The K’rmel Juyup’ Foundation offers comprehensive education to children and young people in Guatemala

Zone 7 of Guatemala City is home to 60 informal settlements where thousands of families survive in extremely vulnerable conditions. Most of them lack decent housing and access to basic services; barely a quarter of households receive water on a daily basis and more than 10% live in houses built with waste materials. In this environment, poverty hits children and adolescents hardest, many of whom depend on a single meal a day, leading to high rates of undernourishment and malnutrition.

The daily lives of these children and adolescents are also marked by insecurity. These neighborhoods are full of bars and businesses linked to sexual exploitation, which encourage the proliferation of alcohol, drugs and crime on the streets, exposing young people to high levels of social risk.

In the educational sphere, there are public and private schools where students can begin primary classes; however, overcrowding in classrooms hinders learning and increases school failure and dropout rates. By the time they reach secondary school, the picture is even bleaker: cultural and economic factors reinforce the idea that education should end in sixth grade, especially for girls. Due to a lack of resources, many young people, instead of continuing their studies, are forced to work to support their families, giving up on building a future for themselves.

But the obstacles are not only academic. Family dynamics also play a role: the loss of loved ones, parental separation, domestic violence and family breakdown, combined with poor nutrition and a lack of opportunities, lead to depression and anxiety in children and young people.

Faced with this harsh reality, the Comprehensive, Quality Education Project for Children, Adolescents and Young People at Risk was set up, which offers so much more than academic training: it offers a chance at life. Thanks to the project, more than 90 children and young people between the ages of 12 and 20 receive support in key areas such as:

• Alternative education in basic and diversified subjects.
• Extra help in key subject areas.
• Calculation and literacy workshops.
• Medical and nutritional care.
• Tools for managing emotions and personal growth.

We support this project that promotes the comprehensive development of individuals in all dimensions: the intellectual, emotional, physical, and human. Thanks to support in key areas, educational and psychological guidance, and health care, the K’rmel Juyup’ Foundation ensures that children and adolescents in Zone 7 can become the key players in their own stories.