The future starts early
Aid and support for children aged 0–4 in Guatemala
Maya families in the highlands of Sololá, Guatemala, live in difficult conditions, relying on subsistence farming and casual work. Many of them are unable to meet their children’s basic needs in terms of hygiene, nutrition and early childhood development. Some 66% of indigenous children under the age of five are chronically malnourished, which leads to developmental delays and hampers their educational prospects.
Project objective:
The project supports the development of indigenous children (aged 0–4) in three communities by training midwives, nurses and government specialists. They share their knowledge through playgroups, home visits and parenting courses. The aim is to support children’s social, emotional, cognitive, motor, linguistic and physical development so that once they start nursery school they have reached an age-appropriate level of development and their chances of a successful school career are significantly improved.
Project beneficiaries:
The project is aimed directly at 2200 people from three municipalities in the department of Sololá, Guatemala. The beneficiaries include young children aged between 0 and 4, their parents and carers, village midwives and the nursing staff at local healthcare centres. In addition, the entire regional community, which comprises 25,400 residents (indirect beneficiaries), is being involved by raising awareness among village councils, representatives of the government's early childhood development programme, and the Ministry of Health and Education regarding the importance of early childhood support.
About Vivamos:
Vivamos is committed to ensuring that socially marginalised groups in Latin America and East Africa are fairly given a fair chance of participating in society, gaining an education and earning an income, thus enabling them to overcome poverty through their own efforts. As a grassroots charity, Vivamos empowers socially disadvantaged groups so that they can actively exercise their rights and fulfil their responsibilities as members of society and help drive the sustainable development of their communities.
Photos: Vivamos