Linking Study and Service

Sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures, Campus Ministry and The Office of Community Service

Guatemala History and Current ConditionCBOs and NGOsColegio Miguel Angel Asturias and serviceHow you can take action

Guatemala History and Current Condition

The Current Conditions

-Land Restoration to Campesino Groups

-The Teachers Strike

-State of Siege

Community Based Organizations and Non-Governmental OrganizationsRights ActionCommittee of Peasant UnityUS Labor Education in the Americas Project (USLEAP)HIJOSAlliance against ImpunityGuatemalan Accompaniment ProjectMovimiento Tzuk Kim-PopEducation and HopeColegio Miguel Angel Asturias

Rights Action - Derechos en Accin Umbrella organization that funds and supportssmaller organizations Who they are:With offices in the United States, Canada and Guatemala, Rights Action (a tax-charitable organization) supports community-designed and implemented projects in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador & Peru.

Rights Action:Provides funds and technical support for development, relief and human rights projects of partner NGOs and community-based organizations.

Publishes information and does educational and activism work related to the issues being addressed by our partners.

Organizes funds and educational delegations to visit with partner organizations in the south.

Brings key leaders and activists on tours in the north.

Committee of Peasant Unity

U.S./Labor Education in the Americas Project (US/LEAP)US/LEAP (formerly the U.S./Guatemala Labor Education Project) is an independent non-profit organization that supports economic justice and basic rights for workers in Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico. US/LEAP focuses especially on the struggles of those workers who are employed directly or indirectly by U.S. companies such as Starbucks (coffee), Dole (bananas), and Phillips-Van Heusen (clothing).

HIJOS and Alliance Against Impunity HIJOS: Sons and Daughters for Identity, Justice, and against Forgetting and Silence (Hijos/as para la identidad y justicia contra olvido y silencio)Group composed of relatives of disappeared and murdered individuals, people who were living in exile, had relatives living in exile, or were internally displaced.

Group developed as a way to share their stories and pain in order to break their silence to society.

Individuals work as activists for human rights, social justice, and initiate legalcases to raise consciousness in the community about these issues.

www.hijosguatemala.8m.com

HIJOSThe peopleThe artworkThe activism

Guatemalan Accompaniment Project (GAP)Accompaniment creates a non-violent response to the threats, harassment, and violence suffered by Guatemalan communities and grassroots organizations.

The Guatemala Accompaniment Project (G.A.P.) places U.S. volunteers side-by-side with at-risk communities and organizations in an effort to deter human rights violations.

These volunteers, known as accompaniers, monitor the situation and alert the international community to abuses.

The accompaniers presence provides a measure of security and creates space for Guatemalan communities and organizations to organize to defend their rights.

Movimiento Tzuk Kim-Pop

Educacin y Esperanza

Colegio Miguel Angel Asturias

What Can I Do?Learn more about Guatemala and the challenges faced by the Guatemalan people

Subscribe to Rights Actions e-list by contacting info@rightsaction.org

Subscribe to the Guatemala Human Rights Commission USAs e-list by contacting ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org

Subscribe to the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemalas (NISGUA) Report on Guatemala, published four times a year, by sending a check or money order for $25 to:NISGUA1830 Connecticut Ave.NW Washington, D.C. 20009

Learn MoreTake action in support of human rights and development in Guatemala

Respond to urgent action appeals issued periodically by Rights Action and Guatemala Human Rights Commission, which often involve calling, writing, or faxing government or business leaders to lobby on behalf of human rights

Get involved in the partnership with Colegio Miguel Angel Asturias through the Stone Church Guatemala Circle, the Juniata Spanish Club, or by making a financial contribution (see brochure or contact Henry at thurston@juniata.edu for more info about a health delegation being organized for May of 2004)

Go to Xela to study Spanish and to volunteer at the Colegio or at other worthy community based projects such as Education and Hope, while possibly receiving Spanish and internship credits

Become a human rights monitor through NISGUAs Guatemala Accompaniment Project (GAP) by contacting them at nisgua@igc.org (minimum of 6-month commitment required)