My Story

Chuchuca, where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is more than a two-hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Chuchuca is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. The Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! My ame is Alex Yobany Chingo Luis. I was born on February 21, 2019. I am now 5 years old. I attend first grade at school. I love playing with a yo-yos, spinning top and marbles. I like the color white. My favorite food is noodles with beans. The animal I like is the hen. My father is Santos Chingo Garcia. Mostly he works on the coast in coffee and cane farms and hardly ever spends time with us. From June to October goes to fertilize and pick coffee beans. After that, he goes to cut sugar cane from November to May. He comes to visit us two or three times during that time. He is very responsible for our needs. My mother is Paula Luis Gomez. She grows herbs and raises hens and turkeys to sell to contribute to the income. I have one brother and no sisters. We all are doing well. Our pet is a dog.

We are members of a Christian Church. We live in a rented house and the monthly payment is Q1,000.00 = $134.00. The house belongs to one of my father´s sister. My paternal grandma lives with us. There are two rooms made of adobe, the roof is a part of tin and part tiles with a dirt floor. The kitchen is separate. We do not have running water, so we get it from a stream with the help of a hose. One of our neighbors shares the electricity service with us and my parents pay Q80.00 = $11.00 every month. As a family our greatest need are groceries. I am very thankful for being registered in the feeding program; I walk for 25 minutes to get there. Thank you for reading my information. Many blessings!

Lots of love,

Alex Yobany Chingo Luis

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala