Environmental Education with Mayan Children

Down2Earth has worked with a number of educational institutions, ecological NGOs and indigenously owned community centres in the Solola highland region of Guatemala to find creative ways of raising awareness of ecology and habitat management, and to promote cultural diversity in a region where land rights and traditional practices are under mounting threat from the pressures of international tourism.

	Objectives To improve environmental and cultural awareness in the children and adults of the Solola region of Guatemala. To introduce recycled art projects and practical workshops such as tree planting and making an ecological teaching garden, with the aim of protecting the environment as well as increasing local awareness of individual impact on the local as well as macro-ecosystem. Click here for more...
	Volunteer programme There are currently no Down2Earth volunteer opportunities in Guatemala. If you are planning to visit or work in Guatemala, and would like to spend time in the community, email info@down2earthdown2us.org and we will put you in touch with local contacts. Click here for more...
	Educational info Almost 50% of the Guatemalan population belongs to over 25 different linguistic groups, mostly living in rural areas. Most of these people live below the absolute poverty line. The main source of income for small farmers is coffee. Click here for more...
	Environmental info Guatemala has one of the most extensive and diverse forest systems in Central America. The country is home to over 1000 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles, and over 8000 species of plants, of which 13.5 % are endemic (native to an area). The forests as well as the species are fast disappearing. Between 1990 and 2005, Guatemala lost 17 % of its total forest cover. The main threats to Guatemala’s forests are improper agricultural practices, natural disasters and large-scale development projects. These threats are all linked to deforestation. Click here for more...
	Cultural diversity Traditional Mayan philosophy is founded on the principles of ecology. However, community fragmentation and immediate economic obligations, which are the result of conflicting religious and political problems, have contributed to the loss of this valuable indigenous knowledge, and environmental awareness is severely lacking within the wider Guatemalan public. Logging and burning of plastic are common activities, and the link between human activity-induced climate change and natural disasters such as hurricanes is not highlighted. Click here for more...
	The School The Humberto Corzo Guzman School in San Pedro La Laguna is the only public school in the area that teaches Mayan culture and philosophy, conducting lessons in both T´zutihil (the local Mayan language) and Spanish to more than 390 children. It also functions as a cultural centre, supporting and organising evening and weekend activities for the local Mayans, and is owned by the parents of the local children. The school is situated next to a 300 year old market that constitutes the livelihoods of a number of artisans from the surrounding mountain region. Click here for more...