Learning Centre
The Casita provides learning assistance, help with homework, computer access, life skills training, English classes and a library. Children come after school for a place to study, get tutorial help and a snack. Scholarship students volunteer to help the young ones.
Scholarships
Scholarship students are encouraged to become leaders in their community and to overcome the daunting and persistent barriers facing rural, Indigenous Guatemalan children.
Ancianas
The Casita serves the Ancianas – about 25 isolated, elderly widows come twice a week to enjoy a nourishing lunch followed by exercise, crafts and social time.
Scholarship students volunteer to help cook their meals and encourage social activities.
News and Events
San Antonio is Suffering From Drought
Guatemala is experienceing a severe drought linked to below-normal rainfall and El Niño conditions. It hasn’t rained in San Antonio Palopό for months. The corn harvest is lost and the water wells have dried up. People are having to buy water and the students at La Casita are drinking filtered water from the lake. The cost of living has gone up significantly. The price of corn has risen. They are importing corn from Mexico. The price of gas has also increased due to international wars.
San Antonio Palopό families are dependent on a successful corn harvest. But this year the drought has denied them and the soil is dried up. It really hurts since corn tortillas are the basis for every meal.
Scholarship Student’s Mothers Volunteer at La Casita
When our cook, Martina, resigned after 6 years of preparing lunches for the Ancianas and snacks for the students, a group of the Scholarship student’s mothers volunteered to step in and take her place. They were invited to join a cooking class given in a neighbouring village that focused on the preparation of healthy, nutritional, and locally grown foods. These women, who normally are quite isolated within their community have become friends, enjoying the social time, sharing their skills and preparing healthy snacks for the children who come to La Casita as well as providing traditional meals for the Ancianas. This is truly an amazing example of how La Casita is building community, growing trust, and making a difference.
Exciting start for the new year!
Every Saturday the Scholarship students give back to La Casita by teaching the younger students English, Math, and Reading.
There are a lot of things happening at La Casita. It’s such a vibrant and joyful place to be. Learning is fun in a whole bunch of ways. Being part of a caring community makes all the difference!
La Casita Graduate!
Veronica, was notified last year that she, out of 200 applicants, had received a 4-year scholarship from John Brown University in Arkansas, USA. She will be starting her academic career this January and hopes to study Business Management. Being away from her family and her village is a huge event in Veronica’s life. However, another young woman from a neighbouring village, Santa Catarina, has been at the University for a year and will be able to mentor Veronica.
Our graduate students continually give testimony to the importance of La Casita in their lives and how they’ve been able to realize their dreams. Veronica plans on returning to San Antonio Palopo and with her education hopefully start a cooperative business for women … investing in her community.
UPDATE
Veronica is doing really well and thoroughly enjoying her new school and exciting courses. She misses her mom alot and talks with her often but she is determined to stay and get good grades.
2025 Year End Celebrations & Ana Olivia’s Wedding
