Last week, four special guests from Tecpán, Guatemala visited York House School during our assembly. They were Heather Knox, Greg Kemp, Nico Chiumil and Antolin Gonzales from Project Somos. Project Somos is an organization that seeks to provide opportunities and hope for single Guatemalan mothers and their children living in the poorest of conditions. Families are provided a safe home for two years, and mothers are taught life skills to support themselves after they leave the Project, including managing finances, family planning, health and nutrition. Heather and Greg are the cofounders of this organization and are from Vancouver, but prefer to live in Tecpán for most of the year, working at Project Somos. Antolin and Nico are Mayan Spiritual Leaders who blessed the land Project Somos now occupies; both are very supportive and special friends to the cofounders. These visitors shared with us the beginnings of Project Somos, their motivations and dreams for the women of Guatemala, and later visited one of Señora Marte’s Spanish classes and participated in a discussion hour after the assembly with students.
Twelve Yorkies along with Señora Marte and Ms. Kaddage had the amazing opportunity to volunteer at Project Somos this past spring break. They spent four days on the site, working on various jobs including constructing the library foundation, plastering walls in one of the dormitories and maintenance on the playground. Their visit came at a very exciting time – while they were there, the first two families began living at Project Somos. The experience was not only inspiring, but also completely humbling, and York House will continue to build our relationship and partnership with this organization.
Angela
Grade 11