Project Supervisor: Dieter Droth
I am a German English professor in the German school in Guatemala City and I have been living in Guatemala for almost eight years. I joined Trek for Kids seven years ago and since then I have been supporting a girl that has a lot of interest in learning and does not have the opportunity to do so without the help from others. Besides that, I have been trying to support this project with spontaneous donations. I do expositions for fundraising for the direct benefit of the children involved in the Project that desperately needs our help.
Furthermore, I am supervising this project, which means that I am checking the students results in school and the balance of revenues and expenses each year. I am in constant contact with Javier Navichoc and each time that there is a problem we try different ways to resolve it.
I am strongly convinced that this Project deserves support from the local population. Javier and others are the founders and are familiar with the social situation and the needs of the families that require support.
Education is the foundation for success in life. Therefore, I welcome anyone that arrives to understand this project and who helps us either with donations or by being a sponsor for a child, so increasingly children can participate in our program and gradually change their perspective on life.
Coordinator: Javier Navichoc Gonzalez
Following the tradition of the Tzutujil Mayan families, I live with my wife and two daughters and other members of my extended family in the same place where my mother was born. I speak Tzutujil, my first language, as well as Spanish and English is my third language. My oldest daughter is in ninth grade in the local school, whiles my other daughter, at five years old, is learning two languages at the same time.
In my opinion, the people of Guatemala that do not have a formal education only have very limited opportunities. I am profoundly convinced of this project and believe that Mayan childrens education is essential. Currently, I teach Spanish to tourists, predominantly foreigners, in San Pedro Guatemaya Spanish school to provide for my family. Therefore, I am involved in our project Trek for Kids so that more and more children receive necessary education.
Committee Member: Jose Agapito Cortez Gonzalez
I am a Spanish instructor and a History professor in a cooperative High School, I also work with teenagers (IMEBDC) and I also act in a small group called Street side Theater. I live with my wife and daughter; I speak Tzutujil, Spanish and a little English. Javier and I created Flor De Maiz Spanish school in 2005.
I am involved with this project because I believe that education is the key to the development of our community and thus it is very important because not everyone has the same opportunities to study; the education system in Guatemala is cultural, therefore we think that the way to help is not only providing support with provisions but with ideas, creating a change in consciousness is our primary goal.
Project Collaborators
Rai Marti
Among the several countries that I have visited around the globe, I traveled to San Pedro La Laguna for the first time in 2002. Charmed by the hospitality and the kindness shown to me during my first stay, I returned again in the summers of 2003 and 2005.
In Switzerland I work for an International Real Estate Developer. It’s our very understanding of a corporate social responsibility to engage in various regions of this world and to contribute to a positive impact in all dimensions of sustainable development. Therefore I am very glad to have the chance to dedicate several hours per week for the Akaalaa project.
This way I can give something of the experienced cordiality back and express my gratitude towards the Tzutujil people. I am sure that many children in the Guatemalan Highlands will be able to achieve a great future if they could only receive some economic support.
Matt Gibson
I first met Javier while studying Spanish in San Pedro. I studied with him for nearly eight months and lived with his family for several of those. The more I got to know him, the more I learned about the things that he was doing for his community. So, I offered to help in the best way I knew how: to build him websites for his projects. Now I maintain both the Flor Del Maiz website and this one. My own website is Matt-Gibson.org.