Primary School
The Committee cooperates with the primary school of San Marcos La Laguna by trying to improve the services and bringing the pupils in closer contact with new cultures. It is the aim of the Committee and of Onlus “Liberamente” to support such activities in the belief that intercultural education brings knowledge of others and ourselves, through the acknowledgment of reciprocal cultural affiliations.
...to support such activities in the belief that intercultural education brings knowledge of others and ourselves...
In these years, according to the possibility of our funds, we have supplied school materials like notebooks and pens, in considering the difficulty of the school or the pupils to supply themselves.
We have also tried to improve the service offered by the school canteen by hiring a woman to prepare breakfast for the children.
This partnership has in time led to the creation of an exchange with some Italian Primary Schools in the County of Rosignano Marittimo (Livorno), to help understand the different lifestyles and traditions of the children.
In 2004 the Primary School of Rosignano Marittimo, within the intercultural project, created a book describing with short stories, drawings and fabrics, the local traditions and lifestyles of Guatemala with an emphasis on the indigenous community of San Marcos La Laguna.
In March 2006, the presence in Italy of Emiliana Sancoy Mendoza, the President of the Committee Luna Kakchiquel, helped bring knowledge of the reality of the indigenous Guatemalans to various schools, among these, the primary schools of Ernesto Solvay, Europa, and the ITI institute of Rosignano Solvay (Livorno). All Schools showed a strong interest in the topic and a high number of students asked the most varied questions.
The various meetings the President undertook during her stay enabled us to collect funds destined to buy desks and chairs for over 100 students, a big desk and a cabinet for documents, all necessary after the near total destruction of the school building by hurricane Stan.
Towards the end of 2006, the Intercultural project between Italy and Guatemala also included the Primary school of R. Fucini di Castiglioncello (Livorno), who showed great interest in hosting the Onlus “Liberamente” in order to talk about traditions and lifestyles of indigenous Guatemalans, focusing particularly on the community of San Marcos La Laguna. This has led to further exchanges between the two cultures, again using drawings and short stories. Thanks to a little fund collection, from pupils and teachers, which has contributed to the supplies of school materials, giving the chance for the pupils from the primary school, Doctor Pedro Molinas, San Marcos La Laguna, over the last two years, to proceed with the same activities in sending their drawings and short stories back to Italy.
