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 Edwin Adrian Elias Gutierrez Ajqui. My birthdate is November 17th, 2012, I am now 12 years old. I attend 3rd grade at school this year. I like to do my homework and go out with my mother to bring firewood. I like hens and my favorite color is red. The tastiest food for me is beef. I want to tell you a little about my family and me. Fortunately, we all are in good health. I live with my mother, two sisters and two brothers. Unfortunately, my parents separated 5 years ago. My father does not help us economically at home and we do not know about him. His name is Camilo Gutierrez Simaj. My mother´s name is Santos Ajqui de Leon. She is a weaver and she is the only one who covers all our expenses. It is difficult for my mother to cover all our needs. Some of them are groceries and corn.

Thanks to God, we live in our own house. It has one room and a separated kitchen. The house is made of wooden board walls, tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We obtain water from my paternal grandmother. She lives near us and we go to bring it from there. We do not pay anything for it. We have electricity and my mother and my grandmother pay it. At home we have some hens, dogs, and cats. I walk 30 minutes to get to the feeding program. Thank you very much for reading my information. 

Blessings and hugs,

Edwin Adrian Elias Gutierrez Ajqui

Translated by: Magnolia De Torres / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala