“Give a child a fish and he eats for a day. Give a child a fishing lesson and he eats for a life time.”Why do we work in rural Guatemala?
--Penny Rambacher
Sometimes we are asked “Why not help the poor in our country?” In the US there are poor people, but there are also government and social programs to assist the poor. In Guatemala there are no such programs. The poor in Guatemala are at the level of "extreme poverty", defined by Economist Jeffery Sach (author of "The End of Poverty") as - when every day is a struggle just to be alive - no basics like food, water, and warm shelter, surviving on less than $1 per day.
The poor in Guatemala are not looking for a "hand out"; they are hoping for a "hand up". They want to educate their children, possibly learn a vocational trade, and have safe drinking water in a secure home. They do not want to leave their villages and come illegally to the US for a job, so their family can survive.
Where the idea started?
Extreme poverty can lead to poor families living at garbage dumps scavenging for something to eat or sell. They know no other way to survive. This highlights what they, and others, have done to "Help Poor People to Help Themselves.”
Because we are a volunteer organization, 100% of all donations go directly to our projects. Administrative expenses are funded by the sale of handicrafts produced in Guatemala's cottage industry.
Additionally, the sale of handicrafts provides the Mayan women an opportunity to earn an income from their home while taking care of their children. If not for the handicraft industry, these women would need to work hard labor in the fields picking coffee and corn for 12 hour shifts away from home.
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