SCAW BLOG: GUATEMALA, 2026: October 10

Wow! We were so impressed to see the young volunteers all set up and we had a steady flow of excited children and their teachers all day.

Each child received a track suit, girls in hot pink and boys in navy or grey. It was a real pleasure to see the pride of the boys and girls as they realized that they now had a hoodie, something warm to wear on the cold mountain nights. 

The mosquito nets were well received as the beautiful untouched forests guaranteed mosquitos from dusk to dawn. There were three lined notebooks, a number of pencils and a pencil sharpener, and a pen that we squeezed into their pink or blue backpacks, along with a grey blanket. Each large, thick mattress had a colourful printed exterior and was luckily tucked into a waterproof reusable bag. 

Luckily, because this afternoon we had a torrential downpour that was so heavy and prolonged that the community centre in the large municipal office building we were in had water quickly oozing in under each door and some windows. We had to quickly adapt our process to keep the waiting parents and siblings dry.

It was amazing to see the mothers, some carrying a younger sibling, take the huge mattress onto their heads and leave with their happy children.

Team Guatemala, 2026

Seeds of Innovation for Sustainable Development 🇬🇹 + SCAW 🇨🇦