Other Services
Medical Clinic
In 2004 Rita Joyce from Santa Fe helped to set up and supply a small medical clinic at Open Windows. Friends and nurses connected to the Santa Fe have generously donated supplies and time to the clinic since then. We believe that health is a key component to the children’s success, and see this as directly linked to our mission to Open Windows.
At present the clinic is held bi-monthly and is staffed by Ruth Humberg, a volunteer nurse from the US, and by Elizabeth McCollough. In a day they can see up to 40 patients, who are a cross section of the local community including children who attend Open Windows and also some of the town’s older residents who never have enough money to see a doctor. Common ailments treated at the center are respiratory, gastric, blood pressure and, most commonly of all, diabetes, a huge problem across the country. The clinic also provides daily vitamins for the children who attend Open Windows.
The medical clinic is always in need of medicine to treat these common and easily treatable illnesses. If you plan to come to Guatemala and visit Open Windows, and are able to bring medicines with you, they will be very gratefully received.
High School Scholarship Program
Thanks to long-time donor, Tom Sullivan, a scholarship program was set up in 2003 to enable motivated students from low-income families to go to high school. Tom Sullivan, a businessman from Florida, visited Open Windows and was so moved he wanted to encourage the older students to go to university. He was, however, surprised and shocked to learn from Jean Uelmen that the majority of the children in Dueñas do not even have the opportunity to attend high school due to financial restraints, let alone go to university.
“I had assumed that high school was free as in the United States. We both agreed on the need for students to have an avenue to advance themselves and so we started the High School Scholarships. First, we wanted to offer students, who showed educational promise, a chance to lift themselves up and acquire those skills needed to give them vocational opportunities beyond what might be currently available. Secondly, we felt that these students would be good role models for the other students at Open Windows, showing them that education is a means to a better life.”
And so the High School Scholarship program was established. In the beginning there were just three students, in 2007 there are 18. The chosen, talented students are given funds to cover the costs of uniforms, books, and transportation. In return, they have to keep Open Windows informed of their progress. One student has graduated from high school, José Armando:
“When I finished elementary school I still wanted to continue studying. However, my parents told me that they could no longer help me with my studies. This saddened me greatly as I wished to complete my education.
Thanks to God and Open Windows in San Miguel Dueñas, who offered me the opportunity to complete my studies by attending high school with a scholarship. I was so happy to know that I could finish school. Now that I have graduated I have been able to find a good working with a bank in Hotel Antigua. I feel happy and thankful to Open Windows and Tom Sullivan for this opportunity.”
Book Loan Service
In 2003 a kind donation of 200 books was made to the library through the coordination of Alice Bares. For the first time children could take books home overnight to share with their families. This project is known as “The Circle of Friends” and enables children the opportunity to learn the system of a loan library. Children are encouraged to find the books they would like to read, taught how to care for and respect them, learn that the books are categorized and alphabetizing, check books in and out, and return them to the correct place on the shelves when they return them.
School Loan Service
Local schools can use the library, its books, and educational materials, and in the past have received free educational workshops for their teachers (see photo). The library has in its collection a copy of every school textbook, since schools only have enough textbooks for a 25% of every class. This valuable service provides children with access to these books outside of school hours. Local schools can also arrange to bring small groups of students to Open Windows in the mornings.
A special partnerships has been arranged with one of the local primary schools, so one of the Open Windows’ teachers delivers books to the school for use during school hours. The school also has access to Open Windows’ small video library.