Via SecorlewWe refused to believe our eyes. Though we knew it was true, our conscience wanted to dismiss it as some haunting nightmare. Though it was a nightmare, we weren’t sleeping. As the bus proceeded on, we gradually came to terms with the situation. Guatemala’s hush-hush community, it was an undeniable source of shame. This was the Guatemala City Garbage Dump and a dump it was.
Trash piled high enclosed families that watched us watching them. Exposed rotten food contaminated the air children breathed as they played with toys found in the trash. Older women washed and hung their clothes right beside potential biohazards. As the pungent smell infiltrated the air vents, we coughed and gasped for air. There was no doubt about it; this was a humanitarian crisis. But there was hope. Nestled deep in the midst of community was a safe haven, a nonprofit called Safe Passage.
Founded in 1999 by Hanley Denning, Safe Passage helps over 600 children and 100 mothers living in The Dump. Attempting to better communicate with her Spanish speaking students in North Carolina, Denning boarded the plane to Antigua, Guatemala for language lessons. While there, a friend urged her to visit the garbage city dump. The visit changed her life. Compelled to do something about the horrible conditions children were living in, she sold her computer and her car. A few days later, she used her life savings to open Safe Passage.
As the bus pulled into the Safe Passage parking lot, we understood the significance of its name. The vibrant green gardens, colorful playground and classrooms reiterated the notion of safe. Seguro. The hallways, decorated with paintings, numbers, letters and posters, emphasized the life passages of the people impacted by this oasis. Caminos. Welcoming us with a warm bienvenidos, our guide began explaining the holistic programs provided to members of the community.
The Promise of a Wholesome Education
Unfortunately, Guatemalan children are often forced to leave school to help provide for their families and because famines often cannot afford to pay school fees. As such, most adults, especially, in the Dump community, merely have a primary or secondary level of education. Safe Passage works to alleviate this burden by providing free early education for the children most at risk. Two years ago, the organization started providing full day education for first graders, adding an additional grade per year.
The Benefit of Support & Reinforcement
With economic, social, political and medical issues surrounding them, it’s not always easy for children at Safe Passage to succeed. So in addition to the four-hour education provided by the Guatemalan government, Safe Passage provides an additional four to five hours of tutoring and enrichment programs. Community support is also provided in the form of health education, art and music therapy, karate, dance, sports, career counseling and technology lessons. These students are also provided with meals, snacks, vitamins and medical treatment.
The Gift of Adult Learning & Entrepreneurship
Safe Passage realizes that children thrive best when their parents and home lives are also flourishing. Thus, the program includes a literacy program that helps 50 mothers earn high school degrees. Computer literacy and self-esteem are also major facets of the program.
To help these women learn financial independence, there is Creamos, a jewelry business, The Sewing Initiative which helps women establish businesses in the textile industry and Family of Women, which helps handicap mothers produce products sold via retail.
In Guatemala, October 1 is celebrated as Children’s Day, el día del niño. With a mission similar to Humanity Unified‘s, we encourage you to support Safe Passage by sponsoring a child or volunteering.
What’s most inspiring about the work of Safe Passage is the way it accomplishes its mission. In may ways its embodies the passion of humanitarian Jean Vanier: “the most important thing is not to do things for people who are poor and in distress, but…to be with them and help them find confidence in themselves and discover their own gifts.” Make the choice today to help journey with those in need of help. It makes a world of a difference.
