The La Pedrera community in Quetzaltenango is home to displaced Mayan families struggling with poverty, limited education, and poor living conditions. Casa Xelajú supports the community through school programs, sponsorships, and internet-connected computer labs. Donations directly aid children’s education and help families improve their future.
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La Pedrera Community Services
The La Pedrera community is comprised primarily of indigenous Mayan people, mostly women and children, who were displaced by the Guatemalan Civil War. During the war they migrated there from their ancestral homes in the rural Western Highlands looking for work and hoping to better their lives. In Spanish “la pedrera” means the quarry. The village of La Pedrera is located at the edge of an rock quarry in the hills overlooking Quetzaltenango.
Most of the adults speak the indigenous language k’iche’ as their mother tongue, while their children often only speak Spanish fluently. Lacking education, the people of La Pedrera have access to employment only in domestic and physical labor. These low-paying jobs provide barely enough income for crude shelter and a little food, leaving families unable to afford the expenses of sending their children to public schools. Children as young as six years old often join their parents and relatives working in the fields. The families of La Pedrera live with limited electricity and without running water. Their homes have earthen floors, and in most cases only two rooms to shelter extended families of up to twenty people.
Parents who send their children to the program and a group of children who receive help to go to school.
Application form to sponsor a child
La Pedrera Computer Lab is fully link to the internet. It took more than two years to connect La Pedrera Computer Lab to internet through Casa Xelaju internet service because this building is located in a very hilly place with trees. For more information, please visit https://facebook.com/casaxelaju
David Thomas, a long time supporter of La Pedrera, took a trip to Guatemala in the winter of 2008 to teach computer skills to some of the students at the La Pedrera School. The Milwaukee (WI) Public TV program, “Adelante”, recently interviewed him about his trip. View the interview and see footage from his trip to the school on YouTube.
La Pedrera has a computer lab with internet.
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Frequently Asked Question
What is the La Pedrera community in Quetzaltenango?
La Pedrera is a community of indigenous Mayan families, many displaced during the Guatemalan Civil War, now living with limited resources and opportunities.
How does Casa Xelajú support La Pedrera?
Casa Xelajú sponsors educational programs, provides internet access through a computer lab, and connects donors with families to support children’s schooling.
Why is education important for the children of La Pedrera?
Most families cannot afford school expenses, so sponsorship helps children attend classes, gain skills, and break the cycle of poverty.
Are donations to La Pedrera tax-deductible?
Yes. Since 2008, donations have been recognized as tax-deductible under U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
How can individuals contribute to the La Pedrera project?
You can donate, sponsor a child’s education, or support projects like the computer lab and school services that improve living conditions.