Irma & Ilda

Last year we decided to sponsor Irma. She's 10 and has a smile that melts my heart. Through the sponsorship, she receives such things as school supplies and medical care. We go well beyond normal sponsorship. We have visited the family, had them over for dinner, and given them all sorts of other things including traditional clothing.

When we bought Irma's corte, or skirt, last year, we also bought one for her sister Ilda. We weren't really thinking of Ilda, but the skirt is basically a square of cloth, and for a little girl, they cut it in half, so there are two. You buy the whole square either way, so it cost us nothing to be nice to Ilda.

At Christmas, we contracted a local family to make two guipiles, or blouses, so that Ilda would not be left out. We didn't want her to fell left out.

This year the school began requiring a uniform to participate in physical education, and Pueblo a Pueblo, the sponsorship organization, bought one for Irma.

But not for her sister, of course. Ilda is very athletic, and I'm sure that it bothers her not to be able to participate. Even worse is the stigma of being among the poorest in a poor community while her sister is spared that shame in this case.

The uniform costs about $15. Their mother earns about $3 a day. The two older daughters are 17 and 19 and each have two children. The 19 year-old has returned home to live. Ilda is 13 and without help will likely end up married in a year or two. The main problem with that is that education almost always stops there.

So we have decided to informally sponsor Ilda. She's shy (though nowhere near as shy as Irma!) and sweet and the two have an excellent relationship.

 

She's in 4th grade now, having sat out several years when primary schools were allowed to charge tiny amounts of money. I asked her if she's hoping to attend básico (middle school) after sixth grade. She enthusiastically assented, but her mother added that it might not be possible financially. I smiled and said we would gladly take care of the expense.

We're taking both girls to Chichicastenango next week, so check back soon for photos of that.