Fundación Ventanas Abiertas

pen Windows Foundation is a non-governmental organization (NGO), founded in October 2001 by three dynamic and committed women: Dr. Jean Uelmen (USA), Teresa Quiñónez (Guatemala) and Ericka Kaplan (USA). It is located in San Miguel Dueñas, an agrarian town, 15 kilometers (20 minutes) from Antigua.

The initial purpose was to build a library to promote pleasure and a pride in reading, but when the three founders found out that many children were illiterate; they converted it into a training center, which opened windows of opportunity for everyone in the local community.

In San Miguel Dueñas there are 12,000 people. Of them, 4,000 are school children, but only 2,000 attend classes even though many children have a strong desire to learn to read and write. The ones who do not study must overcome two obstacles: financial and cultural. Financially, some students cannot even pay for bus fare or school supplies. Culturally, parents see no reason for children to further their education beyond the 6th or 7th grade.