Santiago Atitlán
Years active
1997 - up do date
Region
Santiago Atitlán
Total Participants
800+
Current Students
85+
Our program in this poverty stricken Mayan, Tzutuhil village began in 1997 as part of a six year program designed to have the children from various communities in Guatemala use photography and writing skills to look at the effects of Guatemala’s 36 year civil war. The program continues today teaching skills that get them jobs in graphic design, Photoshop, web design and video.
Students use their skills in photography, digital story development and graphic design, to obtain work, and intern in the organization’s design studio, Jakaramba!
Graduates who took part in this original program have secured success obtaining employment with the Commission on Human Rights, a young woman ran for Mayor of Santiago as the first indigenous woman to seek political office, others have gone on to university studies in journalism and communications, physical and speech therapy and social work.
Alumni in this program that continue today serve as teachers, training young students from primary school onwards in the basics of photography, Photoshop, graphic design, advanced software, advertising and critical thinking. The students are part of the Fotokids traditional education scholarship program which makes it feasible for poor students to get an education they otherwise couldn’t afford. An integrated program, afterschool tutors are available, as well as emergency food and medical help and mothers receive continuing education workshops.
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