The Street Kids of Guatemala

After their first initial shock, a good amount of people who hear you are planning a trip to Guatemala will inevitably ask you, "but what about the poverty, the corruption?" And they then of course will want a full report to support their pre-conceptions upon returning. At least, this is what I have experienced a time or two.

Like receiving a vaccine against a preventable disease, every website you read will tell you to prepare yourself, and protect yourself against the theft brought about by extreme desperation.  They will have all the tips for protecting yourself, that's one of the reasons you are on that website in the first place, right? Those who have gone before will warn you "It's pretty intense, especially the street kids, they will break your heart." and of course, they are completely right. Those kids will break your heart.

Two children laying outside of a shop on the side of the road in Panahachel.

In my travels to Guatemala, the locals, and the people we work with have never tried to steer us away from these areas, from this reality, which could be very disturbing to foreigners. And for that I am grateful. To avoid, or take in these realities in a negative manner would be incorrect to do. Guatemala offers unimaginable flavors to life, incredible sites, intoxicating sounds, and seriously indescribable experiences in general that this post wont even come close to explaining. It also offers a look/feel at extreme inequality and devastating poverty.

Mother begging with her toddler in Antigua. 

To ignore this would be to hold an incomplete view of Guatemala. Poverty does exist. It exists in Guatemala, and everywhere else in the world to differing degrees. You have to take it in and accept it as a piece of the current puzzle of the world we live in. To choose to take it all in negatively would be to ignore the humanity of those living in the lowest economic extreme.  But, to see only the warm and positive side of those living in poverty would mean you are partaking in promoting what people call 'picturesque poverty'.

A young girl selling dolls, while carrying around her baby brother in Panahachel. 

The truth is Guatemala has a real crisis on its hands, and the children are one of the biggest victims of this. Over 20% of Guatemala children will be forced to work to help support their family, and that number is even greater in the indigenous populations. Those who are sent to work, a fraction of them will be punished and abused if they dont meet their daily quota. Across the country, more than 25% will not be able to read or write when they grow up, nor receive an education after the 5th grade. These children are being robbed of their childhood, and it boils down to the children having to be put to work to help sustain life in their household/ their parents do not have the necessary funds to provide them with an education so they go to work instead. These children are forced to work polishing shoes, selling items in the streets, which can include food, garbage collectors, hair wrapping, and even construction work all to earn just a few Q's.

A young girl in Antigua whom I bought a scarf from and gave her the rest of the change in my purse, she was pretty excited to receive some American coins. 

As heartbreaking and unjust as it is,with or without the help of an adult, these children are able to create honorable work out of the few resources they have. I find that extremely impressive. At such a tender young age they have mastered the art of negotiating, customer service, and can even calculate the exchange rate in their head- something I need my calculator for, ALWAYS!

Young boy with his shoe shining kit in Guatemala City. 

So for now… what do you do? Do you avoid the scenes of begging street children like you avoid the tap water? Or do you trudge full force into the streets of Guatemala and challenge yourself to behave as if “they” are no different than “us”. Do you avoid taking any and all photos for fear of participating in the culture that embraces picturesque poverty? None of the above. They’re all one-dimensional, band-aid solutions.Here is what you should do; Remain open. Remain aware. Accept that extreme poverty exists in Guatemala. Do not avoid but do not seek it out either. Those living in poverty are not invisible. They are also not zoo animals in need of an audience. They are people and, in truth, that is what truly makes them so similar to us. Don’t try to “figure out” how to talk to, interact with, or otherwise engage people who live in poverty. As it pertains to your day to day interactions with them, they are simply people. Not until those who are struggling in the margins of society are truly seen as individual people will their status and situation change to one of true equality.

Young girl selling in Panahachel. 

What can you do to help? You are one person, most likely only staying for a short period of time. Well, you can treat the child or person in front of you like a person- not a symbol, not an abstract political talking point. That means asking before you take anyone’s photo, something I don't always do but need to practice more myself. It means striving to see the whole truth in a moment, not the pieces you expected to see. It means truly listening to the story before trying to re-tell it. It means witnessing without judgement. It means seeing the complex truth in all human beings, regardless of economic or social status. It means taking one more photo of the kid in front of you just because it makes him happy and you have five minutes to spare. It also means stopping the girl who tries to take your wallet, walking away when you feel uncomfortable, and refusing to be taken advantage of no matter how desperate the eyes looking back at you are. It means capturing joy and sorrow in your photos and in your journal (whether that be the pad of your heart or pad in your hand) It means reacting honestly to the individual standing in front of you, not reacting based on fear or preconceptions.

This little sweetie has been at a tourist stop selling items with her mom the past 2 years I have been going, it has been wonderful to watch her grow and see her each time we go to the Cross. 

There is a large mass of children surviving on the street without care or much consideration- a generation being left completely to their own.. There are such a large number of people living in desperate poverty that many fail to take notice any longer. As a whole, Guatemala seems to have turned its back on an entire segment of the population, a great many of them children. And yet, despite this tragic picture, every individual has a great story to tell and a wonderful smile to share.

I didn't buy anything from this honey, but I did offer to buy her a juice or milk, then of which another little boy came and he was blessed with the same refreshment. 

Guatemala is not an evil country and its' people are not bad people by any stretch of the imagination. Guatemala is any country, it is every country. Every nation struggles with its treatment of the most vulnerable of the population in some way.

Children playing alone in the streets in Panahachel

Young boy that I think most of us bought bracelets from in Panahachel.

No one can change the world alone. However, even alone one can change how we and some of those around us see the world. It is your responsibility as a visitor to Guatemala (and any country) to be a witness to humanity and to share what you have witnessed, honestly, with others. Do not glorify it, do not embelish it, do not clean it up- to do so would be to show disrespect to the very real struggles and joys of the individuals you have encountered along the way. By doing this you can help create a reality where we start to see the most vulnerable amongst us as individual people and thereby make it harder and harder to collectively turn our backs and walk away. What, otherwise, is the purpose of travel?

This little beauty walking on the streets alone.

This boy in the purple called us 'the white devils' for not buying from him. I cant be mad at him, can you imagine your next meal depending on if someone bought an item from you that is 50c American? The struggle they face daily is unimaginable.

He asked if I had any food, and thank goodness for United and complimentary Ranch Peanuts, he got a little snack :) 

I know, I know…. who am I to tell you how to take in the overwhelming experience that is Guatemala? I am no one really. Just a fellow person. A witness to humanity by choice.

I will never forget these two. We went to a festival in the parque at night and I ended up playing with them for hours while their mother sold items. They were a hoot!!!