Susanna Wesley Preschool
The Need for a Preschool in Camanchaj, Guatemala
On average, children in the Camanchaj community drop out of school during their second year of “Primaria” (or elementary school). Multiple factors related to poverty contribute to high drop out rates among young Mayan children. In particular, many K’iche-speaking children have difficulty in the Spanish school system because of little or no exposure to Spanish at home and in the community. While working in Camanchaj over the past several years, Salud y Paz Director, Dr. Phil Plunk, recognized the need for an early educational program to address the learning and health needs of Camanchaj’s young children.
Meeting the Need
Dr. Phil’s vision for such a program finally came to fruition on February 2nd, 2009, when the Susanna Wesley Preschool opened its doors to 24 five- and six-year-old Camanchaj children. The primary goals of our program are to increase children’s chances for success in the public school system with high quality, culturally sensitive preschool curriculum and to promote healthy development by providing nutritious meals (daily breakfast, snack, and lunch), teaching healthy habits (such as hand washing and teeth brushing), and offering medical and dental care. The children attend classes Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m, and each child receives a backpack, school hoodie, and all necessary school materials. We have two local teachers who speak K’iche and Spanish and a volunteer school director with graduate training in education.
