INEB Pablo Neruda

Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala

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School details

Population

265 students

Grades

1st to 3rd grade

Year founded

2010

About the school’s needs

In the community of Villa Lobos 1 in the municipality of Villa Nueva, Guatemala, families face significant challenges that impact their daily quality of life. Violence and poor infrastructure are predominant problems affecting residents.

Many families have been evicted from their homes due to crime and intimidation, which have weakened the foundations of the community. In 2019, there was an eviction from the community center due to the risk of structural collapse, thus limiting access for new students and putting those already part of the community at risk, affecting their education and development.

Although the Red Cross provided emergency support, a broader and more sustained intervention is required. Lack of employment, violence and poor housing and facility infrastructure due to the scarcity of economic resources are prominent issues that mark this community.

Help give the children of the INEB Pablo Neruda the future they deserve.

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What your sponsorship does at this school

Psychological care for the entire educational population
Community cafés for parents
Personnel: not enough teachers to manage the classrooms
Infrastructure improvement: drainage, ventilation in classrooms, reinforcement of foundations
More classrooms: current ones are overcrowded with 55 students
Roof over the patio (high priority)
Kitchen
Improvement of poor infrastructure conditions
Restrooms: new student restrooms and repair of second-level restrooms
Topographic study to see the construction process
Continuity of extracurricular programs, especially Glee Club, Art, Robotics, Discovery and Soccer

Photos of the school

Meet the students

Fernanda

“Hello, my name is Fernanda, and I am 15 years old. My aspiration is to be in the military because I am interested in protecting and taking care of communities. In my free time, I enjoy watching television, especially anime.

I have noticed that in my community, drug addiction and gang violence are major problems. I would love to see my community united, being kind and respectful to each other, with access to good resources for everyone.

As for my high school, I would like to see larger classrooms and better ventilated classrooms due to the heat during classes. I would also like to have more teachers so they can serve us better.

In addition, I would like to have a large indoor court where we could play sports comfortably.”

—Fernanda, 15

Altair

“Hi, I’m Altair. I’m 15 years old, and my biggest dream is to become a professional soccer player. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer with my classmates and friends. In my community, one of the biggest challenges we face is violence and gang control.

I would love to see my community members live in peace and tranquility, able to go out without fear of being victims of violence.

I would also like to improve my high school. I dream of having a roofed patio, a proper space to play sports in, and benches where we can sit during breaks.”

—Altair, 15

Meet the director

“I am Elsa, director of the INEB Pablo Neruda Institute. Our main objective is to provide strong emotional, cultural and academic support to vulnerable youth in our area. I see the institute as fundamental in protecting our young people and helping them progress.

I dream of seeing the institute fully developed, fully staffed and fully supported by the youth and the community to ensure adequate care.

We have faced significant challenges in our community, such as acts of violence, robberies, and the impact of tropical storms, earthquakes and other difficulties. Violence and the lack of solid infrastructure have forced us to evacuate at times, but this has not made us back down from the dream of better learning for our young people.

Our school was built on an aim for good education and guidance. It is small and has many needs, and that is why we ask for the support of organizations. Our Ministry of Education has many deficiencies, and that is why outside support is required.

The community really needs this school; it is a safe haven where we can guide young people to a promising future, especially those who do not have access to private education due to financial constraints.”

—Director Elsa