NE2296

Zona 5, where your child lives, is located in a slum area of Guatemala City.  An extremely poor area, our program is squeezed in among the shanty dwellings built over an old city dump. Many houses in this area are without toilets or running water and are assembled with scrap wood, sheet metal, and cardboard.  Zone 5, is considered one of the most dangerous areas of Guatemala City. It is controlled by gangs and drug pushers.  Robberies and murders are common in this area.  Public education is available - however, many cannot afford it.  Life in Zone 5 is very difficult. This child lives on top of an old rubbish dump in Zone 5 of Guatemala City.

Hello! My name is Brandon Jahir Gomez Juarez. I attend the Zone Five feeding program. I was born on February 11^th, 2004. I am fourteen years old and I am in good health. I attend the fourth grade. In my free time, I like to ride a bike and play football and with marbles. My favorite color is blue and my favorite animal is the tiger. I love to eat a typical dish called pepian. I live with my mother, my sister and my grandmother in our own house. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, a bathroom, running water and electricity. My mother struggles to support us by selling beauty products in a local market. My father does not lives with us and he almost does not send us money. He only send us some money when he wants to. He works as an electrician. My mother shares her bed with me and my grandmother does that with my sister. We do not attend a church yet.

With much love and many blessings,

Brandon Jahir Gomez Juarez

Translated by: Lidia Vásquez /AAC Guatemala