Our program for children, “Manos de Colores” (Colored Hands), was founded in 2004, and provides instruction in English, art, music, geography, theater, and sports—subjects that most children would not otherwise receive in the Guatemalan public school system. Manos de Colores was created by our director, Jaime, after a long period of reflection on the national reality of education in Guatemala. Although six years of primary education are theoretically provided free of charge, many families cannot afford the costs associated with public schools (inscription fees, uniforms, books and supplies) and many children attend sporadically or drop out early, which the government does little to discourage. Manos de Colores seeks to provide these children with creative, thoughtful instruction that stimulates their minds and promotes a desire to continue their studies. These programs are fully staffed by our volunteers, who plan lessons, design curricula, and teach classes at the Manos de Colores:
Manos de Colores - El Nahual:
Our after-school program is for kids ages 5-15 and runs Monday to Friday at our community center throughout the year. Children receive instruction from our volunteers in Spanish, mathematics, English, art and they also receive a homework reinforcement class with a Guatemalan teacher. The groups of children served by Manos de Colores El Nahual are diverse in terms of age, experience with schooling, and income level, and our volunteers do amazing work providing creative instruction in subjects such as theater, art, geography, crafts, sports, and music.
Manos de Colores - La Cuchilla:
La Cuchilla is a public primary school on the outskirts of Quetzaltenango, where every Tuesday and Thursday morning our volunteers teach classes in English. This is a largely indigenous, economically disadvantaged community.
Manos de Colores - Llano del Pinal:
The village of Llano del Pinal is located at the foot of Volcan Santa Maria, about three kilometers from El Nahual Community Center. The primary school at Llano del Pinal houses over 1,000 students and counting, most drawn from the surrounding rural area just outside of Quetzaltenango.
Manos de Colores - Telesecundaria Pacajá:
Telesecundaria Pacajá is a public secondary school just around the corner from El Nahual, where our volunteers teach English to seven different classes every Wednesday afternoon. These children range in ages from 10 to 16 and learn English through the variety of activities—creative, sports, and classroom instruction—that our volunteers provide.
Manos de Colores - San Jose la Viña:
Our second ¨Telesecundaria¨ is a local high school where we teach four English classes every Thursday afternoon. 2010 marked the first year of our relationship with San Jose la Viña.
