UW Guatemala Project : Fundraising Auction

Students were chosen by the Movimiento de los Trabajadores Campesinos (Movement of Peasant Workers) in Guatemala. Each of six regional associations received an equal share of funds and selected one or more students from their region. Scholarships could be applied to formal schooling, as well as learning useful crafts like weaving. The primary selection criterion was how much leadership the youth had demonstrated within the MTC --for example, leadership of a regional Youth Council or Women's Council.

Luis Sanchez, 18 - San Pablo

Luis is a senior in high school, studying informatics. Last year his single mother migrated to the United States to help support her family. Luis and his 3 youngest sisters moved in with their grandmother, a prominent leader in the MTC's Women's Council. Luis is president of the San Pablo MTC Youth Council, and often coordinates with other councils in nearby (and often very remote) communities. His dream is to open a technical skills workshop for the young people in San Pablo, and provide an alternative to working in the coffee plantations or migrating to faraway Guatemala City or the United States.

Lesly Marileny de Leon, 17 - San Rafael

Lesly and her mother are both very involved in the local San Rafael MTC chapter, through their leadership in the Youth Council and Women's Council. Lesly is an A student and studies informatics, but due to the high cost of sending both her and her younger brothers to school Lesly nearly quit. After receiving her scholarship, Lesly plans to graduate in December 2007 and continue on to college, to assist her parents with her brothers' education and prepare herself for a professional career.

Alvaro Emilio Cordero de Leon, 18 - El Rodeo

Alvaro is a senior in high school and will graduate this December with a degree in primary education. Unable to complete his education in his own small community, Alvaro travels the nearly six hours to Guatemala City to finish his studies. He hopes to provide younger students in his community opportunities to study without having to travel to other parts of the country.

Gabriel Elias Lopez Cardona, 18 - El Rodeo

Gabriel is working to complete middle school, and taking courses in typing to better prepare him for high school and hopefully college.

Boris Eladio Garcia Lopez, 16 - El Tumbador

Boris is using his scholarship to finish his last two years of school. He will graduate with a degree in accounting and informatics, useful skills in his impoverished, coffee picking community.

Antonio Ramos, 17 - San Rafael

Antonio, or "Tono," is an aspiring auto-mechanic who will graduate from high school in December 2008. He works full time on the weekends, often far away in Guatemala City or the Peten region. Through his own job and the help his parents can afford, he has been is able to study and pursue his other great passion: music. He plays the guitar, sings, and has recently begun playing the saxophone. Tono sees music as a great escape and something that many young people in San Marcos would like to experience more.

Imelda Aluira Aguilar Gonzalez, 25 - San Miguel Ixtauhacan

Imelda is the director of the Youth Council in San Miguel Ixtauhacan, a remote mountainous village where the indigenous Mam language is the primary language spoken. She will use her scholarship money to buy resources for Youth Council activities, as well as weaving materials so that she can sell her Mayan weaving to support her family and her schooling.

Jorge Anibal Diaz Vasquez, 15 - Sipakapa

Jorge is a musical student from the highland region of Sipakapa. This indigenous region is a center of organizing against environmentally damaging mining activity, and the people here preserve the Sipakapense Mayan language and culture. Jorge will study for 3 more years more in order to finish his degree in music.