This third grade student is holding a precious gift: A book she can call her own. It’s a dictionary distributed to third graders by Amigos de Guatemala. The gift of words leads to a world of dreams and an aura of hope.   When Amigos began the scholarship program in 2006, not a single girl went on to middle or high school. Today the majority of our students are girls. Parents are beginning to see the positive results of education and allowing their children to stay longer in elementary school.

 

The focus of our work

Amigos de Guatemala focuses on ensuring all young people in Latin America receive an education and access to healthcare that enables them to engage in meaningful work and contribute as citizens in diverse societies.

We work with organizations that produce compelling new thinking and evidence; promote effective and scalable practices; and communicate, advocate, and build the capacity for reform.

In Latin America, we fund initiatives designed to transform the quality of secondary schools and help students from poor and marginalized communities gain access to quality higher education.

Our higher education efforts in conjunction with access to healthcare support greater access and affordability, and innovations that increase the likelihood that students will earn high school diplomas and some university degrees.

 

Why it matters

Across the globe, education and healthcare shape the life chances of individuals and the well-being of societies.  Social, economic and political equality all require that marginalized and disadvantaged people have access to high-quality education and healthcare.