabling me to purchase a ticket back to the States in Guatemala City.
Do you feel safe now?
Yes. The military no longer in power. What worries us now is street crime and break-ins among youthful gangs. Government violence is now rare or non-existent.
Tell me about the schools you support in Santiago Atitlan.
I began my experiences with three schools a matter of five years ago. The founders, who had formed committees with the intention of building schools, came to me asking for my help. At the time, I had no resources to speak of, but I promised solidarity with them anyway. The young students had no school supplies, no desks to balance their books, if indeed they had any, really nothing except the desire to learn. They were also sitting in the mud with no roof over their heads. Much has changed since then. They now have desks, school supplies and, at times, we've been able to provide breakfasts for the children. We have one new school due to the help of theformer first lady, Dona Wendy Berger. She sent us the materials that enabled the fathers of the students to build the school. Presently, the second school has a tereno (piece of property) to begin building. A third has no property with which to build. They are looking to me to fulfill this need. At present, I have no resources available to purchase this property. Also, If possible, I would like to build a simple housing structure for the young volunteers who come to teach or provide other services, such as health care. I have to add that I've mainly been a committe of one, working alone. I keep no money, but all donated funds (primarily from private donors who are friends in the States) go directly to the schools.
What is your hope for the children of the Mayans?
A tall order. I want to help every child in the pueblo study and learn. When these three aforementioned schools can operate without me, I would like to start a scholarship program. Our schools only reach the 6th grade. I recently learned that a couple working in the area has started a scholarship program for higher education for students who will become professionals (such as medical students, studying to become accountants, prospective attorneys, etc.) but in between there is need to bridge the gap, such as funds for high school, college, or trade schools.
What changes have you seen in Guatemala since the signing of the Peace Accords Treaty in 1996?
As mentioned above, the Mayan children are in school for the first time in history. Their elders also hold governmental public offices for the first time. Their voices are being heard. I could compare the changes that have occurred in Guatemala with those of the Civil Rights Movement in the States. Many Mayas have held Martin Luther King's identical convictions and carried them out to facilitate freedom and equal rights for their people so that the chains of virtual slavery that have bound countless individuals since the Spanish Conquest in their grip could be broken.
To learn more about Bonnie Dilger, visit her website here.
Guatemalan Child Sponsorships Needed for 2009 School Year
Once upon a time, I was the American Director for a school in Guatemala. I left knowing I'd continue to be involved with education and helping the Mayans around Lake Atitlan. Globally Minded Works, Inc. was created to help support education through sponsorships of students, teachers and schools. It is my hope that we can raise enough money to support several impoverished schools and families in the Highlands in Guatemala.
The school year in Guatemala is from January to October and young children go to elementary school in the afternoon and older students attend middle school in the afternoon. During November and December, many Mayan children help their parents harvest coffee beans for export. Many Guatemalan Mayans are very poor and struggle greatly to send their older children to middle school as they are responsible for paying tuition and books. Elementary school is compulsory and free, though most schools are in dire need of everything, including school supplies and an adequate building.
Schools around Lake Atitlan are in varying degree of need. Yet, most, if not all, are in need of ongoing support as the communities are poor and the schools don't get enough help (if at all) from the government. Teacher salaries are always in jeopardy and it not uncommon for salaries to be withheld for several months at a time! Globally Minded Works seeks to partner with communities in Guatemala, one child, one teacher, one school at a time.
Bookmark us and come back as our online donation feature is coming soon!
Life Around Lake Atitlan
Organizing and Getting Ready for Sponsorships
I've been super busy with a new day job as a director for an educational company and have not had time to keep up with blogging, let alone fundraising since we received our tax exemption status. In the next week or so, we will open up a bank account in order to process donations and use PayPal and Network for Good to gather donations. Our fundraising strategy will be seamless, making it easy to donate with a point and click.
Globally Minded Works is now a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
We are delighted to share with all of our readers that GLOBALLY MINDED WORKS, INC., just received its 501(c)(3)non-profit organization approval. We are now accepting donations for student, teacher and school sponsorships! We invite you to get the word out about GMW to your family, friends, church and colleagues. We need your support to make a visible and lasting difference in the communities around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Updates to our website and blog will soon provide more information and stories, as well as the ability for you to donate online.
Give a child an education and you can help to transform a nation; one child, one teacher, and one school at a time. Get involved with us today!
Our Partnership with Globally Minded
Globally Minded is a fair trade, eco-friendly jewelry business. The company supports artisans in the Highlands of Guatemala and is committed to giving 15% of its profits to Globally Minded Works, to support charitable and educational projects around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Globally Minded partners with Amazon to market and fulfill all of its sales. In addition, Amazon purchases are eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping when you buy more than $25.00 worth of products. Start shopping here and read the Globally Minded blog here.
The Question of Guatemalan Adoptions
In 2007, nearly 5,000 Guatemalan babies were adopted by Americans. In recent months, however, Guatemalan adoptions have come under enormous scrutiny due to allegations of child-trafficking. As a result, Guatemala signed the Hague Convention on January 1, 2008, in order to "clean up" their adoption procedures and protect the rights of children and their parents. The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption (HCICA) was launched in the Netherlands in 1993, as part of an initiative to standardize adoption laws amongst participating nations. On April 1, 2008, the US will sign the Hague Convention and, if Guatemala has not reformed their adoption system by then, the US will no longer approve of Guatemalan adoptions.
Child adoptions have become a major business in Guatemala, averaging $30,000 for each adoption. In addition, it is highly unregulated, thus the concern for child-trafficking and allegations of child abductions and selling.
According to an editorial in the LA Times, The Adoption Quandry by Elizabeth Larsen, there is much concern over the ethics of Guatemalan adoptions:
The larger ethical issue has been the role of buscadoras, recruiters hired by Guatemalan adoption lawyers to search for pregnant women willing to relinquish babies, in some cases offering them money. As the demand for babies has grown, so has the power of the buscadoras; to connect a lawyer to a pregnant mother, they demand up to $8,000. Meanwhile, Guatemalan children who have no living parents, who aren't infants or who have special needs constitute only a tiny fraction of completed adoptions.
Guatemalan adoptions have come under question with these types of corruption and activities in mind. In order to protect the rights of children and their parents, the Hague Convention stipulates that child adoption abide by the following processes:
- Family preservation - It is considered best for the child to remain with their own family.
- Extended family adoptions - Every attempt should be made to keep the children within the extended family, if staying with biological family is impossible.
- Adoption within Guatemala - Inter-country adoption is the next preferred step in the adoption process.
- International adoption - Foreign adoptions are considered a last resort.
One of the primary goals of Globally Minded Works, is to provide sponsorships for children so they can go to school, providing economic support to families so their child(ren) can go to school. We believe that Guatemalan children should remain with their families as well, and not be given to adoption, unless absolutely imperative and necessary for the welfare of the child. We hope that our sponsorship program will help to keep families intact, while empowering children through learning.
What do you think?
Support Development in Guatemala
Education is fundamental to empowering the poor in Guatemala, as well as other countries around this small globe. In time, we will post stories and information about the villages and schools we support on our website, through the kind and generous donations of people like you. Once we obtain our tax exemption status, we will seek donors and invite them to get to know their sponsored student, teacher and community in Guatemala. We won't twist arms about it, as we know people are busy, but at least the option and opportunity is available for donors to get more involved.
Clean drinking water and fuel efficient stoves are two other initiatives we seek to provide for the Mayan families around Lake Atitlan. We are looking for partners to make this a reality, including donors and in-kind donations. Clean water is a necessity for all people yet many around these communities can't afford clean water. Many have to walk long distances to get bottled water, if they can afford it, while many continue to drink water that is polluted and toxic. As a result, many have intestinal and stomach problems. Fuel efficient stoves are warranted as the traditional open fires cause serious respiratory problems as well as require a large amount of wood. Please consider helping us with these initiatives and projects.
We have trusted partners and volunteers on the ground to help us support schools and communities. In addition, we work with the local leaders to support our initiatives, knowing that their buy-in is critical to our success in each community.
We incorporated Globally Minded Works in April 2007 and are waiting for our official 501c3 tax exemption approval from the IRS. Meanwhile, will you consider placing our banner on your website and promoting our work on your blog or website? Tell you friends, colleagues, and church about Globally Minded Works and consider joining us as we impact the lives of children and communities in Guatemala.
Guatemalan Coffee From the Source
When you go to Starbucks and buy your grande cup of Guatemalan coffee, do you ever wonder how it got from Guatemala to your local Starbucks ? I did some research while living and working there and found some interesting information. The area around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is a coffee grower's dream. Surrounded by three volcanoes and lots of vegetation, coffee beans are shade grown and abundant. Connie, a Mayan woman from San Pedro La Laguna, worked in the internet cafe and her husband's family sold its coffee beans to Anacafe. Sadly, they only received $80 per 100-pound coffee beans. Think about it. The profit margin is substantial, even with the cost to export and sell.
From October until January, coffee season is at its prime and entire Mayan families spend the morning picking coffee beans. It is quite common to see small Mayan girls carrying their baby sibling on their backs, while Mom and Dad pick the coffee beans for their survival. Often barefoot, toothless, dirty and hungry, coffee farmers work hard and long to harvest the coffee, earning a pittance for their labor while Americans sip Guatemalan coffee at $1.75 a cup, without a care for the hands that picked the beans.
Children at War: "Innocent Voices"
Innocent Voices is a compelling documentary about the brutal Civil War in El Salvador, seen through the eyes of Oscar Torres, an 11 year old boy, who miraculously survived to tell his story. The film could easily be set in Guatemala, a neighboring country, as they endured a similar violent Civil War. You can listen to an NPR podcast about "Innocent Voices" here.
During the 1980's, El Salvador's armed forces were recruiting twelve year old boys, abducting them from schools, homes, villages and streets. Chava, the main character, is an 11 year old boy and the "man" of his household, after his father escaped to the United States. Chava has only one year of innocence left before he will be forced to train and fight against his own people, or "guerillas", of the FMLN. The movie follows Chava's journey in this worn torn country, where we see him escape the perils of death at the hands of the military and survive violent gun fire in his village. His story, poignant and touching, is a story worth seeing.
Here is my question: How can a country (or world!) justify the kidnapping and training of children for war? It is absolutely repugnant to me; I grieve over the innocence lost. We must stop this now.
Go rent the movie today.
Clinicas Maya: San Marcos La Laguna
(Source of images: ClinicasMaya.org)
Cindy Waterman, a midwife and nurse by training, moved to Guatemala in the late 1990's and settled into San Pedro La Laguna to fulfill a passion to help Mayan women struggling in poverty. Cindy made a decision to wear the traditional Mayan women clothing in order to bridge the differing cultures and establish connection with the local women. We met in 2001, when I moved to the same village to launch the internet cafe. Cindy's dream: to build a midwifery clinic for Mayan women on "this part of the Lake Atitlan", including the villlages of San Pedro, San Juan, San Pablo, San Marcos, and Tzunana.
Cindy moved to San Marcos La Laguna to run the Clinica Naturalista, a holistic medical clinic serving locals, travelers and expats. Through determination, hard work and sacrifice, Cindy has built a legacy for herself: today, a midwifery clinic is in full bloom. Cindy continues to work tirelessly tending to the needs of the sick and the poor and helping out with various medical clinics around Lake Atitlan. Thankfully, as a result of Cindy's training of local midwives, fewer mothers and babies die during child birth and people are getting treatment for their ailments. Indeed,the combination of Cindy's service, compassion, training and holistic and western medicine work together to make life better for the Mayan people.
I've partnered with Cindy to provide medical supplies to her clinic, every time I travel to Guatemala. Rotaries, churches, and friends have all given medical donations to me to help her clinic thrive. Gathering donations is always on the front of Cindy's mind, as well as donations and long-term, bilingual medical volunteers who can hit the ground running.
Do you want` to help? Contact us!
Microcredit Works
Microcredit has been an interest of mine ever since my first trip to a developing country and seeing the dire plight of the poor. Microcredit is the extension of small loans ($50-100) to entrepreneurs struggling in poverty. Muhammed Yunus, the founder of Microcredit, recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, for empowering the poor through this type of model. Microcredit is now a global tool used to help the developing poor out of the bondages of poverty, equipping them with the resources to start and grow their enterprises.
Here are two interesting and encouraging statistics about the effectiveness of microcredit in the developing world:
1. Loan repayment rate is 97-98%
2. 90% of borrowers report increased incomes as a result of loan
There are several microcredit organizations around the world, doing great work and changing communities, one loan at at time. Kiva is one of the most novel microcredit organizations out there. They have a peer-to-peer lending model and a donor can easily track their "investment" online, while developing a relationship with the entrepreneur. NamasteDirect, a US-based organization, is another microlending organization, supporting rural entrepreneurs in Guatemala. Last Spring, I volunteered some of my time in Guatemala with NamasteDirect, investigating their programs, while also writing a couple of articles for them.
In closing, make a life changing difference, empower the poor through these innovative programs. Click on one of the banners below to get going.
Poverty and Beauty in Guatemala
Guatemala is a land of contrasts, a land tragically beautiful yet ravaged by the effects of extreme poverty. Poverty is paramount everywhere you look in Guatemala: adobe homes, aluminum lean-to's, barefoot Mayans carrying wood on their backs or baskets of vegetation on their heads, trash laden streets and river beds, old diesel cars omitting black filth from the exhaust, and dirty toothless faces of the struggling poor. In the midst of the poverty, breathtaking beauty of rolling hills, valleys, waterfalls, vegetation and volcanoes capture one's senses. It is a country where people come and are forever changed.
In 1999, I accepted an invitation with a humanitarian organization to visit families living in the trash dumps of Guatemala City. I didn't really understand what this meant until we got there. Men, women and children were scavaging the trash for food and items to sell and use and thousands of aluminum homes lined the ridge of the vast dump. It was astounding and humbling for me to see people living in such plight. We visited numerous homes, checking the health of many and giving beans, rice and powdered milk as needed.
I left that day knowing that I would help the Guatemalan poor through business and education, two powerful tools to empower the poor out of poverty. Today, I am walking this out.
Will you join Globally Minded Work to help the poor through education?
Why Guatemala
Guatemala is an amazing country, rich in culture and landscape. I fell in love with this beautiful place in 1997, the first time I traveled down there. The country had recently signed a Peace Treaty after a very brutal 36 year Civil War. Thousands of Mayans and advocates of the poor were tragically killed, or simply "disappeared". The more I learned about this country, the more I was intrigued and captivated. I went on holiday for two weeks and returned to the US with a deep sense that this new country would one day be my second home.
I returned to the world of software sales with a burning desire to return to Guatemala. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of those struggling in poverty. Within a year, I returned to Guatemala on my own and volunteered for Common Hope in Antigua. I lived with a local family in the beautiful colonial city of Antigua, studied Spanish in the morning and volunteered every afternoon. Eventually, I returned to the states and then returned again in 2001-2003, to launch the first ever satellite internet cafe in San Pedro La Laguna on the shores of lovely Lake Atitlan. Seven months later, I returned and directed a middle school in San Marcos La Laguna. Returning once again to the US, I obtained my MBA, launched Globally Minded and recently formed Globally Minded Works. I am passionate about helping the poor through business and education.
We are looking for people who are like minded, who desire to make a difference in the Land of Eternal Spring. Interested? Contact us! We'd love to hear from you.