Guatemala

"The Aid & Education Project": The average laborer in Guatemala earns $110 per month, and it costs about $25 per month for a child to attend school, so many children from poor families lack the funds to attend basic elementary school. Making things worse, many children lack a father, mother, or both. In such circumstances, these orphans cannot go to school without outside help. Girls and young women have an especially hard time. It is not uncommon in Guatemala to encounter a family in which all the women are illiterate.

In response, the SladeChild Foundation is partnering with "The Aid & Education Project" to offer these children a "scholarship program" through which the children's school fees are paid, the required school uniforms are purchased, and all school supplies, such as books, notebooks, pens, pencils and art supplies, are covered. For some children in the highest need, decent school shoes and a book backpack are supplied. So that students in the program do not suffer from physical problems that would interrupt their education, each student receives routine childhood medical care, including most trips to the doctor, and prescriptions. The SladeChild Foundation has awarded a $3,000 annual grant to "The Aid % Education Project" allowing an additional 10 children to go to school. For more information, see www.aidanded.org

In 2005, there were terrible mudslides in Guatemala. The call for help was answered by SladeChild, who delivered some of the first shipments of food to the area. These photos were taken during the first delivery of food to the victims of this natural disaster.

SladeChild Foundation was one of the first to deliver food to the devastated areas in Guatemala. The supplies shown in this photo were some of what was delivered to the mudslide victims.