Annual Review
| This year’s annual review is a celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of Study Guatemala – the school which has now been providing free and outstanding education, for children from Zone 5, in Guatemala City. Zone 5 is one of the most deprived and dangerous areas in the city. This annual report is especially exciting as it tracks the journey of the last ten years photographically, giving some small reminders of what has been achieved. We report on the continued financial support offered to the school and the students by individual sponsorships, donations, and some of the great fund-raising achievements of the year. In August 2014 Jane Aitman, Chair of the Trustees, undertook a site visit to the school which coincided with the 10th anniversary celebrations. She was inspired by the achievements of the school and the pupils and moved by the esteem in which the school is held by the pupils, their families and the wider community. The year has marked the achievement of the complete build of the third floor – at the time of writing the final painting has yet to be done, but everything else is finished! The report will also look at the continued academic achievements of the students, (Appendix A) and finally some of the great careers that the school has launched. |  Phil and Sue - the first stage  Lessons in the corridor  The faithful scooter |
Fundraising
| The Waterloo Foundation has been a very significant supporter of the school. Towards the end of 2013, the Foundation made a large donation to Study Guatemala, to help to complete the third storey of the new building. We are all thrilled to confirm that this has now been completed. The Open Gate Trust once again offered their generous support to help with the continued improvement of the IT facilities and resources in the school. This contributed towards the purchase of new improved computers, a projector, and an Interactive White Board which will be situated in the new third floor laboratory. A generous donation was received from friends from Ireland, where there are a number of people who have tirelessly supported the school. Another supporter organized a fund-raising Cake Trolley event at her workplace. This great event in February 2014 was a fun and gastronomically rewarding experience, which raised significant amount and which was which was generously matched by her employer, Thomson Reuters. One of our fantastic supporters, Catherine Atherton, ran an amazing time in the London Marathon (a great achievement) and raised a significant amount for the charity. Wirksworth Open Gardens once again made a significant donation and a generous donation was also made by a philanthropist colleague of Gabriel Aitman. David Aitman and Charles Johnson, who have previously given recitals in support of Study Guatemala, have recorded a wonderful CD, Winterreise, which is on sale at £10, and has raised a fantastic amount which will fund future projects in the school. Study Guatemala has more than 30 people who make a regular monthly contribution and these funds guarantee the bursaries for individual students in the school. We have been striving to increase the number of these annual contributions, thereby increasing the number of students we support. We have succeeded this year in increasing our students from 30 to 35. 2014 was undoubtedly an outstanding year! |  Phil's vision - of the building site  Work in progress  The finished building - two stories  The new salon, floor 3 |
Below is an email which Jane Aitman sent to Sue Melling during her visit, which captures the thrill of the moment.
| “I went to the school yesterday - you would be amazed honestly. The third floor is fantastic - it's almost what we had in the original plans, and never dreamed of finishing. There is a huge salon” util multi” (multi use) which is going to be great, with a projector and screen for all activities; the salon will be for dance, family meetings and all big events, (big enough for the whole school) then two rooms, one for music and sound (which will have the white board) and one other room for projects with all facilities for art work. Plus there’s a bathroom! There are no corridors so the rooms are bigger than below in the school – its potential is just limitless!” The report from Jane’s visit, to the Trustees, recounted
(the YouTube dance is the final years spoof of the fashion show – it is a very amateur video but reflects the humor and fun of the whole event. ) |    |
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 | Rony Raúl Rosales LucasRony is thrilled to study. He lives with elderly parents who work only very little. He would not be able to study were it not for the grant. He is a great musician – playing the guitar, piano and the drums, and singing beautifully. He has managed to get into the National School of Music, together with two other students from the school. He studies in Liceo in the mornings and the School of Music in the afternoons. The National College only takes 35 students a year! Rony’s dream is to come back to the Liceo as a music teacher, to give back what he has been lucky enough to gain. The school lent him a guitar, as this year he was forced to sell his guitar to pay the rent for the family. |
Idalma Rebeca Quel RíosIdalma is 14 years old. She lives with her parents in a very marginal area in zone 5. She’s a very bright little girl, doing really well in school. The school has been able to help with the studies of her older brothers. Tragically her brother Gerson, a graduate working as a book keeper, was murdered in an unprovoked attack in November. Since that time she has been very depressed and introverted. She is continuing in school and wants to maintain her studied. The school is getting psychological help for her and supporting her and the family through this very difficult time. |  |
  | Alma Elizabeth Soc AndradeAlma is 19 years old. She graduated from the school in 2011 having been supported by Study Guatemala for three years. When she left, she made her own annual donation to the school of Q500 which went towards buying equipment another pupil needed for the school. She continued to provide this grant for the three years of this pupil’s education. She left with high grades and went on to study cosmetics, in a centre for training, and took her Baccalaureate in sciences and literature. She finished her studies in 2013 having graduated with honours from the education establishment, and being awarded a medal of excellence. She provides economically for her very humble family. Her mother is a widow of years with very poor health. Her desire is to study for a higher degree. |
Concluding comments from the Chair on behalf of the Trustees
| The closing words of this year’s report are from Eduardo Estrada, our Director. They have been translated and not edited, but I think say everything that we would wish to say. They bring a lump to my throat because of depth of genuine emotion his words express. Jane Aitman Chair of the Trustees |  |
Hello friends,
These last few days I have been reflecting. (Since the months of November and December I have used it in order to plan action for the coming year) I have seen how the product of the work that has been a dream has been put together during 10 years and that you through your work and strength have touched and changed the lives of so many children and young people who day by day have become good men and women. This achievement I believe from a distance is imperceptible, the level of the impact this has had on so many families in Guatemala cannot be measured. Families that today see their future as different, their future is thanks to the opportunity they have had in their lives. I see daily each year groups of students that leave with great expectations thanks be to God for the opportunity that you have given to me to touch their lives.
You: Sue, Jane, Phil and so many more that support our young people in Guatemala, are an important part in the rescue of many lives of many families, and have been the light in a dark world for our youngsters. There are almost 400 young people that during these last 10 years have graduated and been supported in LBG, every time our facilities become smaller because of the amount of families that look for the opportunity in order that their sons and daughters can study in our centre.
Our project touches lives, our project changes lives and transforms futures.
You do NOT know the happiness that you see when you arrive in a hotel and a chef greets you, or a cashier in an office attends to you with a happy smile, or a receptionist in a bank with a cheerful greeting remembers you and the good moments due to the education that they received in our college. And all this I only have because of you, a Thank you and I never get tired of saying to you THANK YOU.
Friends, friends, finally I am using these words that Jesus said: “I give you the truth, each one of you has something for my brothers and sisters more humble, also you have it for me” Matthew 25-40. Blessings for your lives.
With much love, Eduardo
These last few days I have been reflecting. (Since the months of November and December I have used it in order to plan action for the coming year) I have seen how the product of the work that has been a dream has been put together during 10 years and that you through your work and strength have touched and changed the lives of so many children and young people who day by day have become good men and women. This achievement I believe from a distance is imperceptible, the level of the impact this has had on so many families in Guatemala cannot be measured. Families that today see their future as different, their future is thanks to the opportunity they have had in their lives. I see daily each year groups of students that leave with great expectations thanks be to God for the opportunity that you have given to me to touch their lives.
You: Sue, Jane, Phil and so many more that support our young people in Guatemala, are an important part in the rescue of many lives of many families, and have been the light in a dark world for our youngsters. There are almost 400 young people that during these last 10 years have graduated and been supported in LBG, every time our facilities become smaller because of the amount of families that look for the opportunity in order that their sons and daughters can study in our centre.
Our project touches lives, our project changes lives and transforms futures.
You do NOT know the happiness that you see when you arrive in a hotel and a chef greets you, or a cashier in an office attends to you with a happy smile, or a receptionist in a bank with a cheerful greeting remembers you and the good moments due to the education that they received in our college. And all this I only have because of you, a Thank you and I never get tired of saying to you THANK YOU.
Friends, friends, finally I am using these words that Jesus said: “I give you the truth, each one of you has something for my brothers and sisters more humble, also you have it for me” Matthew 25-40. Blessings for your lives.
With much love, Eduardo
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