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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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Don't see your particular question? Email it to literacyproject@fuse.net |
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 What is the GLP?
The GLP is a partnership between North American and Guatemalan Rotary clubs and the non-profit organization Cooperative for Education.
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 What is CoEd’s (Cooperative for Education’s) role?
CoEd is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides on-the-ground assistance, training, and follow-through for GLP projects. CoEd’s staff of 24 in Guatemala and 9 in the U.S. provide instruction at GLP computer centers, training to textbook program teachers, and help manage and oversee GLP programs, once they are established. In the U.S., CoEd provides some administrative support to the GLP in the form of mailings, the newsletter, and website. All of CoEd’s services in the U.S. and Guatemala are provided to the GLP free of charge.
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 Why Guatemala?
We serve where the need is greatest. Rural Guatemala is one of the most illiterate and least educated regions in the hemisphere, where one out of every two adults cannot read or write. These staggering statistics are largely the result of an absence of fundamental learning tools: over 90% of schools lack textbooks and basic library books and fewer than 5% of children have ever used a computer.
In particular, GLP projects serve primarily Mayan Indian communities that are plagued by systemic poverty, illiteracy and inequality. The vast majority of wage earners in the Western Highlands are subsistence farmers, earning less than $4 a day. In this region, educational attainment is extremely low—4.3 years on average. The statistic is much bleaker for indigenous women, who complete only an average of 1.8 years of schooling (The World Bank, “Guatemala: Poverty in Guatemala.” February 2003).
For those who do manage to receive an education, the lack of basic resources means that most Guatemalan schoolchildren graduate without the skills needed to get mid-level jobs and are therefore condemned to a life of ignorance, poverty, and discrimination. |
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 How can I help?
Simply click here to learn ways you can help the children of Guatemala!
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 Where does the money go?
100% of GLP donations go directly to purchasing books, library materials, computer hardware, and training in Guatemala. 0% goes to administration or fundraising.
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 How many Rotarians are involved in this project?
Since 1998, the GLP has been supported by Rotary Clubs in Canada, Cayman Islands, Guatemala, Japan, Puerto Rico and the United States. Click here for the most up-to-date numbers of clubs, districts and Rotary volunteers who have traveled to Guatemala. Click here for a complete list of clubs.
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 Can we visit the projects in Guatemala?
YES! Click here to learn more about Guatemala Project Tours.
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 What good does it do to “throw money at the problem”?
With a 91.6% program sustainability rate, financially supporting GLP projects is actually one of the most efficient ways for you to help the children of Guatemala. When you donate to the GLP, you are not just “throwing money” at a temporary fix because GLP’s programs are designed for long-term sustainability, thanks to our innovative “revolving fund” model. With this model, we help each school set up a rental program whereby it rents its books to its own students for a small fee each year. The fees are put into a revolving fund, which is used to purchase a new set of books when the original ones wear out.
Once the textbook projects are established, they become self-financing in perpetuity. Furthermore, since the communities are involved in every step of the process, including the management of the projects once they are up and running, their long-term success is virtually guaranteed. This system gives the local people the pride, confidence and dignity that come from helping themselves.
With our track record of producing proven, sustainable projects since 1998, the GLP has the experience and resources required to best utilize your donation. |
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 What is a Guatemala Literacy Fellow (GLF)?
GLF’s are awards given to your club for participation in the GLP. They are similar to Paul Harris Fellows. For every $1,000 (U.S.) contributed by your club, you earn the right to name one GLF. This Fellow will be awarded a 14 carat gold pin along with a certificate. He or she will be listed in perpetuity in the World Registry of Guatemala Literacy Fellows. This awards program is managed by the Rotarians who lead the GLP with administrative assistance from CoEd.
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Can the GLP provide speakers for our club to learn more?
Depending on where you are geographically located, you may be able to have a GLP Rotarian come speak to your club. Contact the GLP Regional Coordinator closest to you to see if this is an option. |
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 Can our club seek matching funds for our contribution?
Your club's contributions can be matched at least two-to-one by your district (District Designated Funds, DDF) and Rotary International. We will help guide you through the process of securing these funds. So, for every dollar you raise, potentially 3 dollars will go to the project in Guatemala. Just think, your contributions can be matched 3-to-1 through district and TRF matching funds – and we do all the paperwork!
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 How does the matching grant process work?
Once your club makes a pledge, we will assist you in requesting matching funds from your district. The process is easy, all you have to do is contact your DRFC (District Rotary Foundation Chair) and your DG (District Governor) and have them sign a grant form (provided by the GLP). Then, the GLP will combine your district’s contribution with those from other clubs & districts. The GLP will then submit these combined contributions to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) to potentially receive additional matching funds.
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Will my club receive Paul Harris Fellow credit for its contribution?
The key to getting Paul Harris Fellow credit is making sure that your district provides matching funds for your club’s contribution. If it does, then GLP leaders will submit your contributions to TRF as part of a matching grant, where they will receive Paul Harris credit if the grant is approved. |
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Would CoEd like contact with other groups working in Guatemala, education, etc.?
If they are working in secondary education in Guatemala in the region we serve, we’d be happy to talk to them. Otherwise a collaboration may not be the best fit. |
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How does the situation in Guatemala affect me?
Many poor Hispanics in the United States are Guatemalan. In fact, in the city of Cincinnati, the majority of the poor Hispanic population is Guatemalan. When people do not have opportunities for work and advancement within their own country, many choose to migrate (often illegally). We believe that people should not have to travel to other countries and leave families behind in order to make a living. That’s why the GLP is dedicated to creating in-country opportunities in Guatemala through education. Our programs are designed to ensure that children going through the school system today don’t end up as an illiterate adult tomorrow, thereby giving them the opportunity to earn a living wage in their own country. |
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Why do kids need to know how to use computers if they live in a rural area?
Computer skills are highly valued in Guatemala. Most (80%) of the middle and high wage jobs to which GLP students aspire require such skills. Through training approximately 12,800 students a year, our computer center project gives rural Guatemalan schoolchildren the opportunity to compete with their urban peers for these employment opportunities and break free from the cycle of poverty that low wage farming has created for many families for generations. Most students enter our program with few skills (85% have never touched a keyboard or mouse), and finish – 3 years and 100 lessons later – with strong competencies in general computing, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Internet usage.
Furthermore, we’re finding that most students are choosing to further develop their skills in high school, rather than entering the workforce right out of middle school. At present we do not have long term data yet with how our students fare after high school, but we’re confident that with highly marketable technical skills, most will find mid-to-high-wage employment within Guatemala. Without the opportunity to study computers in GLP centers, many kids in rural areas would have chosen to drop out of school and work in the low wage farming or manufacturing sector. |
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Why doesn’t the Guatemalan government provide the books?
The Guatemalan government lacks the resources to provide textbooks to most schools in the country. Two-thirds of Guatemalans live in poverty, so the tax base is very small compared to the magnitude of the need. It’s important to note that even in the U.S., neither the federal or state governments generally purchase textbooks for schools. Instead, books are usually funded from local taxes or fees paid by parents. The GLP’s textbook program is designed to give local Guatemalan communities both the benefits and the responsibilities of having their own textbook program. The school has direct control over its books, and therefore, can assure that each student is outfitted with appropriate materials each year. Once they receive their initial donation of textbooks, they are responsible for paying book fees and funding future book replacements. We have found that this locally-run model is a much more effective and reliable way to assure the on-going provision of textbooks to local schools. |
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How do you evaluate the effectiveness of your projects?
The GLP projects are evaluated by independent researcher Marroquin University. Click here for a selection of statistics from a recent report.* If you would like to read profiles of individual beneficiaries, please visit “Personal Stories from CoEd Projects.” The GLP is currently in the process of the second phase of this evaluation, which involves interviewing graduates of our textbook and computer center programs.
Additional evaluations conducted by the GLP include:
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Interviews with teachers at our textbook project schools within 3 months of receiving the books to determine the impact they are having on teaching and learning in the classroom.
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Standardized pre- and post-tests to measure technological skills for all computer center students.
*For the complete evaluation report, please contact literacyproject@fuse.net. |
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What impact do your projects have on the recipients?
Through case studies, we have found that our program beneficiaries (most of which are middle-school students) stay in school at higher rates — in fact, drop-out rates are 46% lower in schools that have GLP programs compared to schools that do not. Reducing drop-out rates is especially important in light of recent USAID research which states that if Guatemalan children are given a quality education for a minimum of 12 to 14 years, they will be able to find a medium or high-wage employment that will provide sufficient income to pull them above the poverty line.
Additionally, teachers in textbook programs report a 70% increase in students’ comprehension, retention, and interest in subject matter and 90% of the students themselves claim that the textbooks have made a significant positive impact on their ability to learn and retain information. Program beneficiaries also report having used the skills acquired in GLP programs to secure their next step, whether it is more schooling or entering into the workforce. |
| Don't see your particular question? Email it to literacyproject@fuse.net. |
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