Sonia, a student in our Youth Education Program, receiving her inital title for her path to a Bachelor's in Pedagogy and Educational Administration (sponsored by MEF).

Betting on Education

Our Youth Education Program supports students from elementary school to university level. With the help of fantastic partner donors like the Maya Educational Foundation (MEF), we provide scholarships, professional development workshops, and hold a community service project each year for university and vocational training students. This year we are going full force to ensure we provide as much guidance through another year of classes. 2020 was no easy feat for our students, as many struggled obtaining access to internet, let alone a computer or traveling to an internet cafe.

We also have our literacy classes in full swing for 18 women in 4 different community groups. If you would like to directly support the educational costs for the students and women this year, please donate today! Any amount adds to the achievement of their goals.

Manuela, from Nahuala, in Literacy class

Jose Maria in his vocational training course for Tailoring (sponsored by MEF)

Food Security & Nutrition for the Family

3 of the 6 communities we partner with have vegetable gardens: Chuacruz, Quiejel, and Nahuala. An initiative we started due to COVID-19 as part of our Community Health Program, we initiated it as a "pilot" project, as these are the first vegetable gardens we have implemented with the women.

We are seeing a beautiful success! The women are not only learning how to grow their own food, but we are also teaching them how to use the foods they produce. They have also learned natural ways to keep pests away from their gardens, received support and interest from their family members, and are looking forward to making this an additional income by selling some of the produce too.

But this project needs your help! We are looking to expand thi project into the 3 other communities we partner with: Chirijox, San Juan La Laguna, and Patanatic. With your help, we can work alongside these women in obtaining food security for their families too.

$50 helps with workshop related costs on topics like Nutrition for the Family, Making Natural Pesticides, How to Compost, and more.
$150 helps us purchase garden materials such as wood for garden beds, irrigation supplies, and items like gloves, shovels, and more.
$500 helps us purchase seeds and seedlings for all 3 communities.
Any amount supports the expansion of this project!

Give to Our Community Health Program

Our Fair Trade Business

As you read in our last Maya Traditions update, we are closing the Fair Trade business arm of our nonprofit organization. While our social programs will continue, we will no longer be making handmade items alongside our artisan partners. We have transitioned our wholesale supplier and custom design services to two entities: Casa Flor Designs and Mayan Hands, with the support of Asocacion Tejedoras Unidas. We are so thankful to these three groups as they will continue providing dignified work for the 49 artisans we provide social services to. While we are in the midst of finalizing a couple more partnerships, we know this was the best, and more beneficial decision for the artisans.

Please visit our store in Panajachel or see the last items we have available online at @fairtrade_mayatraditions on Instagram. We are happy to show you the last items we will be selling as Maya Traditions Foundation.

Naydelin's Cultural Video

Meet Naydelin! A brilliant and creative student in our Youth Education Program. She designed and directed the video below to express the love and respect she has for her culture and traditions. Made for the Girls' Voices for Change contest last year, we think it is too beautiful to keep stored! Give it a look and tell us what you think!

THANK YOU!

The 6 community group presidents, co-founder Martha (middle back), and a few of the Maya Traditions staff members at the office.

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Casa del Árbol, Callejón Chotzar, Barrio Jucanya
Panajachel, | 07010 Guatemala

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