Our school serves many low-income families, and many of our families lost income as businesses closed throughout our tourism-heavy region. In many families, parents are unable to work, or must risk infection in order to provide for their families. Many student sponsors and other donors have risen to the occasion and donated to provide groceries for families from our school that are in need.

Once it became clear that this temporary shutdown was in fact a new normal, our staff began to organize worksheet packages for students and brief online videos for essential subjects. Teachers were in regular contact with parents through text messages, helping students via audio messages. When students needed help, our teachers were there to support them.

With our school closed, we knew that we were facing a loss of income from parents unable to pay tuition and the loss of sales from our stationary store and our school kitchen. Our Guatemalan staff responded by working hard in a number of small businesses: growing and selling vegetables, cooking and selling large-batch meals on Saturdays and starting an artisanal bakery (we’re truly sorry you can’t taste the cinnamon buns from way over there).