Father's Day at Open Windows

This past Friday, we celebrated Father's Day at Open Windows Foundation. The official day is June 17th but we wanted to do it early because the schools also have a celebration for fathers.

We invited two people to give a talk at our learning center, one on AIDS and the other one on dengue fever, a disease caused by mosquito bites.  The celebration was attended by 50 fathers.

A grandfather asked permission to sing to the fathers that night to celebrate their special day.  Inspired by that performance, a volunteer from Peru also decided to take the guitar and sing a song from his country. Both of them had a great time singing, and the audience enjoyed the entertainment.

At the end of the Father's Day event, Open Windows founder Teresa Quiñonez oversaw the distribution a total of over 100 condoms to attendees.

This year the fathers were participating more than ever before - they were notably more relaxed.  The event was a success.

Volunteers building homes and inspiring families in our community

This month, we have had a many successful volunteer projects at Open Windows Foundation.  A group from the US that has worked with OW for the last two years has come back to our learning center for another volunteer visit.  The leader of the group, Bob Noel, was in charge of a project with us called "Our Little Brothers."

His group did four key things for us during their stay.  First, they built a sheet metal or "laminated" home for a family that has seen hardship. This family is composed only of the mother and two children, as the father tragically hanged himself a year ago.

In addition to constructing this home, the group also built a small room for a grandmother of one of our scholarship recipients.

Third, they built a room for a family who is living near the river.  This family had bought some land across the river and wanted to build a house. The problem is that there is no bridge to cross the river, with only two wires - one for standing up and the other to hold on.  They were grateful for the help with their house.

As if all this work wasn't enough, they finished their visit with painting three classrooms at the Institute of Calderas.

We are grateful for the generous assistance of these dedicated volunteers.  Open Windows Foundation thanks you!

We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers.  Learn how you can contribute your talents to our organization:  http://openwindowsfoundation.com

Another visit from Dr. Dian

Dr. Dian is here at Open Windows for yet another week of treating children at our learning center.   

Among his young patients are a girl and a boy with a rare disease.  For these afflicted children, parts of their body have turned black; in addition, the liver swells with fat, whereas the rest of the body is only bones. For this disease there is no cure. 

The boy with this disease is not going to school because the other children make fun of him.  Children can be very cruel when they see someone different.

Thanks to Dr. Dian, children are at least getting a diagnosis of their diseases.  Others are being treated and cured.  This medical attention makes their educational prospects brighter.

Open Windows welcomes volunteers.  If you know someone who is looking to make a difference, please contact Teresa at openwindowsteresa@gmail.com.

Families making ends meet in Dueñas

At Open Windows, we're grateful for the support of our volunteers from around the world.  In May, we hosted a group from Canada for two weeks.  They built a block room and a tin house for one of the families in our program.  

The family that received the new tin house is composed of a single mother with 5 children.  This mother is five months pregnant, and had been living with her mother in a one bedroom room. In total, there were 9 children and three adults living in that one room house.   Thanks to the work of our volunteers, now this family is so happy; they have a large room with a eco-stove and a place to play.  Despite the fact that the home does not have electricity, this is not a problem for the family.  They do not own a radio, much less a refrigerator, and they use only candles for light.

Near the location of the new tin home lives another family with 5 children. As our founder Teresa is very invested in the wellbeing of her hometown, as well as the fact that she is a well-known fixture in the city, she decided to pay a visit to this family.   She was very surprised to find two girls taking care of 6-month old little twins.  Teresa could not believe that these girls were caring for such young children by themselves.

That night Teresa woke up several times thinking about them and wondering how she could help.  The next day Teresa talked with the mother and asked why the children were by themselves.   The response was that the mother "had only had left for a few moments - nothing more."  Teresa replied that she had spent hours waiting and saw no one enter or leave the home.

The mother was afraid Teresa would take the children away from her.

The young caretakers

Teresa she does so much for the children and families of Antigua and San Miguel Dueñas.  She believes that families, no matter how poverty stricken, should not have to live like this.

Painting school classrooms

A few days ago, all the employees of Open Windows, including Co-Founder Teresa Quiñonez and Board President Luisa Wheeler, all went to Calderas to paint few classrooms.

The Open Windows crew

But first, before painting, they had to fix the entire electrical installation. A school from Calderas received a donation of 15 computers, but the kids never used them.  Why? Well, the reason is that the electrical installations were so bad, every time they tried to turn them on the lights went off. 

A group from Iowa, USA made a donation to OW. This donation was to fix these schools.  So that is exactly what the team at Open Windows did.  

Painting the classrooms

Luisa, President of the Open Windows Board, freshening up the walls of this classroom

The finished renovated classroom!  

Thanks to all for a job well done, and many thanks to the generous support of our donors.  

News from the People of San Miguel Dueñas

Fostering a love of learning at Open Windows

This week, we write to you with news from some of our Open Windows program participants in the town of San Miguel Dueñas, Guatemala.

Home of four Open Windows siblings 

One of the many families we are assisting is a single mother who has four children.  She cannot read or write well.  She received an Eco-Stove from Open Windows donors so that her family would not have to breathe in so much smoke while she prepared meals.  Their new Eco-Stove has reduced the family's wood fuel consumption by 60%.  

Now, they are receiving assistance with Eco-lanterns, a new community outreach program at Open Windows.  

The home where they live is so small that the toilet is near the stove. Despite her poverty, this lady keeps her house neat and clean and prioritizes a bright future for her children. For this mom, education is very important, so all her kids go to school. 

Open Windows Co-Founder Teresa Quiñonez with the children in the Open Windows Learning Center library.

Another mother, Maria, pictured above, is a mother of children who attend programs at Open Windows.  One day recently, she went about her daily task of getting firewood for her stove to cook for her family.  As she passed near the garbage dump, she heard sad whining sounds coming from the garbage area - an abandoned litter of puppies.  She looked at them and went about her tasks.

When she got home, all she could think of was the litter of puppies.  She knew if she did not do anything, they would die.  The following day, Maria returned for them and took all six home with her. Now she is feeding them with cow's milk.  Despite the poverty of this family, they have a big heart. They are always willing to extend a hand to those in need. 

Maria's family's new puppies

Homes in San Miguel Dueñas, Guatemala

A family home in Dueñas

How would you feel if you lived in a house like this? The toilet is near the stove, the walls are made of sheet metal, and there is no protection or privacy. Many people in the world have options of where and how to live, but not here.  

This is a picture of a family home in San Miguel Dueñas in Guatemala.  The same family that lives in this home utilizes the educational services that Open Windows Foundation provides.  

Poverty is a difficult cycle to escape from, but with the help of education assistance and educational resources for children, families in Guatemala can hope for a better tomorrow.  At Open Windows, we are focused on providing educational opportunities to at-risk children in our community.  With our learning center, tutoring programs, computer classes, and variety of community outreach programs, we are committed to providing enrichment to children and adults in our community.  
To learn how you can participate in the programs at Open Windows, visit our website:  www.openwindowsfoundation.com.