Fact sheet Guacamaya Foundation
Objective
To improve the welfare of the native inhabitants of Guatemala and to preserve the cultural and natural richness of this country.
History
In 1992 Michael de Groot finished his study of economics with the thesis: the sustainable exploitation of tropical forest. A few years later he developed a small project in Guatemala. His work was financed by the Guacamaya Foundation (established by Michael, two lecturers at the University of Amsterdam, a professor from the University of Wageningen and a few of his friends).
In time the focus of the project changed from the sustainable exploitation of tropical forest to sustainable agriculture and poverty alleviation. He lived in El Corozal, a small Mayan village, where he developed an educational center. In 1999 Michael married Hilda, a Guatemalan women, and in 2000 their daughter was born Esmeralda. Esmeralda To give the chance of a proper education Hilda and Michael decided to return to the Netherlands. The management of the educational center was transferred to Tzalam Juan, a very intelligent and motivated man who had assisted Michael from the start of his work in El Corozal. Michael, Hilda and the board of the Foundation Guacamaya now support various activities in Guatemala with funds from the Netherlands.
Activities
Ongoing
El Corozal
The educational center in El Corozal is used to show various sustainable and productive systems of land use. Juan Tzalam, who manages the center, organizes a number of courses mostly in the field of agriculture, construction and carpentry.
Parraxe and Tarrales
On the coffee plantations Parraxe and Tarrales the level of education is improved by the development of several activities. In the so called garden chicken children take care of laying hens and grow vegetables. They learn in practice about this very productive and sustainable way of producing eggs and vegetables. Furthermore their nutrition has improved because the eggs and vegetables are used to produce a tasty and nutritious soup. Other activities include excursions and different hands on activities to improve the creativity and self confidence of the children, as well as to widen their perspective on the world.
Finished
The foundation has provided all families in El Corozal with a granary to safely store corn (the staple food), the families who have chickens were given materials to build a solid chicken coop, 23 schools were given materials to fence the area of the school in order to develop a school garden, and 5 schools were constructed with assistance and funding from the foundation.
A number of educational activities have been organized in two villages in the southern part of Guatemala. School children from the Ixchel Museum Sumpango have visited and have participated in a weaving course. School children from Chinautla have visited the museum and Iximche Popol Vuh (an archaeological site).
Planned
El Corozal
A dance group in El Corozal will be supported with costumes, masks and a marimba, to perform the traditional deer dance. In El Corozal also a community museum dedicated to the Mayan culture is being developed.
Elsewhere
A number of schools on coffee plantations and the Sierra de Sacranix will be included in the educational project which is executed right now on the plantations Parraxe and Tarrales.
How can you help?
With a gift to:
Guacamaya Foundation
Ties Rade 41
2544 MJ Den Haag
The Netherlands
contact@guacamaya.org
Bank information:
BIC: PSTBN L21
IBAN: NL06PSTB0004654272
ING Bank Amsterdam,
Foreign Operations,
PO Box 1800
1000 BV Amsterdam
The Netherlands