One thing we see often in Guatemala is not a lack of effort.
It’s a lack of options.
The parents in our community work incredibly hard. They care deeply about their children and are constantly making difficult decisions with limited resources.
Do we buy food today or school supplies this week?
Do we keep a child in school or ask them to help support the family?
Do we invest in an opportunity now or save money for the next emergency?
These aren’t decisions made because people don’t care.
They’re decisions made because options are limited.
That’s one reason Be Humanitarian focuses on both nutrition and education.
When children have access to healthy food, they’re better able to learn. When they stay in school, they have more opportunities in the future.
We see the same principle in our garden tower program. Since 2019, families have generated more than 2.3 million meals by growing food themselves.
The goal isn’t to replace effort.
It’s to expand opportunity.
Recently, I attended a screening of the documentary She Rises Up, which follows women in Peru, Senegal, and Sri Lanka who are building businesses and creating opportunities for their families and communities.
One of the film’s biggest lessons is something I see every day in Guatemala:
Poverty is rarely a lack of determination.
More often, it’s a lack of opportunity.
If you have a few minutes this week, I encourage you to watch the trailer:https://www.sherisesupfilm.com/home#trailer
Thank you for helping us create more opportunities for families working hard to build a better future.
With gratitude,
Tobie
If you’d like to help provide education, nutrition, and opportunity for a child, you can learn more here: https://behumanitarian.org/sponsorship-donations/
And if you’d like to see this work firsthand, we’d love to have you join us in Guatemala: https://behumanitarian.org/travel-with-us-2/
P.S. One of the most powerful things we can do is help create more options for people who are already doing everything they can.
