The
Chance Project (El Proyecto Oportunidad)
By
Maria Soledad, Project Founder & Director
photo
- Maria Soledad (R) first student (L)
While
working in a Home for girls, I observed that cases are commonly divided in three
groups: First, girls who had no family;
second, girls who
were not safe in their homes because of violence or abuse;
third, girls who were taken away from
their families because they could not provide
food or a safe place to live. Many
of these girls could go back home if
parents follow judge instructions, get a better job and improve their living
conditions. This Project is focused on parents of girls of the third group, who
need to get ready to get their girls back in their house.
WHY
is the Chance Project Important? Most of these
parents were abandoned or abused kids, with no education opportunity, people
with no opportunity to learn job skills. Most
of the mothers are single, so they leave their kids alone or under not
responsible adult supervision.
WHAT
is the Chance Project? We contact parents
through Home Social Workers to see if they meet
the requirements and have shown interest and determination to get their kids
back. After being referred, their situation will be evaluated (job
skills, experience, education, interests
and abilities).
HOW
does the Chance Project Work? A
parent will
bring information of three places
to study. Chance personnel
will visit the suggested places and evaluate them to choose one.
The parent will receive a scholarship. Their work, attendance and
responsibility will be supervised. Parents
will not receive the money it will be paid by us directly to the schools. They
will be responsible for their own transportation expenses. They also will attend
a monthly meeting in the project's office to learn about administration,
nutrition, health, emotional support and encouragement. We'll also share the
Good News of Jesus in these meetings.
WHO
can help? Everyone, even though, it is
important to get Guatemalan community involved
in the raising money. Sponsors will be informed periodically.
I
am working with the first student of The
Chance Project already; she is a 29-year-old mother of five girls.
The father of the girls left and she is faced
with the responsibility by herself. She
works in a tools store. If she
sells, she earns money, otherwise she won't.
She went to the judge and asked for help.
The girls were sent to a home for girls.
Her father abandoned this mother at the age of nine.
So she only got to the third grade. At that age she started selling
candies in the street, cleaning a restaurant and the tools store.
None of these jobs could give her the money to feed 5 girls.
She
came to my office one day and said… “I wish I could study”… so she
became the first person in The Chance Project.
She came back three days later with three booklets of beauty schools she could
go to. We decided together that she
should go to the one that is authorized by the Ministry of Education. She is
already earning money with the new career. Her girls are back home; she will be
graduating this November. Her name is Zuly Elizabeth Zamora Contrera.
Students
for 2017...
Katy,
Berta and Maria Luisa are studying sewing; Lidia and Maria Ana are studying
cooking; Jacinta and Dorita are in beautician school and Elsi is studying
English as a second language.
=======
Vilma, one of our students,
fixing the hair of a Mayan bride for her wedding
==============
Chance Project Celebrates
Five (5) Years of Ministry in November 2018
Click Chance 5yr Report.pdf
for Testimonies & Pictures of This Ministries
During the celebration
event, each woman shared her personal testimony and how the Chance Project was
helping her. They are learning to be self-sufficient in a trade of either
sewing, cooking or as a beautician. We hope the pictures below
help you understand the importance of this ministry to single moms who have been
abandoned by their husbands and have no other means to support their families.
Thank you for giving them a "chance"!!!
Director Soledad (6th from L)
with the 9
women in training
Top picture: Soledad &
husband Herbert. Bottom pictures: Soledad speaks to the women (L), two women in
training (R)
Women giving their
testimonies
==============
A
Success Story of Giving One a Chance
By
Director Soledad
Maria
Ana entered the Proyecto Oportunidad (Chance Project) to study cooking at a
difficult moment of her life. The land she inherited from her parents
where she lived was stolen and her husband abandoned her and their
children. She had no place to live, a family to feed and the only job she
had: sell tortillas, which one can only profit around Q30/day ($4/day). She got
a scholarship from us and started studying in 2016. I explained how the
scholarship process was supposed to be followed and that she would have our
support to study the rest of the year. During that first meeting with the
teacher, we were asked to provide her a pair of shoes because sandals are not
safe in a kitchen. (Photo L-R: Soledad, Ana)
She
finished that first year with great grades. She showed she was committed
to it. The trainer suggested Ana should continue studying the next level
in cooking school because she was determined to learn and succeed. We
decided to give her the chance. Ana was the first lady who received a
scholarship for a 2nd year in bakery school.
In
January 2018, we were contacted by a home for girls, "Lazos de
Amor". They wanted us to teach their students work skills. So
we decided to give Ana the chance again. We offered her the job and an
extra course so she could learn even more. Ana trained the girls in the
home for two months; the directors of the home were very pleased and grateful.
I
am very excited as I write this story especially because it ends in a great
way. Maria Ana is selling bread in her community but also teaching other
ladies how to bake. God is not only showing His purpose for Ana's life but
for Proyector Oportunidad...we are opening a bakery in Sumpango, Guatemala where
Ana will work and teach other ladies...isn't it amazing?
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