Silvia Anabelly Chex Quiná

Silvia Anabelly Chex Quiná from San Juan Comalapa, Chimaltenango is 21 years old. In 2010 Silvia graduated from the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Comerciales in San Juan Comalapa, Chimaltenango with a degree in Accounting. Through the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund Silvia returned to her primary school, Centro Educativo Mixto Parroquial “Medalla Milagrosa”, a school that primarily serves indigenous students, to serve as an intern.

Silvia is the youngest of her six siblings and she lives with her parents and two of her sisters in San Juan Comalapa. Her father, a painter, works as a portrait artist and assists on large art installations. Her mother has an ice cream shop in town. Two of her older sisters are married, another sister is in a convent in Spain, and her brother is studying in Quetzaltenango.

As an intern at the Educativo Medalla Milagrosa, Silvia worked on administrative tasks in the library. Because of her background in accounting, the Parent Council that administers the Education Center asked her to help them with the accounts. She enjoyed using her education in her work, and receiving a stipend as compensation. Her family was also proud of her for using her education in her profession.

Silvia also is an amazing volunteer with the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund, where she helps lead activities during the scholarship recipient meetings. She enjoys helping students with their work and likes being able to serve her peers in a respectful manner. According to Silvia, in the monthly meetings, “we continue to get better knowledge, develop more as people, and share with everyone our expectations and points of view. As the person in charge of the group, I feel satisfied to lead a group of young people who like to learn. With them, I also increase my knowledge”.

One of themes that the group discussed was breast cancer. The information about breast cancer was new for most of the young women. They learned that it mainly attacks women and that it is important to constantly check the breast and to consult a specialist when necessary. Silvia found this an interesting theme and thought that all women should be aware of this problem.

Silvia also enjoyed the discussion on “Ways to Improve Your Life” led by her peer, Nohelia Cun, about the importance of visualizing your life in a positive way and looking for opportunities to change your life, and the discussion on “Confronting Fear” by Delfina Sotz, another graduate volunteer in the Fund, which included a movie about a man who confronted many problems in his life, but in the end won out when he confronted his fears. According to Silvia, “we should make use of our potential that has been given us as a gift. We must fly with our own wings. The Fund has taught us to fly, when it gives us the opportunity to have a work experience”.

After serving as an intern for six months, Silvia returned to school to study for a university degree. Her hardest course was in math, but she struggled though it and successfully passed her exams. She is enjoying studying at the university and is making many new friends. She also is now is working in a bank in the customer service department.

Silvia thanks the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund and especially her supporters for the experience she acquired as an intern. It helped her to find a new job. According to Silvia, “in the Fund, I have met very nice companions with the desire to improve themselves. I am profoundly thankful for the space the Fund has given me as an intern. I am satisfied because I have gained a lot of work experience”.

• 21.7% of girls, aged 16-19 years, are living in poverty (OECD),
• Only 42% of women are employed in paid labor (and only 40.8% in Chimaltenango),
• 15% of indigenous people are underemployed (World Bank),
• An estimated .4 million of 10-19 year old girls earn less than $2 a day, and
• 67.6% of working girls, aged 5-14 years, are unpaid family workers.

Whereas for women who received funds from the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund five or more years ago:

• 84% are employed,
• 71% are employed in the formal market or continuing their education, and
• Former Kateri Tekakwitha Fund recipients also earn salaries that are much higher than indigenous groups—and higher than women as a whole earn in Guatemala (CSD 2010)

According to one former recipient, “Without the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund, I would be working at home without access to jobs in offices, organizations and factories. I wouldn’t have the job I have”.

Interns Candelaria Sut & Brenda Otzoy

However, a 2010 study of the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund found that it took an average of eleven months for the women to find employment.  To help solve this challenge, in 2012, the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund is expanding the Internship Program in order to create a space for recent graduates to develop their skills, apply their education, and gain work experience at a business or organization. Through strategic partnerships with schools and other local institutions, the Internship Program enables the women to gain critical career experience, while earning a stipend to help support them and their families.

“My name is María Carmela Paz Bal. I am originally from San Juan Comalapa in the department of Chimaltenango. My parents were interested in ensuring that my siblings and I were successful. They did not distinguish between their sons and daughters, as they wanted all of us to have a good quality of life, especially my mother, who was illiterate. She knew that providing us with an education was necessary. She dreamed that we would find careers where we could develop ourselves.

In primary and secondary school I studied in my town. While in primary school my parents helped me study. When I started secondary school, my parents continued to help, but I needed to work weekends and during school breaks to save money for my studies. For one year I worked in a grocery store, while I studied to become a teacher. I lived in Antigua, Guatemala with my family’s support, loans, and working during school breaks. I graduated in 1987 and I became a teacher for small children. I worked as a teacher for six years in schools in and outside of my community.

The interesting part of this story is when I got to know Kay Sweeney in San Andres Semetabaj, Sololá. It was 1991 and I was studying to become a history professor on the weekends at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala in the capital. I was able to study for a semester but it was a big sacrifice. I had to travel long distances between my place of work and to study. Where I was there were scarce library resources to conduct my research. But it was especially difficult because my resources to cover my education were very limited. These challenges required me to stop studying. I never imagined then that my story would remove a mountain and open a door for many women.

I told Kay Sweeney my story and that I decided to leave my job in 1992 to find new work opportunities that would permit me to return to my studies. As 1992 came to an end I had a serious problem with my health. I was so depressed and I thought I was about to throw it all away. Then in April of 1993 I received a letter. It said that “I, Carmela Paz, could find a university and a career because Kay had found had found the means of providing support for me to study. This letter was incredible to me. Afterwards I spoke directly with Kay, and I realized that my dream had come true.

I went to the state university in the capital and pursued a career in Social Anthropology. There I not only gained knowledge, but I discovered a totally different environment than I had ever experienced in my life. I made friends with many distinguished professionals.

After leaving university, I continued to develop my skills in different jobs and activities. I worked in many different institutions and even international organizations. Now, I am working as the Scholarship Coordinator at the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund, where I have the opportunity to continue to develop.

Staff in Guatemala: Candelaria Sut, Carmela Paz Bal and Rosa Garcia Quino

I was the first Kateri Tekakwitha Fund scholarship recipient and the start of the project. I consider myself very fortunate because the scholarship allowed me to pursue the career of my dreams, which helped not only me but my whole family.”

Rosa Luc Miza

Now that Rosa Luc is graduating, she will give back to her community and her family by becoming a teacher. When Rosa Luc reflected on her experience with the Kateri Education Fund she stated “In the Kateri Fund, I learned many things, sharing with my fellow participants that I didn’t know before. I met them through this fund and they come from other places.  I liked the workshops a lot because they spoke of things that I didn’t know.”

In addition to the financial support that Kateri Education Fund scholarship recipients receive, each month the young women attend monthly workshops and events led by staff members and local experts. The workshops and events help provide the young women with career, economic and professional skills and develop sisterhood through social and cultural events. Graduates of the Kateri Education Fund provide additional mentorship support and often lead workshops, which empower both the past and present Kateri Education Fund recipients.

From November 23, 2011 to December 31, 2011, the Kateri Education Fund is participating in the Global Giving Winter Challenge online.  To make a donation to support young women like Rosa Luc check out the campaign at: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/scholarships-for-20-rural-guatemalan-women/.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Teaching How to Make a Turkey!

Luciana Telon Chuta, one of this year’s graduates, has this to say about her experience “Thanks to God, to my mother, and to the Kateri Fund, I have reached my goal. It is a great happiness and satisfaction for me to have the title as an elementary school teacher. I hope to find a job in a school to exercise my profession and help my family. I am very happy because, during my years of study, many things have happened, many obstacles, loss of hope, and difficulties, but above all I confronted these problems and I am about to finish my last year of high school study and my practice teaching with the children. I liked it all. It was where I could evaluate my disabilities, my distresses, and capacities in order to improve and overcome them in all my life and to be more secure in my development later in my future.

I thank my sponsor with all my heart, for having shared his friendship, affection, love, and above all the aid that he sent me for my studies. Thanks to the Kateri Fund for the opportunity and for giving me the space to be part of this program.”

Luciana Telon

Please check in again for more reflections from our graduates, as well as more information about the young women that make up the Kateri Tekakwitha Fund.

In “Girls Grow: A Vital Force in Rural Economies”, Bertini states that “Rural adolescent girls are positioned to become powerful agents of change in their communities and nations,” and gives the following recommendations:
*Expand opportunities for rural adolescent girls to attend secondary school.
*Equip rural adolescent girls to be entrepreneurs, workers, and managers in the rural economy and beyond.
*Prepare rural adolescent girls to be major stakeholders in agriculture and natural resource management.
*Empower and provide opportunities for rural adolescent girls to have an active voice in household, community, and national decision making.
*Provide rural adolescent girls with comprehensive health information and services.
*Improve rural adolescent girls’ safety and security.
*Count girls and measure progress.

Keep reading to find out more about the Kateri Tekakwitha scholarship recipients and women’s groups. “If you want to change the world, invest in an adolescent girl. (Bertini, 2011)”

Age: 21 years old

Education: Business Secretary and Nursing Assistant

María Delfina Sotz Catú works as a nurse in one of the state’s largest hospitals, which serves people from all over the region, many with illnesses that require a specialist’s attention. As a nurse, María Delfina has more career opportunities than she had when she was looking for work as a business secretary and she enjoys her career. María Delfina’s patients often arrive at the hospital very ill and needing special attention to ease their pain and she enjoys helping them get better.

However, for María Delfina, the best part of her education and career is that she is able to stay united with her family. Her father works in the United States, but the rest of her family- her mother, her five siblings, and María Delfina are able to stay together. María Delfina hopes that her father will be able to return to them soon.

Peren is a teacher in “basico”, which covers the 7^th to 9^th grades. As the Director of the Writing Program, Peren meets monthly with the Kateri Education Fund’s scholarship recipients. Peren provides these young women with a general template for writing letters to their sponsors and then coaches each student individually as they write. As the young women in the Writing Program represent a wide range of ages, grade levels, and writing experiences, Peren’s individualized coaching has proven to be the most effective method.

By focusing on letter writing, Peren is able to help the young women understand the basics of business communication. Prior to the start of the Writing Program, many of the women were not able to clearly communicate in letters. The letters often were broad, or contained many random thoughts that were not fully explained. Peren has helped the young women improve the content of their letters, by encouraging them to give more details about the topics, and follow a clear outline. Peren also helps correct grammar and spelling.

As a result of the Writing Program, the young women are learning how to express themselves more clearly in Spanish, a second language for many. In addition, the young women enjoy the opportunity to write about their experiences, and the sponsors are able to enjoy learning about the amazing young women that receive scholarships. Since the program began in 2010, the young women’s writing has progressed as they continue to improve their communication skills by writing letters to their sponsors.

If you would like to become a sponsor, and receive a monthly letter from a Kateri Tekakwitha Fund scholarship recipient, go to http://www.mission-guatemala.org/. All letters are translated into English, and knowledge of Spanish is not required to become a sponsor.

Given the low income levels in rural indigenous communities, a lack of financial resources means that indigenous children are less likely to be enrolled in school and more likely to be over-age if they do enroll.

Once in school, indigenous children are also more likely to repeat grades and drop out without attaining literacy or completing primary school. In 2005, 25 per cent of all enrolled students inGuatemalarepeated first grade.

Only 33% of all students inGuatemalaaged 13 to 15 were enrolled in school, and indigenous people as a whole end up with half the number of years of schooling of non-indigenous people.

Education: Primary Eduation Teacher

Alicia Catú studied English, which she viewed as important for her education and to her career. Today, she works as a receptionist in a private hospital inGuatemala City. She enjoys interacting with many people, especially her female co-workers, from whom she has learned so much.

Alicia Catú has ten siblings. Her family is very happy that with her job, she is able to help financially support her younger siblings’ education.

Alicia Catú firmly believes that her quality of life is different since graduation, because she is has better access to work and is able interact with more people.