Recent Latin American Projects
Arequipa, Peru, Tahuaycani Chapter
October-December 2022
Project: Family Psychological Accompaniment
We offer emotional and psychological support to young people and promote their personal development; for parents and older adults, we offer emotional support and personalized counseling within a mental health and Christian framework.
Location: The San Juan Diego Mission House in the Chiguata area
Partially funded by Maryknoll Affiliates Mission Grant
Carried out by Esther Lourdes Pantigoso Bustamante
Latest results:
Services offered: psychological tests, questionnaires, interviews, talks, group dynamics, various activities to promote motivation for recreational reading and formal study.
Progress for young people – The program has helped them to strengthen weak areas; all were promoted to the next higher grade in school.
Reinforcement of skills continues in reading comprehension, writing, spelling, calculation, and skills to manage time and organize materials. We believe that students’ self-esteem will be improved by establishing horizontal relationships with their parents and reducing authoritarian discipline.
Parents– Work continues with fathers and mothers on the responsibility they have to establish an authority in the home that promotes moral growth, the development of capacities, and autonomy of their children, as well as maintaining a family unit that will contribute to the betterment of society.
San Francisco Chapter, Lima, Peru
June 6, 2022
Project: United to Fight Childhood Anemia
Origin of the Project: Alberto Bailetti, Affiliate of the Sembradores de Amor Chapter and Coordinator of the Chapters of Lima, Peru, communicated with Ángela Samame, Promoter of the Pronoei (pre-school kindergarten) located in the San Francisco de la Cruz human settlement, Pamplona Alta, Lima, Peru. He learned that in the last screening carried out on fifty children who attend Pronoei, their hemoglobin results were 40 percent below average. Anemia occurs when the body does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues. Iron helps the formation of red blood cells that can carry the oxygen necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
The Affiliates of the San Francisco Chapter coordinated among themselves, summoned teachers and parents, and had the support of the students of the Women's University of the Sacred Heart (UNIFE).
June 2022 – Informative talk to parents about the importance and responsibility of fighting anemia in their children. They tasted foods high in iron, a vital mineral for the recovery from anemia in children. Cookies, cakes, chaufa rice, hamburgers, and various desserts were prepared.
June and December 2022 - The Chapter prepared 60 bags of food, each containing ¼ pound of lentils, ¼ pound of quinoa, ¼ pound of peas, 2 bananas, 1 tangerine and 2 apples.
Results: February 2023 – 20 percent of the children with anemia have recovered. The new coordinator of the Chapter will be asked to continue with the project, visiting the families and bringing nutritious food and information.
Guatemala Chapter
February 14, 2023
Project: Words made Friendship, an Intergenerational Experience
Organized by Ana Elizabeth Lazo de Rodríguez
For Valentine’s Day, 2023, 12th graders at the American English School (EAS) were invited to write a letter to the 50 elderly ladies who are at Hogar Las Margaritas. Some pay a monthly fee; others have a scholarship. Most live with nurses, caregivers, and home managers. Few receive visits from family members or support groups.
The purpose of the activity was to let the ladies know that they are not alone, that there are young people who want to share with them.
The students, with the support of literature teacher Víctor Hugo Ramírez, included in their letters something about themselves, sharing their dreams, that this year they will graduate, and sent their best wishes for each of the ladies through a phrase or a song.
They invited the ladies to continue encouraging young people to move forward. Each letter was written by hand, so that there would be a better connection with the heart.
February 13, 2023 – The letters were delivered so that every day of the month they could read one of them and feel the gift of love, of friendship. In turn, each one of the ladies sent the young people, through videos, their messages of love and friendship. One of them introduced herself as an EAS graduate and recounted her experience there.
February 16, 2023 – It was a privilege to serve, but the students received more: listening to the messages received back, learning the joy the ladies felt reading their messages, and feeling loved in return. It has meant a kiss for the souls of the young people. Every day they wait to receive messages from the ladies. They learned to value the fact that these women listen with their hearts to their words and anecdotes and wish them good luck.
February 20, 2023 – Lucky de Sandoval, contact at the Home comments: “For this group of ladies, it has been very special to read the letters. They were motivated to be ready to meet to read. After listening to the letters, they comment on the life experiences and dreams of these young graduates. They remember their time and applaud dreams.
It was an intergenerational experience that generated bonds of friendship, empathy. Although they do not know each other physically, a bond was established as a result of respectful and loving listening. The next step will be to visit them and share with them, because it has touched their hearts to hear from them: "Go ahead, I am proud of you, go ahead with your dreams, I will pray that you fulfill them, I admire you and I know that you will achieve it"
Thank You, Maryknoll!
It has marked my life in many ways. I recognize that having experienced social service activities strengthened me and gave meaning to my life. Today I want other young people to have the opportunity to give of themselves, to be that light for others. As Mother Mary Joseph says, “Everyday people doing extraordinary things.” —Ana Elizabeth Lazo de Rodríguez.
This article first appeared in the May/June 2023 Not So Far Afield.