Proyectos de la Aldea San Bartolomé Becerra

San Bartolomé Becerra was founded at the end of the XVIII century by the gentleman Don Bartolomé Becerra. It is located one kilometer southwest of Antigua, Guatemala. It has a population of 5,085, and inhabitants enjoy a mild climate throughout the year.

The village includes a complete primary public school, which works with about 350 poor children, who ages range from 6 to 12 years old. Furthermore they have urban buses, and within the village’s territory there are coffee plantations including Las Fincas, Las Margaritas, and Finca Retana. Their economic activities include agriculture (coffee, corn, beans, vegetables, fruit, flowers), as well as artisans and jewelers.

The goal of San Bartolomé Becerra is to assist in the improvement of the village. Another goal of the Auxiliary Mayor is to establish a secondary (high) school; at present (April 2007), the Auxiliary Mayor is waiting for the authorization for this from the local government of Antigua, Guatemala. For children to participate in this project, they are asked to pay a fee of only Q20.00 per month which will provide for supplies for learning, as it is done with Primary. In every class there are children of different ages due to the lack of funding, which has led to the students getting behind in their studies.

As a volunteer, you can help in constructing classrooms, painting the school, furniture making for the Auxiliary Government, planting of trees, milking cows on a farm, and helping to prepare the village for the festival of the Apostle San Bartolomé (the village’s patron saint; on August 24th when they have a procession). If you would like to work with this village you do not need any experience; if you have any special knowledge for an area not mentioned, please ask us. Volunteers are welcome from their first day on. You can work the entire day or half day. The volunteers’ Spanish level is not very important.

Donations are welcome, such as learning aids, clothes, food, medicine, vitamins, fireworks for the activities before August 24th, etc. The people of San Bartolomé Becerra will be happy to receive your help.