Tuesday 6th August 2024
Yesterday, I received a heartwarming message from one of the mothers in our mentoring programme. She was overjoyed to share her son’s mid-term school results with me. She emphasised that the red marks on his report card were not a reflection of his failure but rather an indication that the teacher had not yet had the opportunity to grade his work.
Considering the adversity this young boy has faced, his results are nothing short of remarkable. I know firsthand that he grapples with understanding the assignments unless someone takes the time to explain them to him. Unfortunately, his parents are unable to provide the support he needs, making his daily visits to our mentoring centre invaluable.
It baffles me that teachers here continue to assign tasks requiring resources like specific websites, printers, and materials for cutting and pasting into schoolbooks. This boy’s reality is starkly different: He lives in a tin shack with a dirt floor and sporadic electricity. There’s no computer or printer. Each day presents an insurmountable challenge for him—one that he faces head-on. But thanks to the lifeline our mentoring centre provides, he has been able to take significant steps forward.
Today, I find myself reflecting on a particularly uplifting experience from Sunday. After church, I spent some cherished time with one of the boys from our programme. We had agreed to meet at a shopping mall he was familiar with, a place his mum had once taken him as a special treat. I didn't initially realise that this rendezvous required him to endure an hour-and-a-half bus ride.
Jared, now fifteen, has been part of our mentoring programme since he was eight. Living in the southern part of Guatemala City, Jared is no stranger to long bus commutes, which are a daily reality for him as he travels to and from school and our mentoring centre.
Jared’s family has deep roots in La Terminal, a sprawling market area in Guatemala City. For those new to my blog, La Terminal is the largest market in Central America, a bustling hub supporting thousands of families. These families' livelihoods are intricately linked to the market, where they engage in buying, selling, and various other support roles for stallholders. Tragically, this vibrant market life often coexists with deep poverty. Like Jared’s, many families rent small, cramped rooms and rely on communal showers and toilets for their daily needs, making their lives one of just existing.
I am impressed with the resolve of Jared´s parents, who committed themselves to working long hours, seven days a week, and saving as much as they could to put a small deposit down on a house for sale on the very outskirts of Guatemala City. Once their home was secured and monthly payments began, they moved as a family, knowing that the distance from La Terminal would help keep their children safe despite the long daily bus rides into the city, where their business of selling fruit on the streets continues to thrive.
Jared and his two younger sisters were identified by our street team as being at high-risk due to their dire living conditions and the significant amount of time they spent working on the streets. Many indicators were suggesting that without intervention, they might be headed towards making negative life choices that could ultimately lead to street life.
Our mentoring programme has provided Jared and his sisters with a haven—a safe, nurturing environment where they can flourish. Their parents were determined to give them the best education possible, searching tirelessly across the city for schools offering scholarships. This dedication resulted in Jared securing a place at the military academy near La Terminal.
Initially, Jared struggled to adapt to the academy's strict discipline, extensive study hours, and the demands of various military extracurricular activities. For even the smallest infractions, he often found himself kept back after school for extra rigorous physical training. Yet, despite these hurdles, Jared has shown tremendous resilience. Today, he proudly stands as the number two student in his year group—a testament to his unyielding perseverance and the supportive foundation provided by the team at the mentoring centre and his mentor – a Guatemalan man who works for one of the big brand car companies here.
Furthermore, Jared has discovered a newfound passion that has brought an unexpected joy to his life—classical music. This year, through the encouragement of a teacher with whom he has formed a great connection, Jared decided to take up an instrument. Choosing the viola, he has dedicated himself wholeheartedly to mastering it.
Over lunch on Sunday, his enthusiasm was palpable as he passionately explained the different musical scales, the families of instruments, and the unique roles each played in an orchestra. He described how the music transported him to places in his mind, enhancing his ability to concentrate on his studies. With a gleam in his eye, Jared shared his dreams of travelling around Europe to immerse himself in its rich culture and musical heritage.
I've never seen a boy so electrified by the world of music. He couldn't stop talking about Mozart and the pieces he was learning. His excitement was infectious as he spoke about how his teachers had encouraged him to apply for a music scholarship with the National Orchestra of Guatemala later this month. Jared's newfound love for classical music has not only enriched his personal life, it has also provided him with a remarkable focus and clarity, further propelling him towards a bright future.
It's truly incredible to see how much Jared has transformed from the young boy I first knew, selling fruit on a street corner near the mentoring centre. His remarkable journey has been fueled by the unwavering dedication of his parents, his own determination to make better life choices, and the generous support of sponsors like Ken and Sue Harratt from the UK, who have been backing him through Global Care for the past few years.
Recently, Ken and Sue sent me money to buy Jared a birthday present. I enjoyed accompanying him to the shopping mall on Sunday to help him pick out something special and show him his sponsors' digital birthday card. His happiness was unmistakable, a vivid testament to the difference that support can make. Jared is just one of the many children celebrating their successes this week.
If you feel moved to sponsor a child in our mentoring programme in Guatemala through Global Care, you will receive regular updates through letters, reports, and photos. Additionally, we can arrange for video calls and messages via WhatsApp. Your support makes a profound difference to hundreds like Jared. Thank you.
Duncan Dyason is the founder and Director of Street Kids Direct and founder of Toybox Charity. He first started working with street children in 1992 when he moved to Guatemala City and founded The Toybox Charity. His work has been honoured by Her Majesty the Queen and he was awarded an MBE the year he celebrated working over 25 years to reduce the large population of children on the streets from 5,000 to zero. Duncan continues to live and work in Guatemala City.