Who we are?

The Guatemalan Scholarship/Loan Program was founded by members Guatemala’s small un-programmed Quaker  meeting in 1973.  Over the decades the program has grown from supporting one student in 1973 to supporting 114 university and secondary school students in 2008. The program is jointly sponsored by the Guatemala Friends Monthly Meeting and the Redwood Forest Friends Meeting in Santa Rosa, California. We receive financial support from a small number of Quaker meetings and a large number of Quaker and non-Quaker friends.

Who we help?
All of our students come from very poor families.  Over 90% are Maya and the majority grew up in very rural areas of the country.  We support their higher education at public and private institutions within Guatemala. Very few of our students are able to obtain a higher education in their home communities.  Some travel long distances in order to attend special “weekend programs”. Others  must leave their families and pay for room and board closer to the university.
Sometimes they are working and are able to pay part of their expenses themselves. Sometimes their families are able to provide limited financial assistance. Often, however, they need us to cover all their expenses. We meet each student's specific financial needs using a combination of scholarships and loans.

Redwood Forest Friends Meeting
and are mailed to
Guatemala Scholarship Program
PO Box 1831 Santa Rosa, CA 95402

All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S. In 2007 the Program became a registered Guatemalan association under the name “Programa Estudiantil de los Amigos Cuaqueros -PROGRESA-".   This allows us to accept tax favored contributions in Guatemala as well as the U.S.