My Story

Tunajá is a very primitive area of the state of Quiché, Guatemala.  The inhabitants are Quiché Indians who trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  The prevalent language is the Indian dialect - Quiché.  The people are either farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors.  Very little money ever changes hands as they use a barter system. Public education is available - however, most families cannot afford it.  Electricity and running water are not available in most of the area.  Life in Tunajá is extremely difficult.

Hello! It is a pleasure to greet you with much love. I have the privilege to introduce myself for the very first time. I hope you find this interesting. My name is Oscar Alexander Tzoy Herrera, and I am 7 years old. I was born on February 25, 2017. I attend the 1^st grade at school, and my favorite color is blue. I love eating meatballs. My favorite animal is the monkey. My hobbies are painting and playing puzzles. I have one brother and one sister. My mother takes me to the feeding program. We walk 5 minutes to arrive at the program.

I live with my parents. Their names are Oscar Israel Tzoy Garcia and Lliana Abigail Herrera. My father is a merchant and sells eggs. He also improves the income by making trips with his own car. My mother takes care of us and the house. She also helps with the expenses by making typical clothes to sell. As a family, we have many necessities, but the main one is food. We are members of the Catholic Church. We live in my paternal uncle´s house. Fortunately, we do not pay anything for living there. The house is made of adobe, tin sheet roof and cement floor. It has three rooms including the kitchen. There is running water and electricity. My parents pay the electricity every month and the water every year. Our domestic animals are chickens and turkeys. Thank God, my whole family is healthy. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your kindness to read about me. I send my many kisses and hugs.

Best regards,

Oscar Alexnder Tzoy Herrera

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua