Instituto de Educación Básica por Cooperativa de La Unión
We began the Middle School by building classrooms on the second level of the Elementary School and we paid the teachers for the first two years. The agreement with the Government of Guatemala was that they would pay for all infrastructure costs after this time. They kept to their word. We continue to pay for children that cannot afford to attend by paying their inscriptions fees, and buying their school supplies and uniforms.
The school opened with 61 students and as of 2015 there were 300 students! The need for increased infrastructure to enable this many students to continue learning became a top priority.
Thankfully we were able to secure funds through the generous support of Grapes for Humanity Canada http://www.grapesforhumanity.com/ to build a brand new Middle School on a separate piece of land.
Students in La Unión had nowhere to go after completion of Grade Six.
Access Education Guatemala Children’s Fund changed all of that in 2012 in a partnership with the Ministry of Education – Government of Guatemala. We opened Instituto Basico (Middle School). The students were delighted that they could continue their education and for the first time, began to dream of going to High School.
The school`s director and principal is Sra. Ruth Veronica Alvarado Jovél. Under her leadership the school is flourishing. She works night and day, tirelessly for her community because she has a strong belief in the ability for communities to grow and change. the youth of La Unión had been demoralized for many years. Before the Instituto Básico came along, all they had to look forward to was joblessness, poverty and hopelessness. They have dreams now.
