"Theater for Development" as a Means of Empowering Mayan Children in Guatemala

Watch Field Report Video Here

Proportionately the largest indigenous population in the world, the Mayans of Guatemala have a proud cultural tradition, but sadly, they have been discriminated against for centuries. Though they have won a right to a free education in recent decades, the odds for their academic success are stacked against them. There are a few main reasons to explain this achievement gap:
1. Their rural schools are severely lacking in school supplies;
2.  Spanish is their second language (they speak Mayan dialects at home); and
3.  The discrimination they face from non-indigenous students.
As a result, they often feel out of place and afraid to express themselves in school, which adversely affects their performance and often results in drop out.

What is needed is a way to create a more comfortable academic setting, where the Mayan students feel free to express themselves to fellow students and teachers. In my humanitarian work in other countries, such as Brazil, I have seen firsthand the positive effect that "theater development" has on marginalized populations; Theater for Development is an innovative tool used in the field of international development, wherein participants act out dramas, comedies, musical numbers and dance performances as a means of self-expression. The component of role play allows them to experience the situation from another angle and the improvisational component allows them to think on their toes and experience new forms of thought and action.

On the heels of other projects' successes, Cause andAffect was eager to administer this innovative methodology in a Guatemalan context, so upon our field visit in February, we were overjoyed to discover that CasaSitio (a wonderful partner organization of ours) was also interested in bringing this practice to their recipients.

We then partnered with a Brazilian organization that was conducting a Theater for Development training workshop in another city of Guatemala, so Cause and Affect agreed to finance the training session. With $1,000 we were able to send CasaSitio's practitioners to the 4-day training session, pay for the training materials and then install the theater project into their curriculum. 

We had to wait eight months for the training session and implementation of the program, but we are very pleased to announce that the social theater workshops are in full swing, and are already paying a valuable dividend in improving the academic performance of these Mayan students!

As the field report video documents, the students are overjoyed to have a forum in which they can freely express themselves, engage in role play and become more comfortable with their surroundings. With a more healthy integration into their schools and a new-found enthusiasm, they are already planning brighter futures.

The success of this project once again shows just how far a small amount of money, invested in a responsible manner, can create very effective change.

To contribute to projects like this, please visit our website and our Give page here, where you can easily make a donation via PayPal or credit card. Special thanks to CasaSitio for their assistance and our generous donors!

5 MORE Babies Lives Transformed by Cleft Palate Surgery!

On the heels of our success repairing the cleft palates of Guatemalan babies in December of 2010, we decided to return to Guatemala to oversee the surgery of 5 more babies. We visited in February, but since some of the babies were malnourished as well, we had to wait a few months until the babies were at a suitable weight in order to do the operation.

 Now that the first round of surgeries are complete (most babies require two surgeries to complete the process), we have photos and great news to report: all the 5 babies have recovered in great condition! They will now lead normal lives instead of being shunned by their community.

 Be sure to watch the video here to learn more.
Here is some additional information, taken from our blog in December of 2010:
Approximately 1 in 700 children worldwide are born with one or both congenital facial deformities known as a cleft lip or cleft palate. In most developed countries like the United States, babies born with this condition are operated upon within the first 2-3 months after birth.
But here in Guatemala, most of the rural families are too poor to afford the surgery. As a result, their babies' cleft lips and palates go untreated, which in many cases leads to malnutrition and death, as the babies often have trouble breast-feeding. Those babies that DO survive are often marginalized from society and become outcasts in their villages. I have seen fully-grown teenagers that rarely leave their house or always wear a bandana in front of their mouth to avoid shame. What a sad reality knowing that for $200, their deformity can be easily corrected.


With that desire in mind, Cause & Affect searched out a Guatemalan organization that conducts this procedure for families in need. T.E.S.S. Unlimited, founded by Tessa de Goede de Ordoñez, locates babies in rural Guatemala whose families cannot afford the surgery. They bring them to a social-welfare clinic to be diagnosed and operated on by a team of Canadian doctors that volunteer their services for these (and other) operations. $200 covers the costs of transport, medicine, follow-up care, speech therapy and the surgical procedure. Based on the needs presented by T.E.S.S. Unlimited, Cause & Affect stepped in to sponsor the three babies whose surgeries needed to be funded.

As you can see from the video, it is incredibly easy and cheap to completely transform a baby's life and opportunities. Looking at the before & after shots, keep in mind just how far $200 can go.
In the holiday spirit, please contribute to wonderful projects such as this on our website. Simply click here to donate via Paypal or credit card. As you can see, every dollar goes a long way towards improving peoples' lives! Thanks for your continued support!

 SPECIAL THANKS TO JORDAN HOBFOLL FOR HIS GENEROUS DONATION TO FUND THESE SURGERIES AND MY MOTHER AND SISTER'S ASSISTANCE AS WELL. SO WONDERFUL TO SEE HOW A FEW PEOPLE'S DEVOTION CAN POSITIVELY TRANSFORM THESE BABIES' LIVES!

"You are this family's only hope." - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Though Cause & Affect Foundation usually focuses their efforts on community-run projects, sometimes we encounter individual families in such distress that we feel obliged to help. Such a situation arose when my sister Julia and I were in Rocinha, the largest favela shanty-town in Latin America.

Situated on a hilltop overlooking Rio de Janeiro’s most posh neighborhoods, Rocinha is a community of around 150,000 people, many of which struggle on a daily basis to get by. While speaking to the director of a local non-profit, we discovered the sad story of Alessandra and her two children, Pedro (4 years old) and Moises (11 months). Forced to leave her home after her step-father sexually abused her Alessandra landed on the streets and without access to contraception, she soon found herself with two children. Fortunately, with the help of this local non-profit, the family was housed in a makeshift home inside the favela. WATCH Field Report Video HERE

Though the living conditions were far from optimal, it was much safer than living on the dangerous streets. But misfortune continued to haunt the family. As Alessandra explains in the video, their fan short-circuited, resulting in a fire that forced them to flee. Fortunately, they were able to escape through the window, but not before all of their worldly possessions were destroyed.

All of their belongings (including her documents that allowed her to receive government assistance) were destroyed. When we visited the now burned-out home, the family still living within the smoke-stained walls, we jumped into action in an effort to improve their perilous living situation. For starters, working with the same non-profit, we were able to find them another home. We have helped her secure her new documents so she can now receive her monthly assistance. WATCH Field Report Video HERE

We then set out to purchase the basic items the family needs to survive, by spending $600 from small shops within the community. We were able to maximize our purchasing power by purchasing a used refrigerator and stove as well as new mattresses, sheets, pillows, cleaning supplies, pots, pans, plates, silverware, as well as basic food stuffs and kitchen supplies. As you can see from these images, we were able to purchase an amazing amount of supplies with this modest sum, which will allow this family to lead a much healthier lifestyle and provide these children with cleaner air to breathe and the nutrition they will need to excel in school. Thank you to all of our wonderful donors and special thanks to my sister Julia, who raised money for this and other C&A projects and helped administer these funds. WATCH Field Report Video HERE To assist Cause & Affect in our ongoing efforts, please visit our Give page here. Thank you!

Building a New Home for Impoverished Guatemalan Family

WATCH VIDEO REPORT HERE

Anywhere on earth, the loss of a loved one can decimate a family, but for Mayan families living in poverty in rural Guatemala, the absence of a parent can be especially trying. Such is the case here in Pajomel, a tiny hamlet located high above the shores of the picturesque Lake Atitlan, where Miguel and his two kids Miguelito and Sonia were left to fend for themselves after his wife passed away more than 5
years ago. Without steady work, Miguel has to support his kids (now aged 11 and 7), which is difficult as he is unable to travel to other regions of Guatemala to do seasonal agricultural work (as most men in the region do).
A few months ago, my mother Linda, while on a field visit with Feed the Dream, one of Cause & Affect's local partners (as seen in this field report here) a local non-profit organization, was appalled to witness the terrible living conditions young Sonia and her family were subject to. They inhabited a tiny shack made of the most basic materials and had no stove to cook on, so they had to cook in their home, inhaling fumes and smoke, which is very hazardous. There was only one bed for the three of them and no insulation from the cold or rain. Mold, insects and rodents were common challenges.
WATCH VIDEO REPORT HERE

Upon my arrival in Guatemala, my mother expressed her desire to somehow, someway, buils young Sonia and her family a new home. We set out finding local organizations that could assist us in our quest and through our network of non-profits in Guatemala, we discovered ConstruCasa, which builds homes for rural impoverished families in need. But before we could build the home, there were two obstacles we had to overcome:
1) They build new homes with durable materials for $4,000 but require at least $1,000 from the family. Since Miguel has to stay at home to support his kids, he has few opportunities to work, so for someone earning $80 a month, having to pay $1,000 is out of the question. Luckily, Cause & Affect was able to step in and pay the $1,000 with the agreement that Miguel will pay about 10% of his income over the next 24 months towards ConstruCasa for his home.

2) They only build homes for families that are integrated with other programs to provide educational and health opportunities, so as to assist these families on a more comprehensive level. So we contacted Feed the Dream and Amigos de Santa Cruz since they already work with families in the region, they agreed to integrate the family into their nutrition program. Thanks Pat!
WATCH VIDEO REPORT HERE

So all we had to do was donate $1,000 and construction would begin!

$330 of that amount was donated by my sister Julia, who is working with Cause & Affect on her Service Semester as an early graduate of Wheaton North High School. After weaving and selling friendship bracelets, she raised $1,200 to donate towards Cause & Affect projects in Guatemala and Brazil. Her donation is a wonderful boost towards making this family's dream a reality. Well done, Jules!

Two weeks later, construction on the home began and 5 days after that, everything was complete! My mother continued her amazing commitment to help by purchasing $400 of supplies, such as tables, chairs, a stove, 2 beds with pillows, sheets and blankets,
as well as kitchen and cleaning supplies for the entire family. As you can see from the photos, they are overjoyed to have a safe and warm home to live in. This will also help the kids excel in school as they will have light to read and do their homework. We are so happy for the opportunity to team up with ConstruCasa and Feed the Dream to provide such a wonderful boost to this wonderful family beset by challenges!
WATCH VIDEO REPORT HERE and CONTRIBUTE TO FUTURE PROJECTS HERE.