Puerta Abierta Escuela, Santiago Atitlán

We collaborate with this truly impressive innovative indigenous rural school in Santiago Atitlán. Mothers make adorable felt ornaments and patches, adding pieces of recycled traditional skirt fabric. That's how they pay their children's tuition!

Website: www.atitlanabierta.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atitlanabierta

YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Cy9jImNtisy2No7W85Lpw

A beautiful introductory video: “Creciendo con la Puerta Abierta” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDsGrH_V4Mk

Check out Puerta Abierta's recent newsletter below and learn how you can support this meaningful project that we believe in.

Queridos amigos near and far,

Thank you for keeping la Puerta Abierta and the community of Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala close to your hearts during the unpredictable months that a global pandemic has brought upon the world at large.  We are grateful for our friends around the world who continue to inquire about our well-being, as a school, an organization, a community, and as individuals.  Gracias!

While the pandemic has  presented us with many challenges, our staff at la Puerta Abierta has been  swift  and innovative in responding to the needs of our students after schools were closed on a national level in mid March.  The Guatemalan school year begins in January and ends in October, hence our children had roughly eight weeks of class before we were mandated to close the doors of our center for in person learning.

Our student population is diverse in resources, family education, and learning styles, and, we were aware that our approach to educating our students would have to be specialized to ensure a quality and creative education for ALL our children.  As a result, over the past months, spectacular initiatives have emerged!  For example:

  • Puerta Abierta Atitlan now has a YouTube channel where teachers upload learning videos on a weekly basis for their students.
  • Juanita, our director produced COVID resources in Spanish and Tz'utujil for our town to learn about the facts, risks and best practices for combatting COVID in our village.  
  • Every Wednesday our teachers host a live read aloud on Facebook Live for the community to enjoy.
  • The Municipality of Santiago has begun to broadcast recorded educational videos from our center on the local television station.
  • We hosted our first virtual story-telling festival inviting narrators from the Americas to share their favorite cultural tales with the world.
  • Teachers make socially distanced house visits with students who don't have access to technology.
  • Our staff has received virtual professional development workshops from partners such as Teachers2Teachers Global.

With the guidance of our staff and the support of our families, our students are learning, growing, exploring, playing, dreaming and creating!

We continue to look  for advocates for our "Forever School Campaign" which will ensure quality and meaningful education for our community children in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala.  A $100 donation  will take us a step closer to reaching our dream of owning a permanent home for our programs.  In honor of your donation, we will add a hand-painted tile in your name to our Wall of Gratitude at our new school!

If inspired, please donate here.

With appreciation,

Amanda and la Puerta Abierta
atitlanabierta.com