This family consists of only a grandmother and a granddaughter, Andrea and Claudia. There is a beautiful video about Claudia and the impact education has had on her life that you can see here. Their most pressing need is to have their home rebuilt.
The Children
Claudia Jona, 12, was born July 23, 1999. Her student number is 812 and she will be in 3rd grade in 2012.
Their Family
Claudia’s lost her parents when she was young. Her father left the family and has never given support for Claudia. Her mother committed suicide after the birth of Claudia's half-sister. The baby was given to her father’s family to raise as Andrea could not take care of both children. They are no longer in touch with her.
Claudia now lives with her grandmother Andrea, who is 67 years old and blind in one eye. During the interview Claudia sat on the edge of her chair, almost in between her chair and Andrea’s, so she could be close to her grandmother. Andrea tries to sell tamales when she is feeling well enough to work. Claudia works making tortillas in Sololá on Sundays and earns $1.33 (10Q).
Andrea has pains in her left leg, her neck is stiff and her eye hurts her badly. Claudia has a chronic cough, especially bad at night, and it takes her a long time to fall asleep because of it. They cannot afford to see a doctor for these maladies.
Andrea and Claudia are in Mayan Families’ elderly care/orphan care program in San Jorge. They both receive one hot meal a day and often that is the only food they will eat that day. Mayan Families tries to give them other food donations when something is available as neither work regularly and so there is no income to buy such necessities. Claudia spends most afternoons at the Mayan Families office, playing with the children there and socializing with the volunteers and visitors.
Andrea had three children but only one is still living. He provides no support for his mother or Claudia and in fact he and his wife are quite mean to them. Andrea has to pass through her son’s house every time she leaves or returns to her home and her daughter-in-law always treats her horribly.
Their House
Their house is one room made of adobe with a lamina roof in San Jorge. They have no electricity or water connected to their home. Whenever they need water they have to walk very far into the center of town. They have a water filter that is only a year old but the candela (the filter itself) has broken and needs to be replaced. They have a water filter and a new replacement in December 2011. They do not have a pila (large cement sink). They have one bed with a mattress that they share and two blankets that are in bad shape. They have an Onil stove that was given to them by Mayan Families. They have a new table and two chairs so they no longer have to sit upon the floor to eat. Their house leaks a lot in the rainy season and it is hard to get up to the house on the tiny steep footpath that leads to it. Additionally the whole house is unsteady and needs to be rebuilt with cement blocks.
Their most urgent need is a new home. Mayan Families is looking into how to build a home for them while also protecting them from the bully uncle. It may be best to rent them a room for a while but it is difficult to find rental space in San Jorge.
Their Needs
$118 Pila
$40/mo Sponsor for Andrea’s place in the elderly care program
$80/mo Rental of a new room with committed sponsor(s)
OR
Funds to build a new house including the connection of water and electricity
How to Donate
- To use PayPal, click the button below to go to Mayan Families' donation page. Enter the donation amount in the Family Aid field. Enter FA21 for the Family Name. Specify the purpose of the donation in the Extra Notes box.
- To pay by check, include a note specifying FA21 as the recipient and the purpose of the donation. Mail to:
Mayan Families
PO Box 52
Claremont, NC 28610
PO Box 52
Claremont, NC 28610
