My Story

Duenas, where your child lives, is a small farming village located at the foot of one of Guatemala's active volcanoes, Fuego (Fire). The fertile ground around the village allows for the cultivation of roses and coffee, two of Guatemala's largest exports. Most of the families in this area live in one or two room wooden or adobe houses with tin roofs. Electricity is available to those who can afford it. Running water is available - however, most homes do not have indoor plumbing. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider education of value. Life in Duenas is quiet and sometimes difficult.

Hello! My name is Luisa Anahi Velasquez Siquinajay and it is a blessing for me to greet you through this letter. I was born on September 7, 2016. I am a healthy girl, and I am in kindergarten. I like animals, but my favorites are chicks. My favorite hobby is playing with my dolls. My favorite color is blue, and I love eating strawberries and black beans. I live with my mother, grandmother, one of my aunts, and her four children. Unfortunately, my father abandoned my mother when my mom was pregnant with me. My mother’s name is Gloria Amanda Velasquez Siquinajay. She makes a living by washing clothes for other people and selling firewood. As for health, let me tell you that my mother gets stressed easily, and because of that, she has health issues. At the moment, she has not visited the doctor because of our lack of money. Therefore, I would like to count on your prayers.

We live at my grandma’s house. There are two rooms, but my mom and I only use one. There is a separate kitchen, so we share it with our relatives. The walls are made of concrete blocks with tin sheet roof and concrete floors. Some of our needs are running water, electricity, and food. We live near my great-grandmother. Fortunately, she provides us with running water every other day for free. To be able to see at night, we use candles. We have domestic animals at home. We have a cat, some ducks, and hens. The feeding program is near where I live because I only walk for 15 minutes to get there. I say goodbye to you now but thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. My mom helped me to give all this information to an AAC secretary. See you later!

From the bottom of my heart,

Luisa Anahi Velasquez Siquinajay

Translated by: Hillary Popol /AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala