Scholarship a game-changer for many children

A typical day for many children living in villages in the Diocese of Santa Rosa, Guatemala, consists of waking up at dawn to accompany a parent to work each morning or being sent to the village plaza to sell items in order to bring home income for their family.
 

At a young age, these children are faced with the reality of the demands of work, but the Guatemala Scholarship Program has become a game-changer for them by providing an opportunity to receive an education.
 

As part of a comprehensive partnership between the Diocese of Santa Rosa and the Diocese of Metuchen, the Guatemala Scholarship Program provides school supplies, books, medicines, and other basic necessities, as well as promotes service to the community and the active participation of parents supporting their children’s education.   
 

The Guatemala Scholarship Program was started by members of the diocese’s youth ministry, led then by Deacon Mike Wojcik and his wife, Mary Ann, following a trip to Guatemala in July 2008.
 

As follow-up to their trip, the youth representatives shared stories of their experiences at various parishes in the diocese and generous parishioners donated the seed money for the fund. As the program grew and the youth moved on in their own educational pursuits, the Catholic Charities Solidarity Team stepped in to keep the program going. The program began with 11 students and currently supports 120 students from seven villages.

To date, the venture has been supported by parishes in the diocese, including: St. Charles Borromeo, Montgomery Township; Nativity of Our Lord, Monroe Township; St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Bridgewater; Queenship of Mary, Plainsboro; and Immaculate Conception, Spotswood.
 

In addition, several schools also support the Scholarship program.