Events / News

The COVID-19 pandemic turned Guatemalan homes into classrooms after “normal” classes were suspended in March of 2020. In 2021, schools and children adapted to a hybrid model of education as students visited their school every week or two to turn in homework and take-home learning guides for the following weeks.

_{Magdalena, a teacher in the community of La Pista Xejalvinte, Nebaj, Quiché during one of her weekly sessions with a student}

Unfortunately, poor families could not cover expenses for basic cleaning items to guarantee their children’s safety during school visits as schools themselves continuously reported a shortage of these hygiene supplies.

To guarantee a safe visit to school and promote hygiene habits, USAID and CRS´s Communities Leading Development (CLD) project provided 10,320 children in 69 schools in the departments of Quiché, Huehuetenango, and Quetzaltenango with a COVID-19 prevention kit with personal hygiene products, surface cleaners, face masks and related training to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Reinforcing proper hygiene habits was important for parents and children, now all the children come with a face mask and with their hands washed, I believe we have a safer and cleaner environment.” – Magdalena Brito, teacher in the community of La Pista Xejalvinte, Nebaj, Quiché.

Margarita and her daughter Juana during reception of hygiene kit for safe return to classes

My husband is a day laborer, he earns Q60 quetzales a day, that´s not enough for us and our three children. We can´t buy these cleaning supplies for ourselves, this is why it is important, otherwise my children would only wash their hands with water”. – Margarita Chuchil, beneficiary in community of La Pista Xejalvinte, Nebaj, Quiché. 

The challenge for      institutions, teachers, children, and parents, is to be able to maintain      good health and guarantee the continuity of their education.

CLD is helping children to continue their education despite the      pandemic; as normal schooling in Guatemala is under evaluation, students and teachers are trained and better equipped for a second hybrid academic year.

School teachers in the community of La Montaña, La Libertad, Huehuetenango transfer hygiene kits for children in their school

 

“We received training on the proper use of the cleaning and hygiene supplies; so did parents and children. It’s essential to instill hygiene and COVID prevention habits such as good hygiene practices, combined with social distancing and the use of a face mask. This community is large, and it is one of the poorest in this municipality, people live from day to day and with what they earn they cannot buy things like soap or a face mask.” – Omar Castillo, school principal in community of La Montaña, La Libertad, Huehuetenango.