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Guatemala City (Agenzia Fides) - The Guatemalan children working as a shoe-shine generally live far from any form of education, and remain without prospects for a different future. They cannot go to school because they are forced to work seven days a week. Aware of this reality, and in order to bring hope, a local non-profit Foundation, which seeks to contribute to community development in the Department of Alta Verapaz, has created "Brilliant Lessons" project, aimed at shoe-shine children in one of the areas of Guatemala City. According to information sent to Fides, the initiative aims to give children adequate schooling to improve and transform their future. Children receive school material such as books and notebooks, and a snack. Although Guatemala has made significant progress in the field, the Country continues to record the highest rate of illiteracy in Central America. Official data of access to education and permanence in the Guatemalan education system indicate that the majority of the population remains excluded: it is estimated that only 18% has finished first grade. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 04/07/2016)
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