What we do
Since 2018, Project Maltioxinem (pronounced mal-tee-osh-ee-nem) or Project Grateful, has provided English language classes to girls living in challenging circumstances in villages around Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. By learning the English language, girls can access better job opportunities in the Lake's tourism sector which enhance their families' quality of life and provide an income that can be used to continue academic studies. Today, we provide scholarships to girls in significant economic need who show strong promise and motivation to continue on with their studies and pursue their dreams. In November of 2023 we celebrated our first three high school graduates. In 2024, we hope to send at least one of these amazing young women to university! We will continue to sponsor one girl who participated in our English classes.
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Scholarships
In 2022, we sponsored our first three high school students. There are many barriers to attending and completing a full cycle of junior and senior high school. Even public high school in rural Guatemala can be cost prohibitive as students must pay for their supplies, books, and uniforms. Getting to school can be very challenging and time consuming. Many girls do not complete high school, as they may be needed at home to provide child care or they must work to support their family. Educating girls is a long term investment that will allow our scholarship recipients to not only gain more employment options in the future, but also help their families. Food & Water Delivery
Since the onset of the global pandemic in March 2020, we have altered our charity constitution to allow us to provide our families with food and drinking water. Once per month, we deliver large amounts of corn, beans, eggs, water, detergent, and other much needed supplies to help keep our families afloat. Post COVID we have continued to deliver a monthly food supplement to girls and their families that are still participating in our programs. All of the families are in economic need and providing them with a food supplement can reduce the pressure of finding enough income to provide food for their families, if only temporarily.
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University Scholarships
Our newest venture is to raise money to support deserving young women through their university studies. To obtain a university degree truly means there will be lasting change for the young woman and her family. There are no universities in the immediate area but there are some satellite programs that are available and other programs are only available if a student moves away from home to study. Our first dedicated scholar to receive a university scholarship is Anny Tuch. Anny graduated from the local private high school with stellar marks and worked hard to gain entrance to the only public university that offers free tuition if you can pass the many entrance exams for each program. Anny worked hard over the course of a year studying, getting extra tutoring, and was able to get into the dental surgery program at the University of San Carlos which has a satellite campus in Quetzaltenango which is about 3 hours away from her home by bus. Anny started her 5 year program in April of 2024 and she is working hard with a full slate of classes. The money we give her allows her to pay for her living expenses as she is away from home the whole year. Without the support of Project Maltioxinem it would be very difficult for Anny’s family to support her dream of becoming a dental surgeon. Congratulations Anny! |
To educate girls is to reduce poverty.
- former UN secretary general Kofi Anan
Where we are
We currently support girls and young women in San Pedro La Laguna, Solola, Guatemala. This community of approximately 13,000, is located on the banks of Lake Atitlan, a stunningly beautiful lake surrounded by lush tropical forests and volcanoes. While the scenery is breathtaking, the true beauty of the area is the people. There are several Mayan villages that surround the lake, each with its own distinct culture. Spanish is the common language, and the language taught in public schools, however, the Mayan languages of Tz'utujil and Kaqchikel are often peoples' first languages.
Our Goal
To empower women and girls by giving them a marketable skill
focus on GUatemala
Guatemala is a country of great beauty and vibrant indigenous culture. It also has many social and economic needs. According to the most recent national census, overall poverty rates in San Pedro are approximately 82%, while literacy rates for women in the area are only 56.8% (20 points below the literacy rates for men). Enrollment rates for high school students in San Pedro and the surrounding area are only 22% and the average woman in the area with no schooling has 5 children and 40% of births in the area were to women with no schooling.
focus on women and girls
Did you know that female youth (ages 15-29) are almost three times as likely as their male counterparts to be outside the labour force or not continuing on with education (Unicef)? In Guatemala, 30% of girls are married by 18 and 6% by age 15. Studies show that when women earn an income they reinvest 90% of their income in their families and communities. An educated mother is more than twice as likely to send her child to school, and girls with a high school education are six times less likely to be married as children.