You Can Break the Cycle of Poverty - One Child at a Time
Your generosity gives children in Guatemala the education they need to build a different future.
Help Keep the Lights on for HUGS
Since 2019, your generosity has made it possible for nearly 200 children in Guatemala to attend school — many for the very first time. To sustain that momentum and prepare for future growth, we're launching an exciting new chapter: The Lightkeepers.
Lightkeepers are the donors who help fund the foundation beneath our students — the Guatemalan team, the office, and the everyday work that keeps children in school and moving toward graduation. It's a simple, sustainable way to ensure that every sponsorship dollar goes directly to a student's care, and every student has a team behind them.
Please take a few minutes to read our Case for Support and prayerfully consider how you might join our mission to end generational cycles of poverty in Guatemala through education.
The Problem Is Bigger Than You Think
According to Guatemala’s National Statistics Institute, 56% of Guatemala’s population lives in poverty.
Out of that 56%, 16.2% live under extreme poverty conditions.
For the families we serve, education isn't free; it's a daily sacrifice most cannot afford.
Education Changes Everything
Without an education, children in Guatemala face a future with few options and little hope. But when a child stays in school long enough to graduate, everything changes. They gain skills, confidence, and the ability to provide for their families.
Graduates of HUGS are stepping into careers as electricians, teachers, medical staff, and more, bringing hope and stability back to their communities.
Why is School So Expensive in Guatemala?
In the United States, public education is free. In Guatemala, it's a completely different reality.
While 1st through 6th grade education is technically free, the government provides very little beyond a seat in a classroom. Families are responsible for uniforms, shoes, school supplies, textbooks, backpacks, and in many cases, monthly tuition and transportation. Some village schools even ask parents for contributions to cover basic repairs, drinking water, and cook salaries. If a child is able to complete 6th grade, the costs for 7th grade and up is often too much for families to sustain. This is when most children drop out.
For a family earning less than $200 a month, these costs are devastating. A single uniform can equal a week's wages. When the math doesn't work, children are pulled out of school to help earn income for the family.
HUGS exists to close that gap so parents don't have to choose between feeding their family and educating their children.
Here's What Your Gift Makes Possible
When you partner with HUGS, you're giving a child everything they need to stay in school and build a future they never thought possible.
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Guatemalan schools charge annual enrollment fees. Our private schools also have monthly tuition. HUGS pays these fees and also provides school supplies.
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Most Guatemalan schools require school uniforms. Students must wear daily uniforms with dress shoes and complete PE uniforms including tennis shoes. HUGS students receive all these necessities so they can attend school in the proper clothing.
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Some of our families do not have enough resources to obtain adequate nutrition for their children and they are malnourished. In these cases HUGS supplies monthly groceries for up to 6 months. Many of our families do not have adequate beds. In some homes 5 or 6 individuals sleep in one bed, in others our students have been sleeping on a dirt or concrete floor. Due to the generosity of our donors HUGS has built numerous bunkbeds for our students. Nutrition and a good night’s sleep make a huge difference in the child’s ability to learn at school.
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HUGS staff establishes and maintains caring relationships with students and their families. HUGS children know they are special and loved.
No Child Should Miss Out on Education
Right now, children as young as five are selling trinkets on the street instead of sitting in a classroom. Your generosity changes that story. Every gift, no matter the size, brings another child one step closer to graduation, a career, and a future they can be proud of.
You can help children in Guatemala access education.
Because of donors like you, children in Guatemala are staying in school, graduating, and stepping into futures they once thought were impossible. Here's what your generosity made possible in 2025:
Supported 131 children in school, many for the very first time
Provided 183 school supply kits
Provided 211 uniforms/shoes
Paid 600 school fees through various forms of tuition
Gifted 45 backpacks
Build 9 new bunk beds
Provided 39 dental visits
3 Ways to Partner with HUGS
1. Sponsor a Student
2. Become a Lightkeeper
3. Take a trip to Guatemala
Janni Martin
Executive Director
In 2019, after years of serving in Guatemala as a nurse and supporting local artisans, Janni met children who couldn’t attend school simply because they couldn’t afford supplies. What started as a small act of kindness grew into HUGS (Help Us Go to School)- helping children stay in school by providing the essential support they need most.
Your generosity can change a child’s future. Join us in making education possible!
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