The Guatemalan government pays for students to attend school only through sixth grade. After that, the parents must bay the approximately $500/year for each student, a cost that is unaffordable for many families. Children who can't continue school are forced to take low-paid labor or to care for younger siblings, and are at high risk of starting families too young and continuing the cycle of poverty.
At RUMC, we are continuing our work of sponsoring Guatemalan high school students through Dreams and Hopes, a small, Mayan-run organization whose organizers we know well. In each of the last three years, we have managed to sponsor at least ten kids per year, which is amazing!
Sponsoring a high school student costs $500, but any amount you contribute will help us reach our goal of helping these students continue to attend school.
The new school year in Guatemala begins in January, so this is a perfect time to contribute to these new beginnings. If you would like to donate in someone else's name as a Christmas gift, we can make donation certificates available.
If you have any questions, please contact the Church Office: rumc@redmondumc.org