- pedrera@cx.edu.gt
- 502 3997 6461
- Office hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Supporting education for Mayan children in Guatemala
Wayne Hess posing with a mother and her children in front of the La Pedrera School
In December 1996, Wayne Hess and his wife, Barbara, visited Guatemala for the first time. His daughter, Tea, worked with the Mayan people in the western highlands as a Peace Corps nurse. Guatemala was just coming out of a civil war that had lasted for over thirty years. Much of the indigenous population had been displaced by the war. Wayne was struck by the very generous nature of these people and resolved to be of some assistance.
La Pedrera School Project was founded as a non-government organization in the United States by Wayne Hess in 2004. With the help of friends, relatives, and generous supporters, we have been able to provide the school with supplies, clothing, text books, computers, internet access. In June 2007, we dedicated a second story classroom, making it a two room school.
Teresa de Leon, the director of la Pedrera School Project, has been the teacher since 2007. She has been working with the students in the afternoon providing them academic support with homework and educating the parents about how to improve their life in order to obtain better skills to have the opportunity to get better paid jobs in the city.
La Pedrera is a community of indigenous Mayans displaced by the Guatemalan civil war. Most are single parents trying to sustain their families on the meager income they earn through manual labor. They live in extreme poverty and hope for a better life for their children.
In Guatemala, all children may attend school, but families must be able to pay for school uniforms, books and other educational materials in order to attend. For the children of La Pedrera, this hurdle often prevents them from attending school. The families in La Pedrera often don't have enough to eat, let alone have the money it takes to send their children to school.
These are some of the children who still need sponsorship assistance to attend La Pederara School. Sponsoring a child’s requires a minimum commitment of $300 U.S. to cover the cost of books and supplies for one year. Setting up your sponsorship is easy. Simply fill out the Sponsor Application and we will contact you with an invoice.
We appreciate donations at all levels. If sponsoring doesn’t meet your budget, you can still help out by contributing to the general support of the school.
Birthday: Nov. 15, 2014 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: June 15, 2020 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: artistic expression Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: February 4, 2012 Level: High School Favorite Education Artistic Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: May 5, 2014 Level: Elemenary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: Augs.15, 2019 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Art Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: January. 6, 2018 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: . Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: Nov. 14, 2016 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: Dec. 27, 2018 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday: 24 February 2015 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
Birthday:29 June 2019 Level: Elementary School Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sport: Soccer Goal:To go to University
