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! I am Yojana Cristina Mendez Ruiz. My birthdate is October 12, 2015, which makes me 9 years of age now. This year I am in first grade at school. My favorite color is brown and the animal I like is the cow. The tastiest food for me is fried chicken. I enjoy playing football. I live with my mother and two brothers. I am healthy and so is my family. My father´s name is Roberto Mendez Garcia. He does not live with us about five years ago, he started working on the coast and sends us financial support once in a while. My mother´s name is Ana Ruiz Ruiz. She is a housewife, and she also weaves typical items to sell and get income. Furthermore, she raises hens, sheep and pigs.

My mother owns the house in which we live; we have only one room which is made of wooden boards, a tin roof and a dirt floor. The kitchen is separate. We get water from a river and we have a solar panel to get light at home. We are a needy family and the greatest needs are groceries. I walk 15 minutes to get to the feeding program. We do not attend any church for now. This is all for now. Every kind of blessings over you!

Bunch of hugs,

Yojana Cristina Mendez Ruiz

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