Hola amigos y familía!
Today is day 10 for the students in Guatemala, and day 4 for the therapists! Again, we were split into two service sites today.
The Missionaries Group from yesterday spent the day at Digna, a nonprofit that focuses on teaching vocational skills to individuals with disabilities in the hopes that they may find work here. Due to the heavy stigma of disability in Guatemala, it is hard for even those with a slight intellectual, hearing or visual impairment to obtain employment. We spent time with 14 clients today, asking them about their dream jobs, what skills they need to get there and conducting simulation activities to help prepare them for the skills necessary to do the job. We found that the individuals we worked with are so attentive, hard working and have all the skills necessary to work. If they lived in the United States, they would likely be employed. We felt so much dissonance at this, because there isn't a lot we can do to help them get a job when it is societal stigma that is stopping them from working. We definitely saw a lot of occupational injustice in this. However, Digna is taking great strides to counteract this! They offer cooking classes and engage many of their individuals in training for cleaning, carpentry and other manual vocations. This same group will be heading back there tomorrow.
Therapists Amy and Todd returned with a group of students to Daryl's and his daughter's homes to provide more therapy recommendations. Todd, a jack of all trades, fabricated splints in a pan of hot water, while staff made tortillas for lunch on the stove next to him. Amy worked closely with the head nanny, who has created an incredible sensory integration room in the home! The students were able to rearrange their groups in order to experience how PTs and OTs collaborate to provide a comprehensive care plan for each child. Tomorrow, this team will travel to Canilla to work at a local clinic then.
During some rare down-time, several members of the group got to watch a neighborhood soccer game and enjoy ice cream from a local shop.
-Laney and Amy
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