Here in San Marcos La Laguna, education ends at the 9th grade. Locals then have few opportunities to continue their education. Most will not even finish secondary school. They begin work as children. Opportunities for most locals center around building, gardening, housekeeping and cooks in restaurants. There is a desire for more. There is a desire for education.

To respond to this need, Familia Utz Corazon will now shift its focus from food and housing to education. Our friends Wellkind and CentroComunitario Chitzununchoy Tzununá (Chi Tz Unun Choy) are working with CECAP Santa Cruz La Laguna and Amigos de Santa Cruz Foundation to provide education and training to locals in Tzununa. Here they provide real skillsets that empower locals to be their own entrepreneur.

Familia Utz Corazón and One World Cacao along with these organizations are so honored to announce our partnership to provide a paid scholarship program to locals of San Marcos La Laguna. Locals will have a range of courses to choose from such as to carpentry, electrical, cosmetology and sewing. Each course has 3 stages from beginners to intermediate to advanced. The entire program will be for one year. At the end of the program, locals will receive a certification from CECAP and a further opportunity for a paid internship. Locals are chosen through a video application. We ask they send us a 1 to 2 minute video introducing themselves and how this scholarship will benefit their future. In addition, each scholar is required to volunteer once a month in a community project.

At the end of the program, scholars will work together with other volunteers to help families in need (small building/renovation project). For just $200, we can provide a year of education and training to a local. This covers not only the entire yearly course but also transportation.

Please donate now so we may continue our efforts to provide for locals in San Marcos La Laguna… with the most important gift… Education.