La pobreza urbana en Guatemala Srta. McCully

“People say Guatemala has no middle class – just a ruling class and an exploited class – and nowhere is this more evident than in its capital, Guatemala City. Skyscrapers and contemporary malls eclipse shanty towns that dangle off cliff edges, while disabled beggars peer in the windows of blacked-out SUVs hoping for fichas (loose change).” http://newint.org/columns/country/2012/05/01/country-profile-guatemala/

Algunos hechos… El tráfico en la ciudad es horrible. Muchas personas de la clase alta usan los helicópteros para viajar diariamente al trabajo. Los colectivos (los autobuses) son muy peligrosos y inseguros. Hay muchos robos y tiroteos.

Algunos hechos… Muchas personas de la clase alta están en peligro de la secuestración. Tienen que comprar los coches con las ventanas ahumadas y antibalas (tinted, bulletproof windows).

Algunos hechos… La ciudad se encuentra dividida en 25 zonas. Algunas de estas zonas se llaman “zonas rojas” porque hay mucho crimen, homicidios y ventas de drogas.

The Guatemala City Dump http://www.burkholders.org/p/guatemala-city- garbage-dump.html

Camino Seguro Camino Seguro (“Safe Passage”) is an organization that was started to assist the families who live and work at the Guatemala City garbage dump. It focuses on providing people with education and nutritious meals and encouraging entrepreneurship. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoHa1cdXpM0

Un testimonial “I started working with the organization almost 4 years ago. I arrived in Guatemala expecting to stay for a month, volunteering and brushing up on my Spanish. I never expected that I would meet a community that would change my life forever. Safe Passage serves the most at-risk children, young adults, and families who live in the communities around the Guatemala City garbage dump. The parents of many of our students are "recolectores" who travel down to the garbage dump each day in search of plastic bottles, scrap metal, and, in extreme cases, for food. The community is primarily composed of single mothers who have, on average, more than 4 children. 1 out of ever 3 mothers never studied in school, never learned to read or write. Of those who did study, few passed 4th grade. Without an education in this community, individuals are extremely at-risk for gang recruitment and prostitution. Safe Passage focuses on promoting education so that we can break the cycle produced by lack of education and create opportunities. My role currently is advising the students who have graduated from high school (an incredible accomplishment) so that they can enroll in university and get a formal job.”

Preguntas ¿Qué piensas sobre la disparidad de la riqueza en Guatemala? ¿Es parecida a los EUA? ¿Por qué? ¿Qué piensas sobre la gente que trabaja en Camino Seguro? ¿Trabajarías allí? En grupos de 4, piensen en una pregunta que les gustaría preguntarle a Megan sobre Guatemala, Camino Seguro, o su vida.