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Mayan Families
September 2012
In This Issue
Little Dreamer of the Month
Santa Shipment needs help
Mayan Families Photo Contest
Byron in Treatment
Sewing Project Needs Support
Milk Program Fights Against Malnutrition
Donate Medical Supplies
Donate via our NEW QR Code
Write a Review


Little Dreamer of the month!

Five-year old Marvin Sebastian, #2322, attends our preschool in Chukmuk. Click here to sponsor him today!  

 

A Special Thanks! 

Your Support Keeps Mayan Families Growing    

-Thank you to all the volunteers and interns who have been committed to working towards Mayan Families' mission. This summer we had a wide variety of volunteers from all over the world! We couldn't continue to do what we do without your support! For more information on volunteering with Mayan Families, please click here! 

Tell your friends to sign up for Mayan Families newsletters!


   
Greetings!

Last month we kicked off our 2012 Preschool Initiative, Sponsor a Little Dreamer! This campaign aims to make education possible for over 100 preschoolers in need of sponsors for 2012. These little dreamers attend one of Mayan Families' seven Preschool Nutritional Centers throughout the Lake Atitlan region. We are extremely pleased to report that you, the sponsors, have made this campaign a HUGE success! We are now halfway to our goal; 55 little dreamers have been sponsored. Thank you so much for making this possible!

 

We are grateful to have made significant progress with this campaign, but there is still work to be done. There are 56 little dreamers still in need of sponsors, and over 80% of them are boys. 

 

Please consider sponsoring a preschool student. By doing so, you will create a lasting relationship for years to come! We have many children still waiting to be sponsored. The majority of little girls have been fortunate to find sponsors, but many boys are still in need of a sponsor. If we do not find sponsors for these little dreamers, they may not be able to continue studying. The cost of sponsorship for a preschool student is $190 per year--this will change the life of a child. To see some little dreamers who need sponsors for 2012, please click here. Questions or comments? Please email our Education Program Coordinator, Rachel at rachel@mayanfamilies.org  

Again, thank you for all of your support!
One of Our Santa shipments needs help!
Children receiving a present       
We gave out more than 8,000 toys last year to many children who have never received a gift before and who would not have got one if it hadn't been for your very kind donations.

 We have a very kind group in Florida that has collected over a 1,000 brand new toys and tons of Beanie babies....but we need help to get these boxes down to Guatemala. 

The cost of the shipping and delivered to our door is $900....we have $350 of this much needed money and we just need $650 US more to get these boxes down here and the children will have more toys for Christmas.  If you can help with even a dollar or two...it will add up and we will be able to get the toys to the children!  Please go to our website...
thank you!!
Mayan Families Photo Contest:
Capturing Growth

Send Your Volunteer Photos to Be Featured in Our Calendar

Like us on Facebook and enjoy unique content!

Mayan Families wants your best photos that capture the growth of Mayan Families including the clients we serve, staff, locations and programs.  The best photos will be featured in the 2013 Mayan Families Calendars.  

Please send all submissions to erin@mayanfamilies.org with the subject title 'Photo Contest.'  

Independence Day Calls for Festivities Around Lake Atitlan 

A Day Filled with Parades, Music, and Fun 

On Saturday, September 15th, we celebrated Guatemala's 191 years of independence. The day was filled with parades, music, and bombas--a typical firework that creates a very loud bang! We would like to thank all of the sponsors who were able to provide uniforms that allowed many of our students to participate in the parades all around the lake. This participation is usually critical to be able to graduate. Thank you so much! This year's independence day was definitely one to be remembered! 

Byron Responds Well to Treatment 

Mayan Families' Patient Keeps His Spirits High 

Little Byron with his father and mother

Five-year-old Byron (FA-242) from San Antonio is on his way to recovery. We first met Byron a couple months ago when he came to a Mayan Families' sponsored medical clinic in his community. The doctors immediately called our attention to extreme inflammation of his lymph nodes. That same week, we were able to send Byron to Guatemala City where he was hospitalized

for testing. Three weeks later, he received his first round of chemotherapy. He is now in bi-weekly treatment with hope for recovery. To the generous Mayan Families donors, we want to say, "Thank you so much!" We were able to find out what was wrong with little Byron and get him the treatment that could hopefully save his life! Please consider donating to Mayan Families' general medical fund that allows us to send our clients to the City and receive the medical treatment they need.
Click here to donate now! Scroll down to General, "Where most needed" and include a note with the word Medical. Thank you again for all of your support! 

Two New Classrooms to be Completed  
Paso Por Paso Supports Tierra Linda Elementary School

Paso por Paso, a wonderful NGO from Canada has been responsible for a lot of the renovations to the elementary school in Tierra Linda.

The school now has its dream of having a second floor above original two classrooms that were an old adobe house.
Paso por Paso working with Mayan Families has now almost completed construction of the 8th and 9th classroom in Tierra Linda!!
This little school was one of the worst schools we have ever seen in Guatemala but thanks to Paso por Paso and other kind folks ...this is now a great school!
Ready To Help?
Sewing Project Needs Your Support! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In an effort to meet our goal of training 80 women with sewing skills in 2012, we are offering a fifth group of women the opportunity to join the sewing classes starting September 25, 2012.  We want to sponsor women who are seriously committed to learning and subsequently utilizing this skill in order to help better their lives and that of their family. We are looking to fill 10 spots for women who have already expressed a strong desire in joining the group. To read more about the program and the benefits for the women participating, click
here.  Please help us to empower these women by choosing to donate to this cause.  To donate:  

  

1) Follow this link: http://www.mayanfamilies.org/DonateOnline

2) Enter $ 75.00 in the "other" box

3) Write "Sewing class" in the "details" box

4) Click  submit form

We would also like to extend a special thank you to Global Legacy Programs and founder Mireille Hanna for donating 15 sewing machines to our Sewing Project!   

 

Milk Program Fights Against Malnutrition in Babies and Young Children 

Almost half of Guatemalan children younger than five years old are malnourished. Guatemala has the fourth highest chronic malnutrition rate in the world, and the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean. Indigenous communities are affected the most, with 69.5% of kids under five undernourished.

 

The Mayan Families Milk Distribution Program aims to provide new mothers and young children with the education and the resources they need to combat this slow killer. In addition to monthly talks given to mothers about breastfeeding, nutrition, hygiene and family planning, fortified milk and protein supplements are distributed to those who cannot afford to give their children the nutrients they need.

 

The price of milk keeps rising, and more and more mothers find themselves without a way to feed their children. In order to help Mayan Families continue providing these essential services to women and their young children, please donate now at www.mayanfamilies.org/donatenow and write "Milk Program" in the Notes section. Thank you!

  • $50 Baby Formula for babies 12 months and under for 1 month
  • $35 Milk for infants 12 months and older for 1 month
  • $18 Incaparina for children over 24 months (vitamin enriched protein drink)

Donate Medical Supplies to Mayan Families


The Health Center in a village called Concepci�n and many other villages needs supplies! Any individual, place of worship, business, school, Rotary group, medical group or other group that has access to these supplies is invited to support these health centers. 
They have very few, if any supplies and they are asking for the following:

  • doctors and nurses scrubs (secondhand is fine)
  • sheets
  • towels
  • disposable gloves
  • stethoscopes 
  • blood pressure equipment
  • thermometers
  • basic medicines: aspirins, tylenol, fever reducers, pain killers, etc.
  • antibiotic creams
  • antibiotics
  • examination gowns for the patients 
  • or cash donations and we can then purchase the items here in Guatemala. Click here to donate!

Gently used, second hand, on some appropriate items, is fine. If you have access to any of these supplies or others, not listed due to space restrictions in our newsletter, and can send them to Mayan Families, the Concepcion Health Center and the many others we work with would be very grateful! For information on how to ship supplies, our list of needed medicines and for more information write to info@mayanfamilies.org or 
click here for more information! 

Online Community!
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If you want to learn more, have access to the latest news and resources, and continue to be informed about our work, please join our online community.

2012 Green Award
We've earned the rating of being a Top-Rated Green Nonprofit! During the past six weeks, over 100,000 people visited the GreatNonprofits site to read and write reviews, and we got a significant amount of reviews!  Thank you! 

 

Disaster Relief Ratings
Thank you for giving us great reviews on Great Nonprofits.  We are the top rated 'Disaster Relief Nonprofit'!  Check out all the listings.
 
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Volunteer Opportunities
 We could use help, whether you're in Guatemala or at your own home! Check out our listings here!

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Don't forget that pennies go a long way when families in our services live on mere $'s a day.
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