La Academia - The Integral Heart Learning Center

Keep up to date with our
Quarterly Reports here


La Academia - The Integral Heart Learning Center

Chente at La Academia

The Junior sponsorship kids visiting




Miquel thanks his sponsors,
Joanna and the Canberra Integral
Study Group (with a little 
language coaching from us!)
Debora speaks of giving surprises
to kids who have never known 
them and of winning volunteer
of the month at The Scheel Center.



An aspect of education here in
Guatemala is to show parents
the value of education.
When education is valued, then 
the girl in the photo above could
go to school instead of just 
collecting firewood to sell.
.












Our School: La Academia


We started our work in Guatemala in 2011. Finally, in March 2016 we opened
the doors to our very own school because by the end of 2015 we had four
different classes all going on in three different locations all over town!

Click to see our most recent photos

See updates from our newsletter on the students and the school.

La Academia is named for Plato's Academy 'a gathering place for intellectuals'.
We now have over 530 minds crossing the doorstep monthly. At La Academia,
we can host the following programs for sponsored students and families:

 -
English Classes
 - Spanish Classes
 - Psychology Classes
 - Counseling for students and family members
 - Homework Study / Tutoring for Teens
 - Classes and playtime for our junior students and siblings
 -
Daycare for a small group of most involved families
 - Programs for moms and dads
 - Home base for our social worker/family liaison
 - Special events and invited speakers (see photos)
 - Food program serving almost 1,500 meals and snacks per month
 - and the resident street dogs, Chispa, Muneca, and puppy Tasha!

And, all of the staff are Guatemalans, except for one part-time person.



Keep up to date with our Quarterly Reports here

The Isa Students Teaching

La Academia - The Integral Heart Learning Center

Speaking with the Critical-Thinking junior teens

La Academia - The Integral Heart Learning Center

At play!

With your help, The Integral Heart Foundation offers a chance to break the cycle
of poverty through its Sponsorship Program, in which each child receives:

- The ability to attend our own school, La Academia, a public school, or one of the
  after-school projects with whom we collaborate.
- A monthly protein basket, meant to supplement the nutritional needs of the
  entire family.
- Additional help when needed, with clothing, shoes, medicine, school supplies,
  and as is the case with several of our sponsored families who need emergency
  support because of frequent flooding and landslides during the rainy season.

- The opportunity to interact via video-Skype with their sponsors as way of
  boosting their self-esteem and self-confidence.
- The invaluable opportunity to lift their entire family out of poverty by learning to
   value education over manual labor and eventually completing their education
   giving them the opportunity to proceed to university if they so wish.

In Guatemala, many after-school programs exist because children between the ages of
6-11 years attend public school only in mornings, while teens do so in the afternoons.
This is the result of an infrastructure shortage which makes it necessary for them to
share classrooms.  With the help of your sponsorship we can ensure that these children
attend one of the after-school projects with whom we collaborate so that they are not
idle or getting into trouble during their free time. Most of these after-school programs
are provided by other non-profit organizations.

The Integral Heart Foundation collaborates with a number of social organizations
in and around the city of Antigua Guatemala. These organizations work in the
areas of education, health-care and community development, day care centers,
and construction of housing, schools and clinics. We select beneficiary families
and individuals in co-operation with these local partner organizations.




WHERE YOUR SPONSORSHIP GOES:
In Guatemala, a teacher in a public school earns $300 per month and a Police 
Officer, after thirty years of service, will earn about $550 per month. As you
can see, a sponsorship of $35 - $55 per month will go a long way.

$75 p/m college teen sponsorship:
– 85 % of that is for tuition, 10% for supplies, 5% school trips.

$55 p/m primary level child sponsorship:
– 50% on food to family, 25% on shoes/clothing/medicine,
25% to the after-school project.

$35 p/m for tot sponsorship:
– 50% to the kindergarten at the after-school project, 50% on food to family.  

WHY WAIT
A CHILD NOW!

Aside from educating children, the challenge also lies in inspiring the parents
to realize that education has value. 

Since we know each of the kids personally, we are using these funds to ensure
their continued education. Families qualify for sponsorship by means of a four page 
interview/document that allows us to determine which families simply need help
and which need and actually want help.  Your support will empower the potential
of those who truly want to benefit from this opportunity. 


Your donations will also be used to purchase school supplies, clothing and shoes
as are so often needed. In many cases we take the kid and their family to the local
store to buy them enough food to get through to week's end. 

As the children begin to graduate, your support will pay for transport to school or
college, college entrance exams, or any other necessities such as doctor’s exams
and personal hygiene products.

Sponsor videos: with your support we can all make many smiles!

 


WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE AFTER SPONSORSHIP

Our Welcome Letter & Sponsor Contract Package.

Several progress reports throughout the year on your child.

Links to photos and videos of our work with your child/family.

A link to our Supporter Newsletter that goes out 2-3 times per year.

The opportunity to email or Facebook your child.

The opportunity to mail a letter or small gift to your child.

The opportunity to present your child with your Heart-Message.

The possibility of interacting via Video-Skype if you wish.

And, you are always welcome to visit us, Guatemala, and your child.


SPONSORSHIP CLUSTER

Ask 4 or 5 of your friends to join you in sponsoring a child

Each person commits to $5 or $10 per month

Together a cluster can change a life!


About Guatemala:

43% of children under five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition
rates in the world. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line
and 15% live in extreme poverty. 

Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up 38% of the population, 
averages 76% and extreme poverty rises to 28%.

Guatemala is a republic. It is 108,890 square kilometers (42,042 square miles), that’s
about the size of Virginia, half the size of the UK and a little bigger than Ireland.
Guatemala is the next country south of Mexico and with a population of 14 million
people, it is the second most densely populated country in Central America.



Please support our work and education programs by making a donation below:
The Integral Heart Foundation is a U.S. Registered 501(c)3 non-profit.