Education Centre Journey 2012-2014

In a town called Chilmatenango just outside of Guatemala City, there is a dump where all the rubbish from the town is taken. A lot of people who don't have work, spend there days on the rubbish dump scavenging and looking for bits to sell, sorting through the cardboard and plastic and something to feed their famiies. In the dump there is a lot of need, a lot of people don't have enough money to buy food. The girls from My secial Treasure go and hand out staple foods like pasta, beans, salt and sugar.

'The Chilmaltenango rubbish dump is a very ugly place, where I go there I see a lot of children in need, they are working hard and very hungry. There are also a lot of young people and adults fighting and drinking andsometimes there are some murders down there. It's a very desperate place with a lot of need, and when I go there I see a lot sadness.' - Damaris, My Special Treasure

Nearly three years ago the children on the rubbish dump spent their days on the dump slowly wasting away. The girls from a project called My Special Treasure had a vision to see all the children from the dump have an education. The began by giving classes to a small number of the children in a little room on the side of the dump. They didn't have any tables, stools or materials, they used to just teach the chidren, basic numeracy and how to read.

Two years ago the girls moved the small school away from the dump, into a small property where they were given proper lessons from teachers, with the girls assistance. The school began with 50 children and the year after 100. Due to the growth in the school it meant a bigger building was needed.

I was absolutly amazed in October when I visited the school, once again to not only see the number of pupils growth but also the new buidling they were now in. There were separate classrooms for different ages and levels of learning, a computer room and a safe space on the roof for the children to play on in break-time. It was such a beautiful, light and inspiring enviroment for the children to learn in.

To think back to where the school came from with a handful of children being taught basic numeracy and literacy in a tin hut on the side of the rubbish dump is worlds apart from where they are now. I am so excited for the future of this school and can't wait to visit in years to come and see many children learning in a bright and joyful enviroment.