Dispatch from Guatemala
Finding Hope in Guatemala
Plan International Canada CEO Lindsay Glassco visited Guatemala in July. In her own words, Lindsay recounts stories of resilience, transformation and courage.
Plan International Canada CEO Lindsay Glassco connecting with schoolchildren in Guatemala in July 2024
Guatemala’s future rests in the hands of its children, who make up more than a third of the country’s population. These children hold the promise of a better tomorrow, but today, many of them face daunting challenges. Access to education is limited, fear of violence is widespread, and the dangers of unsafe migration loom large. For girls, these challenges are even more severe, as deep-rooted gender norms deny them opportunities and expose them to risks of violence. For 45 years, Plan International has been working in Guatemala to help change the reality for the country’s children and young people, especially girls, by helping protect their rights.
On a recent visit to the Central American country, Plan Canada CEO Lindsay Glassco saw the impact of this work first-hand. She met people whose stories of courage, resilience and transformation are nothing short of inspiring. Lindsay describes the trip as an emotional one where she saw the power of hope at every turn.
Here are some of Lindsay’s most memorable experiences, in her own words.
WATCH Plan Canada CEO Lindsay Glassco share how our programs are transforming lives in Guatemala, thanks to generosity of donors like you.
A place of hope
I am standing on the tarmac at an air terminal in Guatemala City where a plane full of migrants has just landed. The passengers, some of whom are children traveling alone, have endured harrowing journeys north, only to be forced to return. Clutching their meager belongings in white plastic bags, they step off the plane, looking weary.
They had left Guatemala days or perhaps even months or years earlier, to flee violence and poverty, hoping for a new life in North America. The risks were immense: muggings, kidnappings and heart-wrenching separation from their families. Even after reaching a new country, the asylum process could drag on for months – only to result in their return to the very place they had fled. It’s a grueling ordeal for anyone, but for children, it’s unimaginable.
At the reception centre, 15 institutions, including Plan International, offer support to returning migrants who were turned away from entering into other countries; among them are children and people without any documents. Medical and psychological care, protection, access to shelter and financial aid are offered in a compassionate and hopeful atmosphere. The centre is more than just a checkpoint – it’s a place of new beginnings. In the last six months, nearly 300 children and more than 700 adults found support here.
Watching children receive clothing, hygiene kits and play kits filled with toys moves me to tears as their faces light up with the simple joy of play. Their sweet, small hands gingerly open up these packages, and in that moment, hope is tangible.
Hope for a safe home
After that day at the airport, our group visits Hogar Lazos de Amor (“Ties of Love”), a shelter for girls who have survived sexual abuse and violence, run by one of Plan International’s local partners, El Refugio de la Niñez.
As we walk through the narrow hallways, a flash of pink catches my eye – a poster with the words I build my dream and transform my reality. This phrase perfectly captures the outlook of every girl I meet, as they’re all reclaiming their lives, one step at a time. The hallway is dotted with rooms, where different workshops and sessions are underway.
The first room we enter is a classroom, where girls sit at desks, their eyes focused on their teacher, who pauses her lesson to introduce us with a warm smile. We ask the students about their dreams. Some want to work for the police; others aspire to be lawyers, singers or social workers.
Down the hall, we hear babies with a group of young mothers – all of whom are still children themselves. Nearby, two girls are bent over sewing machines, their hands moving with a steady rhythm. Sewing is a new skill for them, one that could lead to their financial independence.
In the courtyard outside, we see girls seated in a closed circle for a therapy session with their counsellor. All of them are pregnant, despite some being as young as 12.
Everywhere, we see dedicated staff compassionately teaching, listening and healing, and I can tell their presence is a source of comfort and safety for the girls.
Guatemala is among the most dangerous countries for girls and women. The World Bank says there are 7.6 intentional femicides per 100,000 women each year – the eighth-highest rate in the world. (Femicides are defined as the intentional killing of women and girls driven by gender-based motivations.)
Plan International partners with organizations such as El Refugio de la Niñez, which provides vital support to survivors of gender-based violence. Last year, the organization assisted more than 67,000 people, including children, adolescents and their families. Plan also helps detect, document and refer cases of violence to state institutions.
Hope in a flock of chickens
Hope can be found in the most unexpected places – even in a flock of chickens. One of our final visits in Guatemala is to a chicken farm where I meet Sandra, a determined local farmer.
Sandra’s story is one of perseverance. After she finished ninth grade, her parents, who are grain farmers, couldn’t afford to support her education further. So Sandra left her rural hometown to find a job in the city so she could fund her secondary education. She succeeded, and now she’s back in her hometown building a sustainable, community-oriented business.
Sandra always had the dream and the potential; all she needed was someone to believe in her and give her a chance. Plan International’s entrepreneurship training program provided that. Over seven months, Sandra learned everything from production processes to business management and financial planning.
Sandra worked together with a group of other young people to “hatch” an egg-production business. Plan supported them with seed capital and essential materials like feeders, vaccines and vitamins, and the farm was officially registered. They started with 300 hens, and today they supply fresh eggs every morning to the community.
“I’m grateful for this [Plan International] project. It helped me achieve my dream of becoming an entrepreneur. They [Plan International] have never left us alone. They have always supported us.”–Sandra, chicken farmer
Visiting the farm and seeing the 300 hens and the eggs they produce is extra special to me because the funding and training that made it all possible are part of Plan Canada’s Gifts of Hope project, thanks to the generosity of our donors in Canada.
As we collect eggs, Sandra tells me that she always encourages young people to pursue learning and training opportunities for economic and personal growth. She’s a testament that education, determination and support from generous donors can truly transform lives.
WATCH SANDRA IN ACTION
Hope leads to change
At every stop on this trip, I witness a sense of hope. It’s the thread that weaves together this incredible nation and its people. From the bright eyes of the migrant children to the ambitions of the girls at the shelter to the bustling chicken farm, hope is alive and well in Guatemala. The people I meet show me that change happens when hope is nurtured through persistence and courage, when it is given the space to exist in the face of immense challenges, and when it is shared among those determined to take control of their futures.
Returning home, I feel a deep sense of pride in the life-changing work made possible with the dedication of Plan International staff, the resilience of the communities we serve, our strong partnerships with local organizations, and our donors who make this work possible.
*Carla is a pseudonym, which we have used at her request.
Meet Plan Canada staffers Angie Torres-Ramos and Kristi Iannuzzi, who joined Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, our Global Celebrated Ambassador, on a trip to Geita, Tanzania to see how period products and bicycles are helping girls stay in school.
Hear from Plan Canada program manager Valériane Schwall, who spent four weeks in Haiti working alongside colleagues from around the world, including El Salvador, Ecuador, Rwanda, the Netherlands and England.
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