The Kateri Education Fund

	2005 Graduates: Emilsa Peren, Estela Perez, Alicia Catu, Marisela Avila. They volunteer as the 2006 Animation Team, who help organize activities, letter writing, and act as role models for scholarship students.

The Kateri Education Fund gives indigenous women the opportunity to continue their education beyond the sixth grade level. Among these women, especially in rural areas, there is much illiteracy. Many do not attend school because their parents see no need for women to be educated. For these women to finish even sixth grade is a struggle. They are unable to continue on through basico (middle school) and diversificado (similar to high school but more focused on vocational training) because of the cost and the need to support themselves and sometimes their families.

The purpose of this fund is to provide tuition for such women to finish at least the diversificado level and when appropriate, the university.

You can make a difference! Sponsor a student!

Scholarship Requirements

A Guatemalan woman must meet specific requirements to be eligible for and to maintain the scholarship.

To be eligible, she must:

• Be attending a recognized school

• Write an essay stating her reasons for wanting to continue her education, what she plans to study, and how she plans to use her education when she finishes

• Provide her educational and work history

• Include two letters of recommendation

To maintain her scholarship, she must:

• Submit a grade report quarterly

• Maintain an average of 70% or better

• Write a monthly report to her sponsor

• Attend monthly meetings

	Juana Vidalia Cutzal (on right) reports on her month at school at the Fund office in Chimaltenago to Coordinator, Carmela Paz Bal (on left).

TESTIMONIALS FROM SPONSORED GRADUATES

"Now I am living the fruits of my studies.  I can help the new generation.  The students in the primary schools in the  rural area  of Santa Clara la Laguna."

Clara To Caniz
Santa Clara la Laguna
Solola

"Now that I am finished with my education, I can work in my profession and aid people who need me by encouraging them to improve. I can help my family also."

Juana Ajpuac Esquit
San Lucas Toliman

Solola

"When I first went to the scholarship meetings, I was sad, but then I became acquainted with other people. I began to go out.  I realized that I was a person who could succeed."

Paula Ixchop Poncio
Santa Cruz de Quiche
Quiche

"Without the scholarship, I could not have graduated because of the expenses of the last year of teacher training.  My parents could not help me.  I now am able to help others and to help groups in my community to carry out projects.  We have received two projects out of six applications." 

Rosa Amelia Guerra
Esquipulas

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Mission: Guatemala · PO Box 906, Pacifica, CA 94044 · Phone: 650.557-1591· Email: info@mission-guatemala.org

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