CONGRATULATIONS to all the Challengers on our first six Charity Challenges of 2011, biking from Guatemala to Honduras, the inaugural Nicaragua Volcano Challenge, Brazil's Chapada Diamantina Challenge , Guatemala's first Caribbean Kayak Challenge, Perú´s Cerani Pass and Ecuador's Volcano Challenge. Nicaragua's second volcano Challenge is set for 3rd-6th November and the third Guatemala Volcano Challenge dates are set for 27th November -2nd December.

Click on the following for our most recent official project reports for Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Perú and Brazil.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Plan Ancianos and Birthdays in Santa María - Guatemala


The last Friday in each month at our Santa María de Jésus project here in Guatemala brings with it two noteworthy events; Plan Ancianos, where we give a little helping hand to the more senior citizens in the community, all of whom are grandparents of the kids in the GVI Phoenix school, and birthdays!

This month we were able to give out packages that included some basic foodstuffs (rice, sugar, oil, pasta) and soap and cleaning materials to 80 ancianos.

For the volunteers presently working in the GVI it is a chance to see something of what we are trying to achieve in the wider community outside the school and it also gives them an opportunity to be involved as they are the ones who hand out the packages and recieve the heartfelt thanks from the old dears!

Next up directly after the anciano scheme it was time to give something to the niños as we welcomed the very excited children into the school in order to commence the monthly birthday celebrations.

After the singing of happy birthday in three languages, the giving of presents and hugs (and some kisses!) it was time for the main feature. Las Piñatas!

Once the kids had joyfully bashed them to pieces and finished scrambling about filling their pockets with sweets we all then enjoyed a little sit down for some refresco's and chocolate doughnuts.

Then it was back up on our feet for 'la fiesta', which always puts a smile on the faces of the kids, and the volunteers, as we all dance to DJ Santiaguito's music with the climax being the communal dance to The Manteca, which the kids love performing all the actions to and which has, as all ex volunteers know, become the official theme tune to the GVI Phoenix Guatemala Experience!
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How does GVI Phoenix make a difference?

The following film was made in Guatemala, though the message is the same across all GVI Phoenix projects