Having finally arrived back in Guatemala, the work on our projects started right in the first week. We visited the children in Suchitepequez, greeted them with songs, danced, and began learning English together for the first time. Their gratitude was shown through hugs, affection, and their enthusiasm for pretty much everything we undertook or gifted them. These are moments that constantly remind me of how valuable every minute and the smallest gesture is for these children. Whether it’s time or a gift – they don’t mind. They were infinitely thankful that we had come to see them and spend a few hours with them. Their mothers also welcomed us, and at that point, they couldn’t believe that we were offering support without questioning or expecting anything in return. I wasn’t aware of how much it would take for them to trust us. It required experiencing some ups and downs over the past six months. Nonetheless, we cherished every single moment, and with each passing second, the children grew closer to my heart.
A day that will forever remain in my memory.
In addition to regular visits to Suchitepequez and teaching English, we also visited other villages near Antigua. Here, with the help of collected donations, we were able to support the residents with food supplies. This project was particularly important during the rainy season. Weeks of rainfall caused severe landslides, cutting off access to food for all the mountain villages. Therefore, during this time, we supported over 100 families with sufficient food.
Besides unforgettable days in Suchitepequez, such as the “Día de los niños,” or Children’s Day, we also had to leave behind challenging experiences. Conversations with the mothers, in particular, were a challenge and led to complications. Supporting the children also means building close collaboration with the mothers and gaining their trust. We repeatedly tried to address and discuss shared goals, learning progress and achievement, contraception, suppression due to machismo, and many other topics with them. After half a year, we finally saw success. On New Year’s Day, during my last visit before returning to Switzerland, there were many tears, and the mothers expressed their gratitude with affectionate hugs for our constant support. This, too, is a moment I will never forget.
Before the end of the year, it was time to give 100% effort for our projects once again. In November, we launched our Christmas campaign with handmade pouches from a five-member Maya family and handcrafted soap made in Switzerland. The sales were meant to help finance the next school year for now 68 children. Thanks to the visit of the Swiss volunteer team, we were able to easily transport the handmade pouches to Switzerland. This, too, was a phenomenal success that motivates us to initiate similar campaigns in the future.
In January 2023, I returned to Switzerland. I now look back on a challenging yet incredibly successful six months in Guatemala. Besides gaining new insights and impressions, it showed me how much we can achieve with comparatively limited resources. How much the children and their families value our work and how valuable it is to change the future of countless people.
A chapter that I’m closing with incredibly positive feelings and, above all, full of new strength and motivation to prepare for an even larger chapter. I am ready for even more change and stories that we will write together with The M Story team, volunteers, and donors.
A heartfelt thank you to each and every one who made this possible!
