Happenings at the Casita

Every month we receive updates and photos from La Casita — the house and garden that now houses a learning centre for kids, a library, a twice-weekly lunch and social program for poor and elderly women, adult literacy courses, and more. The news is heartening. Teachers at San Antonio’s two schools are referring students in increasing numbers to the centre, and our coordinator Yesenia, along with her part-time helper Lidia, are engaging these kids in maths, reading and writing activities in interactive ways that are very different from the rote-based methods used in most Guatemalan classrooms. Plus lots of kids come just to read (many are members of the kids’ book club), and to use the computers for research. In July there were 643 student-visits to the centre — over 20 a day.