Global Visionaries

A Catalyst for Global Citizens and Social Entrepreneurs

www.global-visionaries.org

Be a Part of Global Sustainability

Guatemala Projects

global vision. local action.

What Sets Us ApartAnnually 185 U.S. and Guatemalan high school students are selected to participate in a multi-year Leadership Program. Acting in the spirit of solidarity, not charity, GV builds sustainable communities by creating much needed support for education, microbusiness, healthcare and environmental protection by placing young people in positions of leadership and empowering them to become active global citizens.

School Construction Guatemala has a total population literacy rate of 69%; this number is signi�cantly lower among women and indigenous populations. Since 2004, GV has worked to help strengthen Guatemala’s educational infrastructure. Over the past four years, U.S. and Guatemalan teen participants alongside local village residents have built eleven classrooms in four Guatemalan villages. Currently, GV has committed to build two classrooms each year in two of those villages that previously had no schools—Cerro del Niño and Segunda Cruz. This collaborative project, which began in 2005 and is projected to end in 2017, will result in a total of 26 new classrooms for grades K-12 in these two villages.

Reforestation Of the 36% of Guatemala is that is forested, 50% is classi�ed as primary forest—the most biologically diverse type of forest—and is home to a number of endemic or threatened amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals, and plants. Between 1990 and 2000, Guatemala lost an average of 54,000 hectares of forest per year. Since 2005, U.S. and Guatemalan youth through the GV program have been committed to Guatemala’s reforestation e�orts by planting and tending to over 10,000 trees in three regions. In 2008, GV participants planted over 3,500 trees to protect a watershed in an area devastated by landslides caused by Hurricane Stan. GV has set a goal of planting an additional 4,000 trees in 2009 to continue this reforestation e�ort.

Hospital and HealthcarePersonal health coverage in Guatemala is estimated to be low, with more than 40% of the population receiving no access to basic health care services. Through the GV program, GV students have volunteered over 10,100 hours tending to patients and assisting nurses in Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro Hospital. GV students have delivered over $25,000 in medical equipment to villages in most need. Moving forward, GV will increase the involvement of Guatemalan students in this project by 20% annually for the next �ve years, and increase

Our MissionTo educate and empower youth

to become active leaders and global citizens who promote

social and environmental justice through community

service at home and abroad.

Global Visionaries (GV) is a serious organization that has brought development to my municipality—speci�cally in the most margin-alized areas where today, GV has built new pre-school and elementary schools, and brought supplies and educational equipment. GV has been a humanitarian institution that is truly generating hope to many previously hopeless people.

–Miguel López, Mayor of Pastores (includes villages of Cerro del Niño and Segunda Cruz)


Since 2004, GV has created 11 school rooms providing access to education

to 210 new students.

GV students, co�ee farmers and Espresso de Esperanza youth

celebrate after a hard day of picking co�ee beans.

I am pleased to support Global Visionaries in their e�ort to educate local high school students regarding issues in our global society. Through involving students in volunteer work at home and abroad, Global Visionaries inspires the youth of their community to take a vested interest in their neighbors locally and globally.

–Patty Murray, United States Senator


Microbusiness SupportGDP per capita based on a purchasing power parity basis in Guatemala is US$4,700, with 56% of the population living below the poverty line. Microcredit has been shown to successfully enable extremely impoverished people to engage in self-employment projects that allow them to generate an income, and, in many cases, begin to build wealth and bring themselves out of poverty. In 2006, GV began a fruitful partnership with “As Green As It Gets” (www.asgreenasitgets.org) and the co�ee cooperative of family farmers that it supports. Currently, GV directly supports eight youth in four di�erent businesses in the “As Green As It Gets” family. For underserved entrepreneurs

lacking the necessary collateral, steady employment, and a veri�able credit history to receive a loan through traditional �nancial institutions, GV’s microloan program o�ers a self-help approach to establishing sustainable means of income.

Through microloans and direct trade, GV-trained U.S. students have supported Guatemalan entrepreneur youth in the creation of four successful businesses-one of which is Espresso de Esperanza, a Guatemalan corporation and a true youth-run business success story. Owned by �ve GV alumni who are now students at a Guatemalan university, Espresso de Esperanza, with support from GV, has become a pro�table co�ee roaster and exporter. In addition to the provision of a microloan, GV has been a steady and loyal customer of Espresso de Esperanza, providing a stable market and demand for their product by purchasing over two tons of co�ee since 2007. Unwavering demand for their product has provided these �ve with su�cient revenue to cover all infrastructure costs, and the resources necessary to successfully gain legal incorporation, issues of stock, co�ee export licenses, green co�ee purchasing licenses, taxpayer ID, and sanitation certi�cation.

In Numbers• Total years GV has worked in Guatemala 13• Total International trips 31• Total U.S. Youth participants 606• Total Guatemalan Youth Participants 398• Total Guatemalan and U.S. Youth Board leaders since 2004 121• Total students enrolled in GV’s Global Leadership Class in Puget Sound public high schools 220• Adult trip (Life-long Learner) participants 10• Number of trees planted since 2005 10,400• Number of school rooms built since 2004 11

global vision. local action.


www.global-visionaries.org

Get InvolvedGlobal Visionaries provides �ve programs for Americans and Guatemalans that address the two major problems of the 21st century: global poverty and climate change. Opportunities for participation for both youth and adults include the First Year Leadership Program, Global Leadership Class, Youth Board, Long-Term Volunteer, and the Lifelong Learner Program.

Join Our Campaign!Global Visionaries(206) 322-94482524 16th Avenue South, Room 305Seattle, WA 98144, [email protected]

Be a Part of Global Sustainability

Any amount you donate is greatly appreciated.With your help we can train our Guatemalan and U.S. youth for a lifetime of leadership, providing them with knowledge of ecological and social justice issues, as well as an understanding of how their choices a�ect the world.

$50,000 funds scholarships for 30 low-income students to participate in the GV program$25,000 funds the salaries for two full-time and several part-time contract sta� in Guatemala who coordinate GV projects, trip logistics and coordinate the 100 Guatemalan participants. $12,200 builds one classroom$7,200 pays for the roof and �oor$4,000 pays for 1,500 cinder blocks to form 4 walls.$1,200 pays for the windows

$2,500 funds our technical support needs for the coming year $2,000 pays a partial scholarship for 1 low-income student traveling to Guatemala to build 1 classroom$1,500 keeps our o�ce in Seattle open for one month

To keep all these programs running in Seattle andin Guatemala, a little goes a long way:

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Global Visionaries