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 corps. 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.             

I am so glad to share my information in this opportunity! My name is Leydi Garcia Ajqui. I was born on February 27^th of 2020, in Chuchuca, Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala. I am a 5-year-old girl, and I am in good health. My father´s name is Ramiro Garcia De La Cruz. He works both as a farmer and day laborer; he supports us economically. My mother´s name is Andrea Ajqui Chic. She is a housewife and raises hens. She also goes to sell herbs in Zacualpa´s market. I have one brother and two sisters. My father and siblings are in good health. As for my mother, she has suffered from headaches since she gave birth to my younger sibling. She visited a doctor and he prescribed some vitamins.

I am attending Pre-kindergarten at school. I like to play with my dolls. I love the color pink. I like animals especially dogs and cats. The meals I love the most are rice and noodles. My family and I attend Prince of Peace Church. Thanks to God, my parents own the house in which we live. There are three adobe rooms; we use two as bedrooms and the other is the kitchen. There is a tile roof with a cement floor. We have running water and electricity services. The electricity payment is monthly, and the water is yearly. As a family, our greatest needs are groceries and clothes. It is a great blessing for me to be registered in the feeding program. My brother and I walk for twenty minutes to arrive there. I hope you find my letter interesting. May God bless you!

Warm hugs,

Leydi Garcia Ajqui

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