ABOUT US
About Us
Mayan people, have been persecuted since the arrival of Europeans in Central and South America. Persecution continues but they continue to survive and today, Mayans of Guatemala have realised that the solution to their situation is Education.
A visionary group of teachers, all from poor families, had a vision to set up a high school with a teacher’s college component. This grand enterprise only came to light with the full support of the local community and Canadian benefactors in 1992.
At the onset, teachers volunteered to teach junior and senior high school in the public elementary school. As this became unworkable, the community rented a small building to train teachers, but soon the lack of a suitable educational facility threated the program and a new building was needed.
Central American Mayan Foundation
Our project at this time is to support the people of the Cunen district of Guatemala, by providing support to the Rainbow of Hope School, and to provide scholarships to needy students. We are also in the process of developing a endowment fund, where the interest earned will be paid annually, in perpetuity to support the school operations. We partner with the Bishop Denis Croteau Development Foundation, a registered Canadian charity, to manage the donations, and disbursements to the school.
The Community
Santa Maria Cunen District is 230 Km northwest of the capital city of Santa Cruz, North of Guatemala City. Over 35,000 people live in some 40 communities within its 177 square km territory. The population settled in this mountainous region after their land was taken away from them. They escaped to Mexico by the thousands. Between 1960 and 1996, 1.5 million Mayans were killed in a genocide by the Guatemalan army.
Looking to the Future
We will continue to support the Rainbow of Hope School by providing funds annually for scholarships, operating expenses and building projects. There is a continuous need for more classrooms and school supplies, as not all children who want to attend the school can be accommodated