Our Vision:
Partners for Guatemala Education and the community of Santa María Tzejá recognize that education, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of societies. In a country whose academic spending as a percentage of gross national product is among the lowest in the Western Hemisphere, almost 600 students have graduated from middle school in Santa María Tzejá over the last 25 years.
Today, Santa María Tzejá, with a population of only 1,300, has the highest percentage of students of any community in Guatemala. From this small, isolated village there are now 65 trained university professionals. These include medical doctors, nurses, teachers, lawyers, agronomists, social workers, engineers, and journalists. Over half of these professionals are women. All but two are living in Guatemala and working in their profession. Two-thirds have either returned to the village or live and work in the surrounding region bringing real development to the region and working for the benefit of low-income families in the Ixcán.
While there has been much success, there is still much to be done. The Guatemalan government continues to underfund public education and the importance of secondary and post secondary education becomes more vital with each passing year. Through investments in education and development in Santa María Tzejá, Partners for Guatemala Education seeks to continue the progress that has been made, one child at a time, as we work in solidarity with the community of Santa María Tzejá to build the brighter future of our shared dreams.
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Bill Garrett
President, PGE