What is the "City of Hope"? The "City of Hope" (in Spanish "Ciudad de la Esperanza") is the necessary continuation of the current project "Comunidad Esperanza". The project’s manager, Sergio Godoy, had the idea of expanding the project last year since the capacity of the current project will not be sufficient in the long term to cover the demand for literacy classes, other education and health care (more information in "Current Situation"). This year, over the summer, specific plans began to be drawn up with the assistance of an architect who made sketches, models and cost estimates.
For whom is the "City of Hope"? The "City of Hope" offers children and adolescents in need, the possibility to have education, to make possible vocational training and medical supply. In this manner not only the personal development of each individual increases, but at the same time the family and society as a whole are supported. Children in Need are defined as follows: :
- Children, who do not have access to education due to family poverty
- Children who live on the street or work in the garbage dump, endure especially high health risks, and are exposed to community and domestic violence
- Women and girls who, due to gender discrimination, are not afforded the same opportunities as men of similar age and qualifications
- Children who have destructive family members and suffer from domestic violence
Currently, Comunidad Esperanza involves approximately 100 children and adolescents. After the erection of the new buildings for "Ciudad de la Esperanza", 500 to 600 people will be able to participate in the expanded program.
What does the “City of Hope” look like?The "City of Hope" will be 1 km away from the current project and cover about 18,700 m² (bigger than 3 football fields). In its final version, it will contain 20 buildings, a sports field, a garden and arable land for growing fruits and vegetables. The 20 buildings will have 6 modules, each with 2 classrooms and 6 modules with workshops. A computer lab, church, library, multipurpose room, dining hall, administration building, hospital station and a home for children and adolescents will complete the compound.
Classrooms:
The classrooms will house primary school to higher grades for approximately 500 - 600 students. They will be taught by trained teachers and volunteers.
Workshops:
Given that vocation training is very limited in Guatemala, workshops will create an opportunity for adolescents and adults to learn skills needed for specific vocations such as carpentry, cooking or textile production. This allows those who don’t possess the intellectual capability needed for a higher education to acquire a good occupation.
Computer Lab:
Naturally, none of the project’s participating families possess their own computer. However, since computer skills play an important role in the search for employment - just as in Germany - both children and adolescents as well as their parents will have the opportunity to develop these skills at the project under specialist’s guidance. The instruction covers all the bases from operating systems to word processing and spreadsheet analysis. Mothers working the fields
Arable Soil Area for Fruit and Vegetable Growing:
On approximately 15,000 square meters, adults are shown how to cultivate, as productively as possible, fruits and vegetables native to the region. The harvest is partially used for the project’s nourishment program and partially given to the families as "remuneration" for their work.
Church:
Given that the project was initiated by the catholic church, a church will naturally be included in the compound. It will offer emotional support for children and adolescents. However this building is the last priority, which means that construction on it will only begin once all the other buildings are finished.
Dining Hall:
In the dining hall, the existing nourishment program will be continued. All students will receive, just as now, a free warm meal each noon. The meals are prepared by the mothers, who alternate in a 4-week rotation.
Administration Building:
The secretary’s office will be located here and will carry out all administrative tasks.
Hospital Station:
The hospital station will offer a place where both children and parents can receive free medical supplies. Special attention will be given to explanation and prevention of diseases. A nurse, general physician, and psychologist will be on staff. When funds are available a dentist will also be employed.
Children's Home:
Children who have to suffer in particularly bad family circumstances can find accommodation here for a specific amount time. Such circumstances include domestic violence and homelessness. Also adolescents from gangs will find here an open door here. The duration of the stay will be accessed on an individual basis.
Which goals does the “City of Hope“ pursue?
No way out without education The mission of the "City Of Hope" is to improve the living conditions of people from the poor quarters of Cobán. It especially targets children who work with their parents in the garbage dump and provides them with a good education so that they will have the chance to find a job worthy of a person.
An important goal is to incorporate the parents into the project as well. On the arable field, they learn how to cultivate fruits and vegetables at low cost and, therefore, nourish their family independently. It’s even more important, however, that the parents understand the importance of their children’s education and support it. The idea is to coordinate education for the children through social commitment so that it can help them later in life. Not only children and their families are supported but, indirectly, the entire society is improved.
When will the building begin? The classrooms and workshops have the highest priority and will be built first using donated funds. As soon as the cost for five classroom modules is reached (approximately 50,000€) the building will begin. All additional buildings will be constructed after the resources are accessed piece by piece.
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City of Hope 
