SONRISAS
PROGRAMS
Through this project we help children in poverty and high-risk, and their families at 5 different places in both urban and rural areas.
SONRISAS SANTA CRUZ BALANYÁ
We serve 150 boys and girls from the Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta (Official Mixed Rural School), located in el Mirador in Santa Cruz Balanyá, Chimaltenango; 78 kms away from the city of Guatemala.
This is a Cakchikel community mostly dedicated to agriculture. Some women work weaving typical fabrics. One of the most serious problems within the population is alcoholism.
Children population in the program have an elevated level of malnutrition and they live on extreme poverty conditions. We provide them with school breakfasts to enhance their nutrition and we share with them Bible lessons, personal hygiene activities and other recreational activities.
We visit families to share more closely with them and to have the chance to talk to them about the love of Jesus. This also helps us identify their needs to be able to provide them help through our different projects.
Due to the pandemic, children are not attending school, so we have delivered bags of food to the families, and we have been working on housing construction and entrepreneurship projects.
SONRISAS SAN CRISTÓBAL
San Cristobal is located in the town of Mixco, it is an area with economic growth, however it also has areas with families with scarce resources.
We aid 50 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12 years old in the facilities of Mision Cristiana Dios Con Nosotros (Christian Mission God with Us). We do so every Thursday from 12:00 to 14:00 hrs. Most of them attend to school.
We have the opportunity of sharing with them, provide them with lunch, Bible lessons and different activities that strengthen their development and growth. We are attentive to the specific health needs of each children, providing them with doctors from different specialties who examine them at no cost.
During the pandemic, children have lived through difficult situations. In order to continue supplying them with a nutritious lunch, a Bible lesson and activities, we divided the group in two of 25 children each. We also support families with a monthly grocery bag.
SONRISAS CHUIXILÓN
Chuixilón is a homestead of the town of Santa Cruz Balanyá, Chimaltenango. It is located 2 kms away from the Interamerican highway, in km 77.3.
It is a community dedicated to agriculture, with a population represented by 85 families.
70% of the houses are unsafe, made with non-adequate materials, so children’s health is affected due to water, air and dust leaks in the houses.
In regards to education, this community has only one elementary school that provides education to 180 children. To continue their education, they must leave the community.
We are currently serving 60 kids in this school, giving values and principles lessons. We have Bible study groups with widows and marriages in the community. Visits are also made to families to get to know their needs and be able to support them through our projects.
During the pandemic, the children are not attending school, so we are providing printed material of Bible stories with Bible verses for teachers to share with the children. We are also delivering bags of groceries to families on a monthly basis.
